The Secret History Behind Estonia's Flag

Estonia's flag began as the flag of a student society.

In 1881 the Estonian Students' Society chose blue, black and white as its colors. The first flag was made in the spring of 1884 and blessed on June 4, 1884 in Otepää. That day is celebrated as Flag Day in Estonia.

On February 24, 1918 the flag flew as the state flag when Estonia declared independence, and the Provisional Government confirmed it on November 21, 1918.

It was banned during the Soviet occupation. It went back up on the Pikk Hermann tower in Tallinn on February 24, 1989, and was formally redeclared the national flag on August 7, 1990.

Blue is read as faith, loyalty and the sky, the sea and the lakes of Estonia, black as the country's tragic past and the traditional black jacket of the peasant, and white as the striving for enlightenment and virtue.

The date printed on every Estonia design in our catalog, February 24, 1918, is Independence Day.

A student flag that became the flag of a country.

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.