Finnish flag days
Female SDP members want to add another flag day to the calendar…
Women members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Finland wish to spread the message of women’s sexual inviolability by declaring 26 March, the Name Day of Sisko (Finnish for sister), an official flagging day. The women’s organisation of the party suggests an official flagging day would remind of “the importance of women’s inviolability for the society as a whole”.
Hmmm….no mention of the SDP men? I guess they’re not interested. But about these “flag days” - what’s with the strict flag laws in Finland? I know we Americans can get quite silly with our flag, but this is just as ridiculous. Shouldn’t I be able to fly a Finnish flag on my flagpole on my property whenever I damn well please without threat of receiving a nasty fine from the government? Don’t you think that’s imposing on your supposed “freedoms” in this country?
Yes yes, I know, it looks very pretty when everyone has their flags up - but take a look at the U.S., we have our flags up all the freakin’ time and there are no specific days as to when you can and can’t raise your flag - and yet, everyone seems to make fun of Americans for their flag-obsession - why no mention of the Finnish flag day obssesion?
Daaah. Yes you can drag the rag up any festive occasion you like, its not like its forbidden. haven’t you seen an apartment block with the flag half-mast. It means someones died. Its just manners. And in an apartment block you have to pay extra for the janitor for say birthdays or somesuch.
A “Flag Day” means everyone is supposed to fly the flag and that usually means all the government & public flagpoles get the flag up. And you don’t get fined if you don’t fly the flag on a flag day. Your neighbours just think you don’t have any manners.
Comment by Hank W. — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 9:10 am
According to Finnish law, there are fines which are to be imposed for violating flag day rules. I’m glad to hear that it’s one of these frivilous laws that aren’t enforced.
Comment by Phil — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 9:16 am
Tell me Phil - what is so sinister in the law?
Finland Flag Law
(Dated May 26, 1978; Act No. 380/78)
1 ?§
The Finnish flag includes a blue cross on white background. The flag is either national or state flag.
2 ?§
The national flag is rectangular and its proportions are:
1) width 11 and length 18 measure units;
2) width of arm of the cross 3 measure units; and
3) width of the fields 4, length of the hoist fields 5 and length of the fly fields 10 measure units.
3 ?§
The state flag is either rectangular or swallow-tailed. It includes the coat-of-arms of the state in the middle square formed by the arms of the cross. The square has a yellow contour, the width of which is 1/40 of the width of the cross.
The rectangular state flag has the same proportions as the national flag.
The swallow-tailed state flag is one mesure unit longer, so that the length of its fly fields is 6 and the length of the tails 5 measure units. The middle tail is isosceles and the arm of the cross forms its base. The outer tails do not form angle with the upper or lower side of the flag.
4 ?§
Everybody has the right to use the national flag.
All Finnish vessels use as a nationality sign the national flag, apart from those mentioned in the fifth paragraph. A yacht may use as its nationality sign a special flag; a separate statute will be given for further regulations.
5 ?§
The rectangular state flag is to be used by the Parliament; the Government and its ministries; the Supreme Court; the Supreme Administrative Court; central administration boards and all comparable civil service departments and institutions; Courts of Appeal; provincial governments; ecclesiastical chapters; the Orthodox Synod; Finnish embassies and consulates and all comparable diplomatical representations; the Bank of Finland; the National Pension Fund; the Finnish Academy; frontier guard; state universities and high schools; and state’s vessels.
Institutions, apart from those mentioned in the first clause, can be given the right to use the rectangular state flag with a separate statute.
The swallow-tailed state flag is to be used by the Defence Forces, its departments, institutions, units, and vessels.
President of the Republic uses a swallow-tailed state flag with a blue-yellow Cross of Freedom in the upper hoist field.
6 ?§
It is not allowed to add any extra signs to the Finnish flag, apart from cases mentioned in this law.
A swallow-tailed flag with a special sign in the upper hoist field may be used as a command flag of Minister of Defence or Commander of the Defence Forces and as a navy command flag in armed vessels. President of the Republic determines the form of that sign.
7 ?§
The Government will give more detailed specifications about the colours of the Finnish flag.
8 ?§
The one who damages the Finnish flag, or treats it in an unrespectful way, or without permission takes off an openly out-put Finnish flag, shall be fined for disgracing the Finnish flag.
The one who without permission uses the flag of President of the Republic or other state flag, or sells a Finnish flag with extra signs that are prohibited in the sixth paragraph, or sells as a Finnish flag such flag that does not fulfill the regulations in this law or other instructions, shall be fined for disobeying regulations about the Finnish flag.
9 ?§
More detailed regulations about enforcing of this law and about flagging with the Finnish flag will be given in a separate statute.
10 ?§
This law takes effect on June 1, 1978. This law revokes the Law about the Finnish flag, given on May 29, 1918.
Statute About Flagging with the Finnish Flag
(Given on May 26, 1978; Act No. 383/78)
Due to Prime Minister’s proposal based on the 9 ?§ of the Law About the Finnish Flag (380/78) this is prescribed:
1 ?§
If a building is used by state’s bureau or institute or building is Aland Island’s official building, a Finnish flag shall be rised on it or nearby it on an official flagging day. The flag has to be that kind of Finnish flag, which the bureau is prescribed to use.
2 ?§
the day, when President of the Republic takes office.
