This Week In Vexillology #29

Grab some coffee and run down to your local grocery store and get some tasty Danishes*, kids because this week, we've got Denmark!

We get to the crazy, interesting things right away because this flag actually has a name- the Dannebrog or Danish cloth.  And along with Denmark being Europe's oldest kingdom the Dannebrog is the oldest flag of Europe.  Legend has it that during the Battle of Lyndanisse in 1215 when the Danes needed a boost against the Estonians, this flag fell from a sky- a literal gift from God to help the Danes rally to victory.

Adopted for National and Civil usage in 1625, the off centered cross is the basis for the other Scandanavian flags (Norway, Sweden and Finland all use an off centered cross)- and while the legend of the Dannebrog makes for a good story, in reality the flag may have been a gift from the Pope for Denmark's service during the Northern Crusades.

Denmark also gives me the excuse to talk about one of the coolest flags I've ever stumbled across:

This is the flag of Greenland.  (Yes, Greenland has a flag and yes, it's technically part of Denmark.)  And you know what?  Like it's Danish counterpart, it's got a name.  Erfalasorput!  Which in the local language of Greenland means 'our flag.'  Adopted on June 21st, 1985, the red and the white recall the colors of Denmark and the red stands for the sun, while the white stands for the ice that covers most of Greenland.  Greenland is the only flag of any Nordic territory not to feature a cross.  (With a total area of over 2 million square kilometers and an estimated population of around 56,000 Greenland has less people in it than Iowa City does.  Just for a random factoid.)

So, ladies and gentlemen put your hands together for Denmark!   And remember, until next time keep your flags flying- FREAK or otherwise!

*I was somewhat disappointed to find out that Danishes technically aren't Danish in origin- but Austrian instead.  Apparently when Danish bakers went on strike in 1850, factory owners were forced to hire foreign workers, including Austrians who brought the recipes with them.