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Keywords: bjelovar | bilogora | croatia | zupanija | bjelovarsko-bilogorska | bjelovar-bilogora county |
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image by Željko Heimer, 22 October 2000
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The County of Bjelovar - Bilogora is situated east from
Zagreb, in middle Croatia. The arms consist of St. Andrew's
cross, image of St. George slaying the dragon and chequy field of
Croatia. This is the same arms as were given to Bjelovar county
in 1871, when it was formed from regions that were removed from
Military Frontier (known as Varazdin Frontier).
Željko Heimer
I have bought a book: Csa'ki, Imre: A magyar
kira'lysa'g va'rmegyéinek ci'merei a XVIII-XIX. sza'zadban,
Corvina, Budapest, 1995 , in which are shown (one big coat of
arms in each page!) all the coats of arms of the counties of the
Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the XVIII. and
XIX. centuries.
"Belovar-Körös va'rmegye" [Bjelovar-Krizevci County]:
a woman of justice [that is a woman with a ribbon on the eyes,
holding a sword in the right hand and here a sheet of paper in
the left hand] with green clothes holding two shields: dexter:
divided per fess: 1- chappé courbé [divided in three filed the
one in the middle forming a sort of curved triangle]: a- azure a
crowned lion head or; b- vert a running marten natural; c-
chequered of 25 argent and gules; 2- divided per pal: a- argent a
part of a pond in white with reed and grass natural and a duck
taking flight also natural; b- gules a lion or on a crown also
or. On the whole an inescutcheon gules a latine cross argent
between the letters M and T or [Maria Theresia]. sinister:
divided per fess: 1- divided per pal: a- azure Saint George
natural on a horse argent and gules fighting the dragon vert; b-
gules a clover cross in saltire; 2- chequered of 18 [6 x 3]
argent and gules. Above the whole, there is a royal crown or.
Under the whole there is a ribbon argent fimbriated azure with
the words or « JUSTITIA » « CLEMENTIA ».
The coat of arms was adopted in 1897. The coat of arms of the
Bielovar part [former Bielovar county (?)] was adopted in 1872.
Pascal Vagnat, 28 June 1998
I should mention a book that was issued just these days - the
second book of the Croatian Encyclopedia (Hrvatska Encikopedija,
Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleza, Zagreb, 1999-; 2. Be-Da,
2000). Under the title "Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska
zupanija" there is image of the CoA together with a short
presentation (actually being only three sentences or so). There
is no mention of the flag, and the CoA is shown in grayscale (and
a bit vertically distorted). However, I guess that such a book
shall become quite a reference in future, and that it is worth of
mentioning. Few pages latter on there is the article on
"Brodsko-posavska zupanija" and none other have as yet
come in the alphabetic order. Anyway, here is what's there about
BBC (my translation):
"Bjelovar and Bilogora County, administrative unit in
norhtern part of Croatia. Encompases the valley of the rivers
Cesma [C<esma] and Ilova, between Bilogora in north and
Moslavina mountain in south; 2647 km2, 144 042 inhabitants."
The article is ending with naming all the cities and communities
in the county, that I omit here
Željko Heimer, 22 October 2000
On the web site <www.colorsoft.hr>
(reported by Tomislav Šipek), there is a drawing of the
ceremonial flag of the Bjelovar and Bilogora County. I presume
that the company Colorsoft Ivancek from Bjelovar manufactured the
gonfalon.
The ceremonial flag is a gonfalon horizontally
divided into dark yellow and green with the coat of arms in the
middle topped with a golden crown and with blue floral mantle and
with the name of the community white in three lines below it. The
gonfalon is bordered yellow and ending in five semi-sircular
unequal tails ending with yellow fringe and tiwth two yellow
tassels.
This is in a way surprising, as there is no mention of a gonfalon
in the decision of the county, but then again, there may have
been something in the official gazettes after 2005 (the web site
of the county <www.bbz.hr> contains the
gazettes from mid-2003 until 2005 only).
Željko Heimer, 1 September 2008
I received a responce from my inquery to the company web site.
As it happens, the owner of the company, Krešimir Ivancek is
also the designer of the current artistic rendition of the coat
of arms of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County, which ,of course, based
on the historical pattern.
