The Secret History Behind Hungary's Flag
Hungary's red, white and green were chosen long before there was a flag to carry them.
The three colors come from the country's old arms, which date back centuries. The tricolor became a national symbol around the revolution of 1848 against Habsburg rule, and Act XXI of 1848 made the red-white-green flag an official national symbol for the first time.
The colors are commonly read as strength (red), faithfulness (white) and hope (green).
After the Second World War and the years of communist rule, the plain tricolor was adopted as the state flag on May 23, 1957.
The year printed on every Hungary design in our catalog, 896, is the year Hungarians regard as the beginning of their country, when the Magyar tribes arrived in the Carpathian Basin. March 15, the day the revolution began in Pest in 1848, is still celebrated every year as a national holiday.
Three colors, one revolution, and a symbol that outlasted every regime.
Looking for a gift with a story? See our heritage gift guide, or read the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Stories page.