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Czechia

 

Contents

Flags

historical Flags

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

Map of the historical Czech lands

Coat of Arms

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

Map of Czechia 1939–1945

Map of today's Czechia

Map of Silesia

Numbers and Facts

History

Origin of the Country's Name



Flags

Flagge Fahne flag Tschechien Tschechische Republik Tschechei Czechia Czech Republic Cesko Cechy Ceska
National- and merchant flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Standarte Flagge Fahne flag Tschechien Tschechische Republik Tschechei Czechia Czech Republic Cesko Cechy Ceska Präsident President
Standard of the President of Czechia,
Source, by: unknown, convert to SVG Tlusťa / Public domain



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historical Flags

Flagge Fahne flag Farben colours colors Böhmen Tschechen Czechs
19th century,
Bohemian colours of the Czechs,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flaggen und Wappen der Welt




Flagge Fahne flag Farben colours colors Mähren Moravia Morava Mährer Moravians
19th century,
Colours of the Slavs in Moravia,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flaggen und Wappen der Welt




Flagge Fahne flag Flag of the country Colours of the country colours colors Tschechisch-Schlesien Tschechisch Schlesien Czech Silesia
Colours of Czech Silesia (former Austrian Silesia),
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Flag of the country Colours of the country colours colors Tschechisch-Schlesien Tschechisch Schlesien Czech Silesia
Colours of Sudetenland,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Tschechische Republik Tschechoslowakei
1990–1992,
Flag of the Czech Republic within Czechoslovakia,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World



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Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The today’s flag of Czechia was officially introduced as flag of Czechoslovakia on 30th of March in 1920, and was taken over as flag of Czechia in preparation for the separation of Slovakia on 17th of December in 1992. It shows two horizontal stripes in white and red and on the pole a blue until the middle of the flag reaching isosceles triangle. The colours white and red are the since the 12th century known Bohemian colours (white lion on red), the blue triangle should today represent Moravia but former Slovakia. The colours of the flag are laid down in the "Act of the Czech National Council No. 3/1993 Coll. on the State Symbols of the Czech Republic with effect from 1st of January in 1993", but only as a colour sample imprint in Annex No. 3, without specifying colour values. The given colours are interpreted as follows: Blue = Pantone 293, Red = Pantone 485.

Many Slavic nations create on the 19th century own flags – in context with a growing Slavic nationalism. Thereby played the Panslavism an important roll, a political movement of the 18th/19th century, which would unite all Slavs in one nation. The most Slavic nations however lived in this times under Austrian, Turkish or even German rule. The Panslavism saw in Russia a model, because the Russians were, apart from Montenegro, the only free Slavic nation. In this way the colours of the Russian flag became to an idol of the Panslavists, and in the end to a colour's pattern in the designing of the flags of many Slavic nations. Those flags carried and carry except few exceptions the Russian colours white, blue and red as mutual attribute. From there this colour's combination is named "Panslavic Colours". The three colours had been shown for the first time in the year 1848 on the Slavic Congress in Prague, but in a lengthwise striped tricolour. They represented the Czech and the Slovaks.

Source: Die Welt der Flaggen, Flaggen und Wappen der Welt, Wikipedia (CS)

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Map of the historical Czech lands

clickable

Source: CIA World Factbook, modyfied by: Volker Preuß

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Coat of Arms


Wappen coat of arms blazon Tschechien Tschechische Republik Tschechei Czechia Czech Republic Cesko Cechy Ceska
Coat of arms of Czechia,
Source, by: unknown, convert to SVG Tlusťa / Public domain


Wappen blazon coat of arms blazon coat of arms Böhmen Bohemia
today's heraldry of Bohemia,
Source, by: unknown, convert to SVG Tlusťa / Public domain


Wappen coat of arms blazon Mähren Moravia
today's heraldry of Moravia,
Source, nach: unknown, convert to SVG Tlusťa / Public domain


Wappen coat of arms blazon Tschechisch Schlesien Czech Silesia
today's heraldry of Czech Silesia,
Source, nach: unknown, convert to SVG Tlusťa / Public domain

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Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The today’s coat of arms was adoped on 17th of December in 1992. It shows a quartered shield, in the first and fourth field the scutcheon of Bohemia (silvery double-tailed lion with golden crown on red ground), in the second field the scutcheon of Moravia (silvery-red chess-board styled eagle with with golden crown on blue ground), and in the third field the scutcheon of Silesia (golden crowned black eagle with a silvery by cloverleafs finished crescent with a small cross in the middle on golden ground).

Source: Flaggen und Wappen der Welt, Volker Preuß

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Map of Czechia

1939–1945

Source: CIA World Factbook, modyfied by: Volker Preuß

The Sudetenland – the area of settlement of the Germans – belonged directly to the German Empire, the area of settlement of the Czech was as "Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia" subordinated unter German supremacy.

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Map of Czechia

Location:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Map of the country:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Names in German:

Source: CIA World Factbook, modyfied by: Volker Preuß

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Map of Silesia


Source: F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, modyfied by: Volker Preuß

The historical map shows Prussian Silesia between 1806 and 1815 as bright red area. The yellow areas in the Northeast have been ceded by Saxony to Prussia in 1815 and became connected to Silesia. Austrian Silesia (1742-1918) appears in a dark yellow outline. In the year 1919 Prussian Silesia became divided into two provinces, Upper Silesia (bright red outline) and Lower Silesia (bright blue outline).

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Numbers and Facts

Area: 30.450 square miles

Inhabitants: 10.637.800 (2018), thereof 90.5% Czech, 3.7% Moravian, 1.9% Slovak, 0.5% Polish, 0.5% Germans, 0.1% Gypsies

Density of Population: 349 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Prag (Engl.: Prague, Czech: Praha), 1.308.630 inh. (2019)

official Language: Czech

other Languages: Slovakian, German

Currency: 1 Czech Koruna (Krone, CZK) = 100 Háleru (Heller)

Time Zone: GMT + 1 h

Source: Wikipedia (D)

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History 

History of Bohemia to 1918 (→ click here)
History of Moravia to 1918 (→ click here)
History of Austrian Silesia to 1918 (→ click here)

28th of October 1918 · formation of Czechoslovakia by merger of Bohemia, Moravia, Austrian Silesia, Slovakia and the Carpatho-Ukraine

29th of September 1938 · Czechoslovakia cedes Sudetenland to the German Empire

2nd of October 1938 · Poland occupys and annexes the Teschener Land

14th of March 1939 · the Slovak People's Party proclaims under Josef Tiso (1887–1947) the Slovakian Republic, disintegration of Czechoslovakia, Carpatho-Ukraine bekommes annexed by Hungary

15th of March 1939 · invasion of German troops, establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia

9th of May 1945 · takeover by ex-president Beneš, restoration of Czechoslovakia

1945–1948 · expulsion of 2,75 millions of Germans and hundred thousends of Hungarians with hundred thousends of dead persons

1992 · arrangements for dissolution of Czechoslovakia

1st of January 1993 · disintegration of Czechoslovakia, independence for Czechia and Slovakia

Source: Wikipedia (D), World Statesmen, Discovery '97, Weltgeschichte

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Origin of the Country's Name

The name "Czechia" hs its roots in the name of the peolple of the Czech (Czechy), which immigrated together with other tribes to Bohemia in the 5th and 6th century and became to the here predominant slavic nation. "Czechy" means "crowds" or "troops".

Source: Atlas der wahren Namen, Die Völker der Erde

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