Flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Estonian_SSR_flag_large.png|thumb|right|250px|Flag ratio: 1:2]]

{{Infobox flag

This flag was adopted by the [[Estonian SSR]] in [[February 6]], [[1953]].

| Name = Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

| Imagetext = Flag of the Estonian SSR (1953–1990)

| Image = Flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.svg

| Noborder =

| Use = Historical

| Symbol = {{FIAV|historical}} {{FIAV|twosided}}

| Proportion = 1:2

| Adoption = 6 February 1953

| Relinquished = {{end date and age|1990|05|08|df=y}}

|Design=A red flag with the golden [[hammer and sickle]] and outlined star above a band of blue water waves near the bottom.

|Designer={{ill|Paul Luhtein|et}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Paul Luhtein 22. III 1909 – 8. II 2007 |url=https://www.sirp.ee/s1-artiklid/c12-uudised/paul-luhtein-22-iii-1909-8-ii-2007/ |website=Sirp |access-date=12 September 2021 |language=et}}</ref>

| Imagetext2 = Reverse of the flag (1953–1990)

| Image2 = Flag of Estonian SSR rear.svg

| Noborder2 =

| Use2 = Reverse Flag

| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|historical}} {{FIAV|reverse}} {{FIAV|twosided}}

| Proportion2 = 1:2

| Adoption2 =

| Designer2 =

| Imagetext3 = Flag of the Estonian SSR (1940–1953)

| Image3= Flag of Estonian SSR 1940 1953.svg

| Noborder3 =

| Use3 = Historical

| Symbol3 = {{FIAV|historical}}

| Proportion3 = 1:2

| Adoption3 = 31 October 1940

| Relinquished3 = 6 February 1953

| Design3 =

| Designer3 =

}}

The flag of the [[Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic]] was officially adopted by the former [[Soviet Union]] in 1940. It showed a set of [[Communist symbolism|communist symbols]]: a yellow [[hammer and sickle]] on a red field and, after official change of the flag's design in 1953, also an outlined yellow star, above a band of water waves near the bottom.<ref>''Guide to the Flags of the World'' by Mauro Talocci, revised and updated by Whitney Smith ({{ISBN|0-688-01141-1}}) p. 20.</ref>

Prior to this, the flag was red with a gold hammer and sickle in the top-left corner. Above the hammer and sickle were the gold [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] characters ''ENSV'' (''Eesti Nöukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik'') in a sans-serif font.

==History==

See also: [[Flag of the Soviet Union]]

After the Soviet [[Soviet occupation of the Baltic states|invasion and occupation]] of [[Estonia]] in June 1940, the country was annexed to, and became an administrative subdivision of, the USSR under the name "Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic" in August 1940. After 31 October 1940, a [[Flag of the Soviet Union|Soviet flag]] with [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] script ''ENSV'' replacing the star above the hammer and sickle, was officially used by the Soviet authorities in the Estonian SSR. On 6 February 1953, a new version of the flag was adopted. It too followed the style of the flag of the Soviet Union, with six spiky blue and white wavy stripes added to the bottom, a reference to the [[Baltic Sea]].

During the period of foreign rule in 1940–1991, the Estonian diaspora and [[Baltic Legations (1940–1991)|diplomatic service]] around the world continued to use the [[Flag of Estonia|national flag of Estonia]], whereas the use of the national tricolour and its blue, black and white colour combination was banned and punishable by law in the Soviet Union until 1988.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minevikuminutid: sinimustvalge oli okupatsioonivastane sümbol |url=https://novaator.err.ee/684860/minevikuminutid-sinimustvalge-oli-okupatsioonivastane-sumbol |website=ERR |access-date=12 September 2021 |language=et |date=21 February 2018}}</ref>

{{msg:Flags_of_the_Soviet_Republics}}

On 20 October 1988, the usage of the blue-black-white flag was officially allowed again by Estonian authorities. On the evening of 23 February 1989 the Soviet flag was taken down permanently from the tower of [[Pikk Hermann]] of the [[Toompea Castle]]. It was replaced with the national blue-black-white flag on the next morning, 24 February, upon the 70th anniversary of the [[Estonian Declaration of Independence]].

With the ''Act on symbols of Estonia'', passed on 8 May 1990, a year before Estonia regained full independence in 1991, the use of the Estonian SSR flag and [[Emblem of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic|emblem]] as state symbols was officially discontinued.<ref>{{cite web |title=Seadus Eesti sümboolikast – Riigi Teataja |url=https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/24029 |website=www.riigiteataja.ee |access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref>

==See also==

See also:* [[Flag of the Soviet Union]]

* [[Red Banner]]

* [[Coat of arms of the Estonian SSR|Emblem of the Estonian SSR]]

* [[Flag of Estonia]]

==Notes==

{{Reflist}}

{{Flags of the Soviet Republics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Estonian SSR, Flag of}}

[[Category: Flags of Estonia|Soviet Socialist Republic]]

[[Category:Historical flags]]

[[Category:Flags introduced in 1940]]

[[Category:Flags introduced in 1953]]

[[Category:Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic|Flag]]

[[Category:Flags of the Soviet Union]]

[[Category:Quadcolor flags]]