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![[Flag of Lausanne]](../images/c/ch-vd134.gif)
image by António Martins
Gules, chief argent
António Martins, 11 January 1998
![[free city of Ouchy]](../images/c/ch-vdouc.gif)
image located by
ND
Source: www.planete-drapeaux.net (no longer available)
The coat of arms of "Commune Libre d'Ouchy" (free city of Ouchy). The flag is
the same pattern.
Ouchy is a part of Lausanne at the edge of Lake of
Geneva. This "free city" is not officially recognized and has a symbolic value.
Ouchy was during the Middle Ages for the secondary residence of the Bishop of
Lausanne. The inhabitants immortalize the tradition and their specificities since
these times.
ND, 4 October 2005
When I was in Lausanne, I saw these arms in several places, and wondered what
the status was, so thanks for informing me. I didn't see the flag flying
anywhere – do you know of any examples of its use?
Jonathan Dixon, 5 October 2005
The status of the coat of arms of Ouchy is purely informal. There is no
official status and it is used by the "Pirates d'Ouchy". This corporation works
like an brotherhood. They want an independent city of Ouchy. Of course, this is
not a serious request. This is only for the fun and everybody, Lausanne-People
and Ouchy-People, finish to drink too lot of white wine.
More seriously, the inhabitants of Lausanne have a lot of difficulties to recognize their own
flag because it is not flying often. We might believe that the authorities don't
like their flag or are not proud of it! If the Lausanne-People are not able to
recognise their own flag, you can imagine they are not likely to know much about
the flag of "Ville Libre d'Ouchy".
ND, 5 October 2005
![[EPFL flag]](../images/c/ch_epfl.gif)
image by Ivan Sache
![[EPFL flag]](../images/c/ch_epfl1.gif)
image by Ivan Sache
"Sailing Team
EPFL", the students' sailing team, uses a white flag charged with the logo of
EPFL. The flag appears to be used in two versions:
– a square flag, matching the proportions of the Swiss national flag
http://sailingteam.epfl.ch/images/TIP2010/TIP04.JPG, photo
– a rectangular (~3:4), "stand alone" flag
http://sailingteam.epfl.ch/images/2012TIP/6.jpg,
photo
http://sailingteam.epfl.ch/images/2012TIP/index.html – photo
gallery, Sailing Team EPFL website, showing the two flags.
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2012
![[Lausanne flag with flames]](../images/u/ufe-clrf.jpg)
image located by Renaud Berthet, 30 August 2004
I am a French militaria collector and I possess this flag. Could you help me to identify it? Perhaps it is a XIXth century, German flag?
Renaud Berthet, 30 August 2004
The flames strongly suggest a Swiss regiment in foreign service, but I am afraid I cannot place it. It is not French. The two-headed eagle doesn't seem quite right for the Austrian Empire.
T.F. Mills, 1 September 2004
Just a wild guess: The county of Hohenberg (which was located in what is now central Baden-Württemberg in Germany) used a white-red shield like the breast shield on the eagle. Hohenberg belonged to Austria until 1805. The double eagle could be Austrian. However, that's my complete extent of knowledge on this matter.
Stefan Schwoon, 1 September 2004
The flamed gyronny flag is traditional in Central-Europe, but the arms are also of the Hanzestadt Luebeck in Northern-Germany. And in the Regions in East-Schleswig-Holstein one can find shields gyronny in white and red.
Hans van Heijningen, 30 October 2004
The double eagle seem to suggest Russia. The crowns on the heads are however, not Russian. The colours indicate Poland, and the crowns seem similar to the crown on the Polish eagle. Hence, my guess is, that there is a Polish connection
here, e.g., Poland during the time of Russian "occupation" prior to WWI.
Lennart Eriksson, 25 January 2005
At the first glance for me it was a military flag of the Hansestadt Lübeck. The crowned double
eagle is the symbol of the Holy Roman Empire. The bicolour inescutcheon is the distinction mark of
Lübeck. The gyronny pattern was used by the Swiss, also of those regiments in foreign services. This
is affirmed by ZNAMIEROWSKI and NEUBECKER. But for me it is hard to believe, that Swiss soldiers were in
service of a sea power like Lübeck. In addition red and white have been the colours of Hansa
league.
There is another detail, I cannot recognize properly. I can't see, whether the eagle has two halves of a
torn chain at both feet or they are simply the fourth toes of the eagles claws. If it was a torn chain,
than the flag could belong to the Hanseatic Legion, a militia that joined the alliance against France in
times of French occupation (1810–1813). You can see a flag of that militia in "Die Welt in Bildern,
Band 8, Historische Flaggen" p. 48, image 176. The depicted flag is white with a golden border of
fringes. In the middle is a red Latin cross with a golden "1813" upon the horizontal crossbar.
In the hoist corners there are eagles of Lübeck with their tails pointing to the flags corners.
Below the cross is a golden inscription (half circle) "Deutschland oder Tod!" (Germany or death).
Sources: Alfred Znamierowski (2001) "Flaggen Enzyklopädie,"
2001, p. 80–81
Otfried Neubecker: "Fahnen und Flaggen",
Leipzig 1939 [Editorial Note: it is not a chain, merely the fourth toes of the
eagle.]
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 June 2007
From the image alone it is basically impossible to know what this flag is. One would have to do some (at least superficial) analysis of the textile material and the colours etc. to find out the age of the flag first. It is quite probable that it is not a true military flag, but some flag of a veterans' association or the like. These are single items and therefore difficult to identify.
M. Schmöger, 12 July 2007
I'm the owner of the flag visible here and I would like to answer to the kind persons who tried to identify the flag :
the fabric is pure cotton. The flag features an obvious patina which is not visible on the picture, but the lack of parts probably eaten by a rodent. I have other cloth relics and I think that this kind of patina would appear after 50 or 100 years at least. The cotton is quite grimy! Some of the colors have not been printed exactly into the drawing, as colored illustrations in old illustrated books. Anyway, thanks to all for the answers.
Renaud Berthet, 12 April 2009
It is, definitely, neither a Polish or a Russian flag. The eagle appears to be an Austrian one, but, most likely is representing the Holy Roman Empire, and the shield is that of Lübeck, so, the speculation of Klaus-Michael Schneider seems to be the most plausible, although not a conclusive one. Sorry for not being able to untangle the mystery.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 12 January 2010
This flag could have a link to the city of Lausanne, Switzerland. The red part of the shield looks
larger than the white, like Lausannes (gueules chappé d'argent in heraldic French), and the
district of La Palud in Lausanne had the imperial eagle on its banner in medieval times.
Phil Fry, 12 September 2010
I am also sure that this unknown flag is a flag from the city of Lausanne, Switzerland. The flag shows
in the middle the coat-of-arms of Lausanne and there is an imperial eagle of the German Empire. Emperor
Sigismund gave Lausanne the liberties of a city, so they sometimes used the imperial eagle. It can also
seen on some monuments in Lausanne [picture from source #1]. The flames are typical for a Swiss flag of the period.
(source #1 and source #2)
Philipp Ammann, 6 November 2018