The original coat of arms was granted in 1871 (according to my
sources, according to Ivancek in 1872, which should probably be
easy to check in the archives - I suppose that Ivancek may be
correct, as the 1871 is the year of establishment of the County
and the actual grant of arms could easily be a bit afterwards,
while my sources may be interpreted as to giving date of the
County and not the coat of arms).
The 1871 design was probably made in the Vienna heraldic offices,
while there are around graphics prepared in 1886 in Bjelovar,
prepared by local painter Josip Hohnjec, art professor at the
"Grand Royal College in Bjelovar" (as the high school
was titled at the time). Due to that some sources give Hohnjec
the authorship of the coat of arms, however he would have been a
bit too young in 1872 - as Mr. Ivancek pointed out. (Hohnjec was
also important regarding the city coat of arms of Bjelovar, as
you may see at <www.bjelovar.hr>
; where he is mentioned as a young art teacher in 1885).
In any case, when the new county was established in 1993, Ivancek
prepared a modernized version of the coat of arms. He himself
admits that the new, computer drawn design is appearing much
"colder" then the historical original, and the design
differs from the original pettern in some minor details - number
of cheques in the bottom field, some details of the depicting of
St. George and the cross.
The ceremonial flag was designed at the same time in 1993. There
should be just under the crown inscribed the year of
establishment of the new County, 1993. Below the coat of arms in
the ceremonial flag is the name of the county as was official at
the time "Županija Bjelovarsko-bilogorska" - since
1997 the official form is "Bjelovarsko-bilogorska
županija" - but naturally, the ceremonial flag was not
changed. The actual flag was made from silk and embroideried by
Mrs. Barica Majcen from Bjelovar, and the flag is today keep in
the county mayor's office in Bjelovar.
Mr. Ivancek also designed a few more flags in Bjelovar
- a new flag of the "Golub" cultural society (the
obvers may be see at <www.colorsoft.hr>
; the revers is a replica of the original 1902 flag of the
society, being light blue with golden embroideried harph with a
dove (Golum means 'dove') and inscribed full name of the society
- the 1902 flag being replaced in 1990's for being old and too
precious for regular use).
- the flag of "Bjelovarski granicari - Husari" (The
Frontiermen of Bjelovar - the Hussars) being a ceremonial guard
unit of the city.
Željko Heimer, 2 September 2008
The amendments to the (2001) Statutes issued in 2009, among
other unrelated changes introduces an article (5a) prescribing
that it is the county mayor who may grant use of the county coat
of arms and flags to legal persons, following the measures
determined by the assembly (this change being due to the changes
in the administrative structure by the state giving more powers
to the mayors). The new Statutes adopted later in 2009 repeat the
determinations of the 2001 Statutes with amendments of 2009, but
those do not include their description.
- Statutarna
odluka o izmjenama i dopunama Statuta Bjelovarsko-bilogorske
županije, Županijski glasnik BBŽ, br. 14/2009,
15.07.2009.
- Statut
Bjelovarsko-bilogorske županije, 13.10.2009,
Županijski glasnik BBŽ, br. ?/2009.
Unfrtunately, the web site of the County has vary limited choice
of the official gazettes, some from 2003-2006 period and several
from 2009, missing all others. Hopefully, this shall be
complemented eventually.
Željko Heimer, 18 December 2009
image by Željko Heimer, 5 October 2008
The County is situated east from Zagreb, in central Croatia, one of the two counties not having state border. The area of the county was part of the Military Frontier as Bulwark agains Ottoman empire since middle age. It was mainly the area of so called "Varazdin Frontier", as it was manned mainly by people from Varazdin region, and the unit under whose responsibility it was, was the 6th Varaz<din - Saint George's regiment.
image by Željko Heimer, 16 July 1999
The region was removed from Military Frontier and rejoined
with civilian Croatia in 1872 (or in 1871 according to other
source), when the County of Bjelovar (Bjelovarska z<upanija,
Belov/ar va/rmegye, Komitat Belovar) was formed and the coat of
arms granted by empiror Franz Joseph I: trierced, 1. Azure, Saint
Gorge killin the dragon, 2. Gules, a saltire botonny Argent, 3.
chequy Gules and Argent 5x3.
