Flag symbolism: the cross and colours of the Norwegian flag

The Norwegian flag is a three-coloured Nordic cross flag: a dark blue cross edged in white on a bright red field. Both the cross and the colours have a history, and their interpretations have changed over time. The Flag Act only describes what the flag looks like, not what it means.

The cross

According to Store norske leksikon, the cross represents the country’s Christian tradition, as the crosses do in the other Nordic flags. Nordic cross flags differ from other cross flags in that the vertical part of the cross is offset towards the pole. The first Nordic cross flag was the Danish Dannebrog, regarded as the world’s oldest national flag. Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland followed.

Norway’s flag was the first Nordic cross flag in three colours. According to Store norske leksikon, it has been a model for around 30 other flags, the first being Iceland in 1918, the Faroe Islands in 1919 and Åland in 1954.

The colours of liberty

Frederik Meltzer justified his proposal in 1821 by saying that the flag ought to have the colours of liberty, red, white and blue, as in the French, Dutch, American and British flags. According to Store norske leksikon, he felt that a red flag with a white cross satisfied those who wished to remember the union with Denmark, while the blue was a courteous gesture to the new union partner, Sweden. Meltzer also pointed to a practical advantage: old Dannebrog flags could be cut up and sewn together with blue stripes.

According to the encyclopedia, the colours have also been given other meanings, such as blood ties, snow and sea.

The colours today

Section 1 of the Flag Act describes the colours as “høirødt” (bright red), “mørkeblaat” (dark blue) and white, without colour codes. According to Store norske leksikon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs internally recommended specific Pantone colours for print until 2018, but withdrew the recommendation after criticism from flag makers who felt the red was not bright enough. The ministry now gives no recommendations, and in 2018 the Foreign Minister asked the makers to create a common industry standard. Several Norwegian makers use Pantone 200 C for red and 281 C for blue on textile flags.

The proportions

The Flag Act sets the measurements precisely: the width relates to the length as 16 to 22, the two red fields nearest the pole are squares, the cross is 2/16 of the width and the white edge 1/16. According to Store norske leksikon, the proportions can be expressed as 6–1–2–1–12 lengthwise and 6–1–2–1–6 in height. What the proportions mean for the size in relation to the pole is covered in the guide to flag sizes.

A symbol of independence

The flag became a political symbol during the union with Sweden. The dispute over the union mark, the “herring salad”, and the adoption of the “pure” flag in 1898 are, according to Lovdata, regarded as a foreshadowing of the dissolution of the union in 1905. The history is in the guide to the history of the flagpole, and the variants of the flag in the guide to flag types. The dissolution of the union on 7 June is today an official flag day.