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Neuchâtel canton (Switzerland)

by T.F. Mills

Description of the flag
Symbolism of the flag
History of the flag
Flaggen, Knatterfahnen and livery colours

See also:

Description of the flag

Tierced per pale vert, argent and gules, in sinister chief a cross couped silver.

Divided vertically into three equal parts green, white and red. In the top corner of the fly is a small white Confederate cross. The cross is the old Confederate style with long, narrow arms, and not the modern federal one with shorter, stubbier arms.

T.F. Mills, 04 November 1997

Symbolism of the flag

There are two theories about the symbolism of the Neuchâtel colours, and they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The current cantonal flag was first adopted in the mid-19th century by the republican and revolutionary party. Their flag was either unimaginatively taken directly from the Italian republican and independentist movement, or the colours represented revolution (green and white) and allegiance to Switzerland (red with white cross).

T.F. Mills, 04 November 1997

The colors are based upon the national colors of the herald of Neuchātel, green and white the colors of rebellion and red and white, the colors of the Swiss flag. The cross was added in 1870 to distinguish the flag from the Italian flag. The flag of 1350 (or, on a pale gules, three chevronels argent) was discarded in 1848, but there have been three unsuccessful plebicites to reintroduce this flag (1921, 1931, 1954).

Source: Angst (1992), "A Panoply of Colours: The Cantonal Banners of Switzerland and the Swiss National Flag"

Phil Nelson, 14 October 1998

Today, I read in the newspaper some definitions of the colours one can find on the French Swiss cantons' flags. The sources are quite sure (Mr. Maurice de Tribolet, who looks after the records of the Republic and Canton of Neuchātel and the article was in the newspaper "Le Temps" of the 04.01.2001, the biggest French Swiss newspaper). The flag had to be created after the "Revolution of the 1st March 1848" and the Republicans had no time to try to find a new state flag. They decided the "red" would stand for the south of the Canton because that is a great region for wine production, the "white" would stand for the valleys and their "white walls" and the "green" would stand for pastures and forests in the north of the Canton.

Nasha Gagnebin, 4 January 2001

History of the flag

Neuchâtel was long a buffer state between France and Switzerland. From the mid-11th century the counts of Neuchâtel prospered, and their arms consisted of a yellow field with two white bands, each charged with three small red chevrons. This was simplified in the 1350 battle flag (see