Last modified: 2004-08-14 by dov gutterman
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The city of Vis is the largest settlemet on the island of the
same name about 60 km southwest of Split,
population 2,200 almost all living in the city itself. Vis is the
outermost large island and was always an important strategic
point and a naval base. In the Napoleonic times it was taken by
the British, who built the fort of St. George there. It is know
for the battle by Vis (in the western sources better known after
the Italian name Lissa) of 1866 when the Austro- Hungarian fleet
defeate the larger Italian fleet thus securing the supremacy in
the Adriatic. Vexillologically this was important for the
development of the A-H naval flags - the admiral's flag of Rear
Admiral Tegetthoff is preserved today in Vienna Military History
Museum. In the second world war to Vis was moved the general
staff of Tito's Army in 1944, and it was the center of the
liberation movement and government until the liberation of
Belgrade. Several important treaties and decisions were made by
the authorities there, for us most interseting that a number of
flag related legislations and decisions regarding the Yugoslav
flag with the five-pointed star and the ensigns. Anyway, after
the WWII Vis was made a stong naval base forbiden for foreigners
and the ban was lifted only in early 1990's - sicne when the
tourism is in bloom.
The coat of arms of the city of Vis is a blue oval with St.
George killing the dragon within golden braoque cartuche.
The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle.
Zeljko Heimer, 4 August 2004
I was reading on BBC-online
today about the island of Vis, off the Dalmatian coast, which
apparently was occupied by the British briefly during the early
19th century. Did the island have a flag during this occupation?
And has it had one since?
James Dignan, 23 May 2004
The island of Vis and I believe one other island too, Lastovo
(in Italian: Lagosta), I suppose, was occupied by the British
forces in early 19th century. Vis was held by Venice from at
least 15th century. in 1797 it was taken by Austria and in 1805
Napoleon occupied it for France. The British conquered it in 1811
and held it until 1814 when it was returned to Austria. It was an
important fort in the so called Continental blocade of Napoleon.
French lounched a strong attack in 1811 to regain it, but were
defeated.
On the sea near Vis was held in 1866 a great battle between the
Italian and Austria fleet for the control over adriatic. The
Austrian fleet of 27 ships commanded by Admiral Tegetthoff met
the Italian fleet of 34 ships commanded by Admrial Persano, that
were bombarding the island and it suffered a big loss, so that
Austria gained supremacy over Adriatic until its end.
Vexillologically this battle is interesting because of the flags
employed by both sides that were meticulously recorded and shown
in numerous paintings. The admiral's flag of Tegetthoff is still
preserved today in Vienna Military History Museum, as I reported
not so long ago (I think).
After