Last modified: 2020-07-26 by christopher oehler
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A note to the figure of this flag in
Album des Pavillons explains that the ships
without a Royal Standard may use this flag under a masthead pennant (I guess
instead of the Royal Standard to indicate the presence of the King). The bright
red version is used as the state flag, the naval red is used as the naval ensign
and the jack.
Željko Heimer, 10 June 2001, 25 May 2004
On a visit to Denmark I saw state ships
flying a Splitflag with white crown. This makes them official Danish ships,
which means, as a crew member explained, that even though the ship he sailed on
was a small wooden ship, it still couldn't enter "Sweden" without asking
permission in advance. I also saw the Øvelses
kuttere Svane (Swane?) and Thyra, which flew a splitflag (I think) with a
crowned fouled anchor outlined in black. I was told that at one time the navy
had its own sports club which used this ensign, but that it no longer existed,
and now these two ships flew it.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 27 August 2001
According to Pedersen
(1979), this ensign was proposed by the flag law commission of 1927.
Ole Andersen, 24 April 2004
Znamierowski
(1999) reports "since1625". The date here is a bit earlier than 1696,
but that should not mean that it is wrong. As I understand it, 1696 is when the
splitflag construction was established in the same way it is now essentially.
The 1625 date may be when the idea was first made but without the definitive
construction.
Željko Heimer, 6 June 2004
Based largely on 'The National Flag',
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 16 October 1999, and upon a partial translation of
Henning Henningsen - 1969):
The first regulations on the 'Splitflag' (confining its use to the King and
Battle Fleet) were issued in 1625, with the original proportions being
established by a Royal Order of 1696 (no exact dates are given by either
source). The official history details the 1696 proportions as being 3-1-3 for
the hoist and 3-1-13 for the length - at 7:17 a substantially longer flag that
in present use - with the accompanying illustration showing the tails to have
been one-half the length of the flag. The current proportions were established
in 1856 (again no exact date is given by the either source), and the flag was
last confirmed by a Royal Resolution issued on 25 October 1939 which states that
"Orlongsfaget er et splitflag af dybbrod farve med hvidt kors"
Christopher Southworth, 11 July 2004
The drawing I provide here is as shown in the documents (i.e. the indentation
is "trapezoidal", not triangular as some historical sources drawn "hastily" may
suggest).
Željko Heimer, 12 July 2004