Czech Regional Symbols

Last modified: 2009-08-15 by jarig bakker
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Regional symbols

We can summarize the present state:

• Prague Capital
• Central Bohemian Region - symbols approved by regional assembly (RA); approved by parliamentary subcommittee, not yet officially granted
• South Bohemian Region - symbols sent to the Parliament; approved by parliamentary subcommittee, not yet officially granted
• Plzen Region - symbols approved by RA; approved by parliamentary subcommittee, officially granted 25 Feb 2002.
• Karlovy Vary Region - symbols officially in use
• Usti Region - ??? possibly approved by the regional assembly (December 12), not yet approved by the Parliament.
• Liberec Region - officially granted by the Parliament.
• Hradec Kralove Region - symbols officially granted by the Parliament.
• Pardubice Region - symbols officially used
• Vysocina Region - symbols approved by Parliament, not yet officially granted
• South Moravian Region - symbols approved by regional assembly and approved by Parliament on 5 Mar 2004.
• Olomouc Region - symbols officially in use
• Zlin Region - symbols approved by Parliament, not yet officially granted
• Moravian-Silesian Region - symbols not yet approved by regional assembly (the proposal preferred by regional council nor any other of 10 proposals got majority of voices)

Yesterday, four flags of the Czech regions (Central Bohemian, South Bohemian, Zlin, and Hradec Kralove) were officially granted by Vaclav Klaus, the chairman of the House of Representatives of the Parliament, to th regional hejtmans. They are identical to those included in FOTW.

At present, the symbols of Central Bohemian, Hradec Kralove, Karlovy Vary, Liberec, Olomouc, Pardubice, South Bohemian, and Zlin Regions are officially in use; symbols of two more regions (Plzen and Vysocina regions) were approved and are to be included into the next decreĕs).
Jan Zrzavy, 22 Jan 2002

Yesterday, one new regional flag, that of the Plzen Region, has been formally granted. Consequently, the flags of Central Bohemian, Hradec Kralove, Karlovy Vary, Liberec, Olomouc, Pardubice, Plzen, South Bohemian, and Zlin Regions are officially
in use; that of Vysocina is waiting to be formally granted.
Jan Zrzavy, 26 Feb 2002

RA = approved by regional assembly,
PSC = discussed by parliamentary subcommittee (an advisory body of the chairman of the House of Representatives),
PD = parliamentary decree (official granting the flag).
The date of the ceremony of granting the flag to the region's hejtman is irrelevant from the vexillological (and legal) point of view.

• Central Bohemian Region: RA 18-09-2001, PSC 31-10-2001, PD 22-11-2001
• South Bohemian Region: RA 11-09-2001 (?), PSC 31-10-2001, PD 22-11-2001
• Plzen Region first proposal: RA 29-05-2001,PSC 19-09-2001 (rejected)
• Plzen Region second proposal: RA 11-12-2001, PSC 12-12-2001, PD 25-02-2002 (?)
• Karlovy Vary Region: RA 12-04-2001, PSC 30-05-2001, PD 27-06-2001
• Usti Region: RA 12-12-2001, PSC not yet
• Liberec Region: RA 22-05-2001, PSC 19-09-2001, PD 08-10-2001
• Hradec Kralove Region: RA 12-06-2001, PSC 19-09-2001, PD 08-10-2001
• Pardubice Region: RA 26-04-2001, PSC 30-05-2001, PD 27-06-2001
• Vysocina Region: RA 20-11-2001, PSC 12-12-2001, PD not yet
• South Moravian Region: RA ??-06-2001, PSC not yet
• Olomouc Region: RA 26-04-2001, PSC 30-05-2001, PD 27-06-2001
• Zlin Region: PSC 30-05-2001, RA 12-09-2001, PD 22-11-2001 (indeed, PSC approved the proposal that was not accepted by RA, then modified in details, approved by RA, and granted by PD)
• Moravian-Silesian Region: RA 13-12-2001 (rejected)

I received from Petr Exner, member of that Heraldic Sub-Comitee of the Czech parliament, an answer to my question:
"The Coat of Arms and flags of the Czech regions has the same pattern. Resolution of the Parliamentary Committee for Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport No. 198 (8.11.2000) on the pattern of regional symbols approved a decision of
Subcommittee for Heraldry and Vexillology. In those decision is written:

The Coat of Arms is quartered.
In the first quarter is the historical Coat of Arms of Land where mostly region is situated.
In the second quarter is Coat of Arms or key derivate of Coat of Arms of the regionīs capital.
The third quarter expressed recent or traditional identity of region.
In the fourth quarter is the historical Coat of Arms of Land where the rest of region is situated.
The flag of the region is heraldic one.
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is exception (because the Coat of Arms and flag are historical).

The reason of this decision is, that the Coat of Arms and flags of the regions must be simply distinguishable from those of cities and village symbols. There are only a few quartered municipals flags and no one used historical landīs Coat of Arms. In the future will be approved no municipal symbols, which can be similar to regions one. The second reason is, that the symbols of regions would be pretentiously that municipal symbols.

In the case of esthetical reasons or adhering of the heraldical and vexillological rules may be the order of fields changed (e.g. symbols of the Olomoucký kraj)."
Pascal Vagnat, 30 Jan 2003