Greece: The first national flag (1822-1832)

Last modified: 2001-06-01 by ivan sache
Keywords: cross (white) | civil ensign |
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by Edward Mooney

• Origin and meaning of the flag
• Civil ensign (1822-1828)

See also:

• Greece
• Greece: Historical flags
• Greece under Ottoman rule
• Greece: Struggle for independence (1821-1832)

Origin and meaning of the flag

The striped flag has been in use since 1822, and was approved in 1833. The nine stripes are said to stand for the nine syllables of the Greek patriots' motto"Eleutheria e Thanatos" meaning "Freedom or Death".

Paul Adams, 19 June 1995

Civil ensign (1822-1828)

by Ivan Sache

The flag of the Merchant Navy (1822-1828) was abolished in 1828, when it was decided that merchant ships would henceforth use the same (striped) flag as the Navy.

Source: Hellenic flags. Insignia-Emblems [kok97]

 Norman Martin, 26 February 2000