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Albania: Italian occupation, 1939-1943

by Jaume Ollé

National flag
State flag
King's lieutenant flag
"Flag unrest" of 1942

See also:

National flag

On 7 April 1939 Italian forces landed in Albania and took control of the country. An assembly gathered in Tirana deposed Zogu and offered the crown of the country to the Italian king, Vittorio Emmanuele III, by the way of a personal union. On 13 April 1939 the offer was accepted and a new national or royal flag was adopted.

The flag was adopted in the constitution of 3 June 1939, whose article 3 reads:

The flag of Albania is red with the double-headed eagle in the center, together with the fascist fasces

This constitutional provision was supplemented by the Royal Decrees of 28 September 1939-XVII, # 141 & 142, relative to the national arms and flag. The article 15 relative to the flag reads:

The national flag of Albania consists of a red rectangular cloth, measuring of height two thirds of its length and containing in its center a red shield outlined in black containing the double-headed eagle, crowned by the Skanderbeg helmet. The shield is supported by two black fasces whose heads face outwards, connected above by two Savoy ribbons in black and below with a black scroll, where the word FERT is written three times.

The Royal Decree was signed by the King, by the Prime Minister Sh. Verlaci and by the Ministers of Interior and Justice.

Jaume Ollé, 15 June 1996

State flag

by Mario Fabretto

Use: State flag on land *S*/***

Date: 3 June 1939 - 25 July 1943

Proportions: 2:3

Source: O. Neubecker, The flags of Albania, The Flag Bulletin [tfb] # 26

Documentation: Constitution law 3 June 1939, Royal decree n. 142, issued 28 September 1939

Accuracy: High

Mario Fabretto, 12 March 1998

King's Lieutenant flag

by Mario Fabretto

Use: King's Lieutenant flag

Date: 30 July 1940 - 1943

Proportions: 66:89

Source: O. Neubecker, The Flag Bulletin [tfb] # 26

Documentation: Ministry decree 30 July 1940

Accuracy: High

Mario Fabretto, 12 March 1998

"Flag unrest" of 1942

In May 1942, after several incidents involving demands for the readoption of the old State flag of Zogu times, it got back into use. The Fascist Union of Tirana accepted its use, whereas the Fascist Union and the State authorities kept on using the flag with the fasces.

Jaume Ollé