![[Governor-General of the Congo ]](../images/c/cd_gg3.gif)
Last modified: 2017-11-11 by bruce berry
Keywords: congo | governor-general | belgium |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
See also:
image
by Željko Heimer, 23 May 2004
The book Flags of the World, Past and Present [hoL39],
of 1939, says "The Governor-General of the Congo also hoists a square tricolour,
but with the flag of the Congo in the canton. This flag is bright blue,
and has a yellow star thereon".
Steve Stringfellow, 3 Dec 1997
In [zna99] (p. 71) the flag is shown with
the blue being light blue of the shade used in 1960's Congo flag with star
being light yellow too (same as the yellow stripe), and a bit bigger then
in my image above.
Željko Heimer, 27 Feb 2001
I have seen 3 different flags with 3 different blue squares: one equal
with the black stripe, one larger than the black stripe (this was a flag
for a car with golden fringe) and one very large flag c. 2m long with the
blue part a little bit smaller than the black stripe. These flags where
for sale at several militaria fairs in Belgium.
Olivier Vercammen, 7 Oct 2002
To what I understand the Belgian system, the flag we talk about is a
personal flag of the General-Governor, and as such is supposed to be square
as all other Belgian standards. I guess that after a while the flag was
(by general public) considered to be the flag of Belgian Congo, and so
was "rectangulized" and began to be used as the "national flag". If I am
not much mistaken, the rectangular version is so found in several flag
charts of the time, (wrongly) supporting such perception. on the other hand it may
be that the Governor-General himself did not care much about the ratio (as was not unusual
at the time) and produced flags for himself in any ratio it suited him,
e.g. rectangular flag for his car.
Željko Heimer, 7 Oct 2002
The 'national' flag of the colony, as shown in Flaggenbuch,
was a rectangular plain blue flag with a yellow star in the middle. I would
say that flag manufacturers did not bother with two different sizes for
the 'national' and Governor's flag and made both flags using a default
2:3 size.
Ivan Sache, 9 Oct 2002
You can be sure only one flag was official for the Governor-General, that
being the Congo flag
= 1/4 of the Belgian flag until the middle the yellow stripe. Flag square
but I have a photograph of a rectangular car flag.
The three others were never flags of the Governor-General, probably flags manufactured
by people to show the fact Congo was Belgian but these were never official. The blue
with Belgian colours in the canton is fully strange.
Michel Lupant, 8 Jun 2004
As I told you the only official governor of Belgian Congo was a Belgian
flag with the Congolese flag in the canton as you can see as that picture
of the original flag (probably used or manufactured for the last Governor-General). Juergen
Rimann told me the blue flag with the Belgian in the canton appeared in
an old edition of Ruhl before 2WWar. I have never found information about
that flag. The two others were certainly manufactured by people but never
used by GG.
Michel Lupant, 26 Jul 2004
I just come back from Brest where I have discovered at the Navy Library
an amendment to the French Album des Pavillons (1923). The amendment is
dated 1933 correction 9. For the Belgian Congo its says: "A square blue flag with a Belgian flag in the upper corner can be used
on ship under the national pennant to indicate the Governor General is on
board of a military ship in Congolese waters or on the mast when the Governor
arrived in an other country where he paid an official visit".
I think the two other flags with a small Congolese flag in the corner
are local flags used by Belgians to show Congo was Belgian.
Michel Lupant, 07 Aug 2004
![[Governor-General till 1936]](../images/c/cd_gg1.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 23 May 2004
In "Wer nennt die Länder, kennt die Fahnen?" <neu29>
there is a different flag: blue (1:1?) with the Belgian flag in the canton
(Flagge des Generalgouverneurs des Kongo). Flaggenbuch
has the image as on this page. Kannik
(Vlaggen, Standaarden en Wapens) states: Flag of the governor-general
of Belgian Congo was approved 1936 - so the blue flag may have been used
before; the reason for the change may have been that it was very similar
to the flag of the Governor-General of the
French colonies.
Jarig Bakker, 07 Oct 2002
![[Governor-General variant flag]](../images/c/cd_gg2.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 23 May 2004
1936 Governor-General's flag, variant, based on the fringed flag below.
Željko Heimer, 23 May 2004
![[Governor-General ceremonial flag]](../images/c/cd_gg4.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 23 May 2004
A few days ago I wrote to you that I saw 3 different rectangular flags
of the governor-general. Today I saw and bought a "square" one with fringe.
It has the follow dimensions: height of the bunting with the fringe: 140cm
and length with fringe: 120cm or 55"x47". I think it's better for the producer
because when he cuts the flag in 2, he has 2 flags of 70 x 120, which is
c. the 2:3 format.
Olivier Vercammen, 09 Oct 2002
