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Free Territory of Trieste (1945-1954) (Italy)

by Alex Belfi, 3 October 2000

Overview
FTT Flag
Proposals to FTT Flag
U.S. Forces in the FTT

See also:

Overview

I was wandering, was this the flag of FTT Zone A, that is under Italian/Allyed control. I have never seen (or can't remember) reference to such flag used in FTT Zone B, that is one that was under the administraton of Yugoslav Army (i.e. Tito's partisans). Actually, I never heard of any flag ascribed to FTT Zone B. However, most probably the well known Yugoslav flag with stars, as well as the national flags with stars (Slovenian, Italian and Croatia) would have been used. And, of course, the red flag of Communist party .
The two zones of FTT were latter (1953, IIRC) incorporated in Italy and Yugoslavia respectivly, with very minor border changes. FTT Zones issued both stamps and banknotes. I do not remember them quite vividly to claim anything, but there was not FTT flag or CoA on them. I seem to remember one FTT Zone B stamp with flag, but that one was pure red.
Zeljko Heimer , 24 September 1998

I believe the flag was the flag for the whole territory since the constitution of the Free Territory of Trieste mentionned the flag of the Territory as well as the coat of arms. But the flag was certainly mainly used in the city of Trieste as this flag is first a city flag.
Pascal Vagnat , 25 September 1998

The flag was in use as Free Terittory of Trieste flag from 1945 to 5 Octuber 1954.
Jaume Olle' , 5 November 1998

In the Belgian vexillological magazine Vexillinfo n°58 (March 1985), Aldo Ziggioto from Italy explains that he was in Trieste in 1945. The First of May, the whole of the territory was occupied by the Yugoslavian troops. In June, these had to quit Trieste which was then occupied by the Western Allies. Since that time, the territory was divided in two parts: the A zone (Trieste and surroundings: Allied Military Government, then Free Territory of Trieste) and B zone (part of Istria, governed by the Yugoslavs).

On the paper, the two zones formed together a territory with an autonomous administration. In reality, Yugoslavia immediately considered the B zone as a "free" zone and annexed it to the Popular Republic of Yugoslavia. Ziggioto says that in the B zone, the Italian tricolour was strictly forbidden, except when, but rarely, it bore a red star fimbriated gold in the middle (see here). In the other hand, the Slavs, who were relatively numerous in Trieste and in its surroundings, lived in a "democratic state" and could freely use the Yugoslav flag during demonstrations. In fa