Flag of Hellona

Hellona

Name	Flag of Hellona
Use	Civil and state flag
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	In use since 1442
Design	A horizontal triband of Ellashian blue, white, and a jet black vertical band with a white Hellonian pattern.
Variant flag of Hellona
Name	Zwaluw-vlag (Swallow flag)
Use	Civil and state ensign
Proportion	1:2
Design	A swallowtailed version of the State Flag.

The flag of Hellona is the national flag of Hellona and the Hellonian Realm. It is a horizontal Tricolour of azure and white, with the Hellonian pattern on the hoist side. The modern Hellonian tricolour flag has been in use since 1442 in Hellona.

Design

The national flag of Hellona is a tricolour flag. The horizontal fesses are bands of equal size in the colours, from top to bottom, Hellonian blue and white (silver). Two white fesses are placed under and above the middle fess. The hoist side includes a vertical black fess, charged with a white Hellonian pattern. The flag proportions (width:length) are 2:3.

Scheme	Hellonian blue	White	Jet black
HSB	147,47,66	0,0,100	0,0,18
RGB	(90,169,161)	(255,255,255)	(45,45,45)
Hexadecimal	#5aa9a1	#FFFFFF	#2d2d2d

History

Banner of Andus

Banner of Andus

The Banner of Andus was a Hellonian blue banner with two black crossed chevrons. There is, however, evidence that the Andusian kingdom used several banners, of which this design was found most in art from that era. It now serves as the design for the flag of Owidal. This pattern became important in Hellonian culture and began to used as patterning on many different items, from manuscripts, to flags and religious objects. Other flags in use included one with a valknut on a black field, a white deer on a Hellonian blue field and a black and white saltire.

When the Hero-King Björn Wodanerson married Princess Victoria of Andus and created the Kingdom of Hellona, white flowers were added in the corners of the flag. These were later simplified to circles and the colours were now often changed to white items on a black field, based on the several black and white banners in use at the time, to increase visibility, with full Hellonian blue flags being waved alongside the patterned banner.

Flag of Hellona

The precursor to the modern Hellonian flag was made for use by the navy and other Hellonian ships. The black patterned flag was represented by a fully black bar at the side of the flag, the other two-thirds of the flag was a Hellonian blue and white tricolour with two extra thin stripes.

Later, when flags became easier to produce because of increasing industralisation and increasing romantiscism, the Hellonian pattern was added to the black hoist part.

Display and use

The flag is customarily flown at government buildings and military bases in Hellona and abroad all year round. Private use is great, and the flag is not just flown on national holidays, like King's day, but also on birthdays and at the homes of students who have just graduated. The flag is then often accompanied by the graduate's school bag hung from the tip of the flag pole. The flag can also be displayed at times of sadness at half-staff as a sign of respect or national mourning.

Flag etiquette

The Hellonian Flag Code outlines certain guidelines for the use, display, and disposal of the flag.

The flag should never be allowed to touch the ground and, if flown at night, must be illuminated. If the edges become tattered through wear, the flag should be repaired or replaced. When a flag is so tattered that it can no longer serve as a symbol of the state, it can be given to a local Bastationic-temple or government building for recycling purposes. A flag may never be burned, even when it's tattered, as the materials can be reused elsewhere. Burning the flag is illegal, with the largest punishment being a fine of 50₭, though this isn't usually enforced besides with large-scale protests. There is one exception of this law, the flag may be burned or destroyed on special Protestpleinen (Protesting squares) or in non-public places.

If the flag is not illuminated at night, it must be removed before sunset. It can be hoisted again during sunrise, and during the time it is not flown, it is usually ironed. The flag may never block traffic view, even when it is displayed at half-staff.

Particular days for display

The holidays on which flags are put out by the government are:

• April 18: The King's birthday
• May 4: Remembrance of the Dead (in accordance with mourning protocol)
• June 10: Day of Rights
• August 20: Wodanblót
• September 25: Adoption of the unitary state. Opening of the Rijksdag; start of a parliamentary year

Order of display with other flags

Even though all the national flags in the Hellonian realm are seen as equal, when flags are raised and lowered or carried in a procession, the national flag takes precedence over all the others.

The order of precedence is:

1. The national flag of Hellona
2. The flag of the other constituent countries (On government buildings)
3. The flags of the provinces of Hellona, in alphabetical order, if more than one is flown
4. The flag of the municipality

If there is a visiting head of state, that country's flag may be set third in precedence, all other flags dropping a rank. When three flags are raised, the Hellonian flag should be in the middle, flanked by the two others. If these are provincial and municipal flags, the provincial flag should be put right as seen from the front and the municipal left.

If the flag is displayed next to other national flags, the order is determined by the alphabetical order of the Hellonian names of the countries in question.