Austria .at

Meaning of the Flag

The national flag of Austria is a triband in the following order: red, white, and red. The Austrian flag is considered one of the oldest national symbols still in use by a modern country, with its first recorded use in 1230. The origin of the Bindenschild has not been conclusively established; it possibly derived from the Styrian margraves of the Otakar noble family, who themselves may have adopted the colours from the descendants of the Carinthian duke Adalbero (ruled 1011–1035), a scion of the House of Eppenstein extinct in 1122. These were the family colours of the Imperial House of Habsburg, and were themselves in part derived from the banner of the Holy Roman Empire.

Meaning of Flag Colors

Red, White

Flag History

1. 1945–present
   

   Current national flag, in use since 1945.

The red and white tricolor has been used since the 13th century. The Habsburg dynasty used the colors read and white, although the national flag of the Monarchy at the time was black and yellow. Later, the Austrian Navy under the rule of Emperor Joseph II had a naval ensign that used the red and white design along with a shield. When Austria-Hungary was dissolved in 1918, the flag was no longer used. The state of German Austria then adopted the triband in 1918. The design as it stands today was officially adopted by the nation on May 1, 1945.

Fun Facts

The Austrian flag has been featured or included on multiple collector coins.

Location