Many countries have passed the difficult path to independence, which is often later reflected in their state symbols. The Czech Republic is no exception. The flag and coat of arms, photographs and drawings of which are used on souvenirs, are popular with tourists, loved by the Czechs themselves - they contain the history of the country.
The first mention of state symbols
The modern look is far from the first version of a significant symbol of the country. The coat of arms of the Czech Republic appeared in the twelfth century, during the hostilities of the emperor Frederick the First Barbarossa, whose ally was the Czech prince Vladislav the Second. Then the image of a silver lion appeared on an scarlet field. The first material incarnation was the seal used in 1213. The symbol, which was originally an image on the ruler’s shield, began to represent the country as a whole, and its significance remained until 1918.
Czechoslovak independence
Since 1918, the government has changed in the country. An independent state appeared, because the old coat of arms of the Czech Republic was already inappropriate. However, the Czechs felt that some of its features needed to be preserved so that it reflected their attachment to the traditions of their lands and told about the story. At the same time, the emblem was supposed to demonstrate a new constitutional situation. According to public opinion, Jaroslav Kursa, a representative of the Ministry of Internal Archives, has developed several versions of the emblem, the details of which were borrowed from previously existing symbols of different territories of Czech land. The final version was created by Frantisek Kisela. In March 1920, a new coat of arms of the Czech Republic found life, a photo of which is no less famous than the modern version. It reflected the importance of not only Czech, but also Slovak lands, was used until the collapse of Czechoslovakia in 1993.
Description of the coat of arms in the previous version
The well-known coat of arms of Czechoslovakia was a shield supported on its sides by lions. It housed the symbol of Bohemia - a silver lion with an open mouth and two tails, turning his head to the right and depicted on a red background. Other parts of the shield represent the rest of the country. Slovakia was represented by a red shield, which depicts three blue hills with a silver cross. Ruthenium was symbolized by a part of blue, separated by golden rays, with a red bear looking to the right. Moravia was represented by an eagle of silver and red shades on blue, looking to the right and with a crown on its head. The emblem of Silesia was a golden shield with a black eagle in the crown, painted with red paws and a cross in the center. The Tessin region was represented by a golden bird on blue, and the Opava was symbolized by a shield of red and white halves. Finally, Ratiborz was represented by a field divided into two parts with a blue part decorated with a golden crowned eagle and a red-white part without images.
Modern look
Now the Czech emblem represents three areas. These are Moravia, Bohemia and Silesia. Despite this, the shield is divided into four parts. This placement symbolizes the previous territorial rules. Bohemia is symbolized by a silver-white lion on an scarlet field, depicted with two tails. It is placed in two parts of four. The remaining ones occupy two eagles, one on a blue background and red-white, and the other on yellow and painted black. They represent Moravia and Silesia respectively. Such a coat of arms of the Czech Republic allows us to emphasize that Bohemia has always been the main area and provided brave warriors who defend the country in war. It was the “Czech lions” who defended their native lands and rarely remained alone. Modern Czech Republic, whose flag and coat of arms have been used since 1993, has state symbols on banknotes, on the sports uniform of players of the national team and on many souvenirs that are sold in tourist places.
History and view of the banner
The flag of the Czech Republic has always used red and white colors. Since the twelfth century, these shades have been on the coat of arms, and therefore the state standard looked just like that. In 1918, after the coup, the white-red flag remained an unofficial symbol of Czechoslovakia. In 1920, a blue triangle was added to the part near the shaft. He was the personification of Slovakia. From 1939 to 1945, a banner of three horizontal stripes of the same size, white, red and blue was used. They represented the Protectorate of the Czech Republic and Moravia. After the collapse of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czechs returned the flag of the former republic with two horizontal stripes and a blue triangle at the pole. Thus, they violated the constitutional act adopted upon gaining independence, which claimed that neither the Czech Republic nor Slovakia could use the former state symbols that were used during the existence of a single country and depicting both regions at once. Nevertheless, just such a flag is used by the Czechs, and to this day it is recognizable throughout the world.