The official flagging days are:
1) February 28, day of Kalevala, the day of Finnish culture;
2) May 1, day of Finnish work;
3) second sunday of May, Mother’s Day;
4) June 4, day of flag celebration of the Defence Forces;
5) Saturday between July 20 and July 26, Midsummer Day, the day of the Finnish flag;
6) December 6, Independence Day;
7) the day, when national election, municipal election, European Parliament election or advisory referendum is being held everywhere in the Republic;
and
3 ?§
Each ministry can in special occasion order state’s bureaus and institutes to flag nationally or in single municipalities even when it is not an official flagging day.
Ministries and provincial governments can order bureaus and institutes subjected to them to flag even when it is not an official flagging day.
State’s bureau or institute has right to flag due to a special celebration or when a common flagging is being held in its home municipality.
State’s vessel shall flag according to international habits.
4 ?§
Flagging begins at 8.00 and ends when the sun sets, not later than at 21.00. The chief of a bureau or institute can order to make an exception to this due to some special reason or due to local circumstances.
The flagging on the day of the Finnish flag begins on Midsummer Eve at 18.00 and ends on Midsummer Day at 21.00. On Independence Day and on such election day, when the voting ends after the sunset, flagging ends at 20.00.
5 ?§
If the Finnish flag is used publicly with other flags, standards, pennants, or comparable, the Finnish flag has to be placed in the most valuable position.
6 ?§
Each ministry gives more detailed orders about flagging.
7 ?§
This statute takes effect on June 1, 1978.
Comment by Hank W. — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 9:18 am
The only Fine I see is the “one who damages the Finnish flag, or treats it in an unrespectful way, or without permission takes off an openly out-put Finnish flag, shall be fined for disgracing the Finnish flag.”
And I think that is good to have, as some people lack manners.
Comment by Hank W. — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 9:21 am
What about laws that prohibit making (for instance) boxer shorts to look like the Finnish flag? Why can’t I have Finnish flag underwear?
Comment by Phil — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 9:35 am
You are permitted to have or make boxershorts that look like finnish flag, as long as you didn’t make them from one.
Comment by mirva — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 10:34 am
Flags, hymns, symbols, books, we need ONE strong leader… pfffff
Comment by Majava — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 11:19 am
I’ve come to realize that car dealers have the biggest flags in USA, they’re way out of proportion compared to the height of the flagpoles. Is that obsessive or what? Also, some bikers thought it’s a great idea to carry huges flags with them while riding a bike (at least back in 2002), and I’m not talking about the size of those mini flags (with suction pad) of SUV owners.
Comment by Pete — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 11:31 am
Yeah, selling a Finnish flag tjat has for example a cannabis plant in the middle is prohibited. Finnish flag underwear is just naff.
Comment by Hank W. — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 11:45 am
What about Finnish flag underwear that has a cannabis plant logo on top of it - is that okay?
Comment by Phil — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 11:53 am
Yes Dear Phil, that’s okay
Hopefully we’ll get to see the pictures when you carry on this plan of yours to push the Flag Law limits… (btw, the first blogentry in English is now available in my blog…)
Comment by mirva — Thu, Mar 31st, 2005 @ 1:23 pm
I think the strict flag rules in Finland are only recommendations.
Like that Finnish flag should be higher than other flags.
Comment by Eino-Kalevi — Fri, Apr 1st, 2005 @ 12:19 am
What strict flag laws? Ofcourse you can flag any day you want. Most often, people just do it on flag days or for their own personal reasons, like birthdays, or a newborn baby, or if somebody died.
In my parents’ summer house, we have this thing called is?¤nn?¤n viiri up when we are there. It’s Karjalan viiri, because that’s where my father comes from, and when we hiss it up, we sing the teary song Jo Karjalan kunnailla lehtii puu, jo Karjalan koivikko tuuhettuu. K?¤ki kukkuu siell?¤ ja kev?¤t on, vie sinne mun kaihoni pohjaton. (I do get teary-eyed every time I sing it. I miss my grandmother who as a young girl walked two times from Karjala to escape the war.)
But on flag days, it is the Finnish flag. And then we might try and sing Lippulaulu, but we always forget the lyrics:
Siniristilippumme, sulle valan vannomme kallihin. Sinun puolestas el?¤?¤ ja kuolla on halumme korkehin. Kuin taivas ja hanki Suomen ovat v?¤risi puhtahat. Sin?¤ hulmullas mielemme peit?¤t ja kotimme korotat.
Is?¤t, veljet verell?¤?¤n, vihki sinut viiriksi vapaan maan. Ilomiell?¤ sun j?¤ljess?¤s k?¤ymme teit is?¤in astumaan. Sun on kunnias kunniaamme, sinun voimasi voimamme on. Sinun kanssasi onnen me jaamme ja iskut kohtalon.
I know how to handle the flag, you know, the way you have to fold it so that the blue cross stays on top. And how you shouldn’t let it touch the ground.
I get so very sentimental in the summer house!
Comment by Hanna G — Fri, Apr 1st, 2005 @ 11:34 pm
My name s Sterling. For my School report, I have chosen Finland. I would so appreciate any thing that you can tell me about Finland. I am excited to do this, it is my first project that will determine my grade for this class. If you could send a picture of the Flag that I might put on my poster I would be very thankful. I am 14 years old and in the 9th grade.
Thank you very much for any help you can give me.
Sterling
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