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Thurgau canton (Switzerland)
Last modified: 2002-01-12 by pascal gross
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![[Flag of Thurgau]](../images/c/ch-tg.gif)
by António Martins
See also:
Description of the flag
Per bend vert and argent, two lions passant bendwise proper.
The field is divided diagonally green in the hoist and white in the
fly. Each part is charged with a golden lion walking upwards toward
the staff. The golden lion on the white field constitutes a major
violation of heraldic rules by mixing metals and creating a visibility
problem.
Symbolism of the flag
The golden lions, representing the valiant and fearless soldier,
were taken from an ancient liege lord of Thurgau, and the green and
white colours were adopted as "revolutionary" in 1803.
History of the flag
Thurgau existed as a jurisdiction since the 8th century, when it was
a possession of the Counts of Kyburg. They gave their family arms
to Thurgau in 1094, which were then "sable, a bend between two lions
passant bendwise or" (a diagonal golden band separating two golden
lions on a black field). In 1264 Count Rudolf of Hapsburg took over
the county and changed the black field in the arms to red. Thurgau
was conquered by the Swiss Confederation in 1460 and ruled jointly by
the cantons through a bailiff. In 1798 Thurgau became a canton in
the Helvetic Republic.
With the restoration of the Swiss Confederation in 1803, and the
creation of Thurgau as one of its six new cantons, the local
"revolutionary" government tinkered with the old arms, omitting the
bend and changing the red field to green and white. (Cf. Vaud and
St. Gallen.) They were not schooled in heraldry, and did not
realise that they had violated a major rule by putting metal on
metal (golden lion on white field). The lion is normally outlined
in black which somewhat reduces the visibility problem.
Attempts to correct this error have not succeded. A proposal in
1938 would have made the whole field green, divided diagonally by a
white "bendlet" (half the width of a bend).
T.F. Mills, 02 November 1997
Historical Thurgau flags
Based on Todd's excellent texts, here's three historic Thurgau flags:
Antonio Martins 20-DEC-1997
![[The original Kyburg Counts arms]](../images/c/ch-tg094.gif)
by António Martins
The original Kyburg Counts arms, granted to Thurgau in 1094: sable, a bend between two lions passant bendwise, all or.
![[Flag of Thurgau 1264]](../images/c/ch-tg264.gif)
by António Martins
In 1264, Rudolf of Hapsburg exchanged black with red.
![[Proposal flag of Thurgau 1938]](../images/c/ch-tg938.gif)
by António Martins
The correction proposal, refused in a 1938 referendum.
Flaggen, Knatterfahnen and Livery Colours
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![[Knatterfahnen]](../images/c/ch-tg_f.gif)
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![[Knatterfahnen]](../images/c/ch-tg_kf.gif)
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![[livery colours]](../images/c/ch-tg_ff.gif)
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by Pascal Gross
Flaggen are vertically hoisted from a crossbar in the manner of gonfanon, in ratio of about 2:9, with a swallowtail that indents about 2 units. The chief, or hoist (square part) usually incorporates the design from the coat of arms - not from the flag. The fly part is always divided lengthwise, usually in a bicolour, triband or tricolour pattern (except Schwyz which is monocolour, and Glarus which has four stripes of unequal width). The colours chosen for the fly end are usually the main colours of the coat of arms, but the choice is not always straight forward.
Knatterfahnen are similar to Flaggen, but hoisted from the long side and have no swallow tail. They normally show the national, cantonal or communal flag in their chiefs.
Zeljko Heimer, 16 July 2000