The flag of the county from that period is preserved in Croatian
Historic Museum. It is not pictured on their site, nor in the
catalogue of the flag exhibition held in 1996. However, there is
a description there: reoughly square RWB tricolour with stripes
ending in triangular tails, with light blue square in the middle
containing the coat of arms of the county with helmet with crest
in figure of Justice (Justitia) holding sword and scales.In 1886
the county was joined with the County of Krizevci
(Kriz<evac<ka z<upanija, Ko//ro:s va/rmegye, Komitat
Kreuz). The new coat of arms was made (officially in 1897) simply
by showing both arms side by side in two shields, held by
Justitia, with motto "Justitia - Clementia".
image by Željko Heimer, 16 July 1999
ah-bk.gif)
image by Željko Heimer
The flag of this county from 1903 is also preserved (in Museum
in Bjelovar), being red rectange with golden ornamented border,
the coat of arms in the middle and inscription in gold embroidery
with name of the county above and year 1903 below the coat of
arms. (The photo of the flag
was available on B-B county pages which were moved some time ago.
The CoA of Krizevci county is seen on the combined county flag of
1903 at hoist side. That hoist shield was granted in 1759 by
Maria Theresia.
When the counties were reintroduced in 1993, the most of the
county of Bjelovar (of 1872) was found in the County of Bjelovar
and Bilogora. The right to bear the same historical coat of arms
was recognized, but new flag was made (according to mder patter
prescribed by Croatian laws). On 12 December 1995 the county
assembly made the Decision on the coat of arms and the flag
(source 1) where the coat of arms is described as such:
"...simple shield divided horzontally in two. The upper part
is divided in two equal fields. In the first on blue background
there is figure of St. George on horse killing the dragon. The
figure is white with red cloak, while the dragon is green. In
second field is on red background white Andrew's cross. On lower
half is a part of Croatian historical coat of arms of five
horizontal and three vertical red-white pieces, with first piece
being red."The flag is bicolour, golden yellow above green
of equal width [height!], with the coat of arms in the middle of
the flag on both sides
The decision bacame valid eight days after publication in
official papers (unfortunately I do not have that date).
That CoA and flag was approved by the Ministry of Administration
on 19 April 1996 (source 2) and a new decision on the CoA and
flag was adopted on 29 May 1996 confirming the previous design,
and adding the usage details prescriptions (source 3). One should
notice that the CoA horizontal division does not lay on the
bisecton of the flag, but a little above it. Also, in comparison
to my previously sent images, the coat of arms is considerably
larger (and according to my measuremnt of the image accompanying
the source 3, the height of the CoA is 7/10 of the hoist size).
Also, the decision nowhere mentiones that the Andrew's cross in
couped and bottony (is that right expression?), but on all
depictions (including historical images) it is so.
Sources:
1. Odluka o grbu i zastavi Županije bjelovarsko-bilogorske,
12. prosinca 1995. (Decision on the coat of arms and the flag of
the Counyt of Bjelovar and Bilogora, 12-DEC-1995)
2. Rješenje Ministarstva uprave, Kl. UP/I-017-02/96-01/28,
Ur. br. 515-04-03/1-96-1, Zagreb, 19. travnja 1996. (Apporval of
Ministry of Administration, 19-APR-1996).
3. Odluka o opisu grba i zastave, kao i uvjetima načina uporabe
grba i zastave Županije bjelovarsko-bilogorske, 29. svibnja
1996. (Decision on the coat of arms and the flag, and on
conditions of usage of the coat of arms and the flag of the
County of Bjelovar and Bilogora, 29_MAY-1996)
4. Jelena Borosak - Marijanovic, Flags trough the centuries,
Catalogue of Museum Collection, Flags and Flag Streamers,
Hrvatski povijesni muzej, Zagreb, 1996.
5. Csaky, Imre "A magyar kiralysag varmegyeinek cimerei. A
XVIII-XIX. Szazadban", Corvina, Budapest, 1995. ISBN
963-13-4234-4
6. Zupanija bjelovarsko-bilogorska (official web site-currantly
unavailible) <alf.tel.hr/zbb>,
consulted Dec-1997.
7. Željko Heimer: The FAME.
Željko Heimer, 16 July 1999
bj.gif)
image by Željko Heimer, 22 October 2000
