Flag of Norway - Traditions Regarding The Flag

Traditions Regarding The Flag

Music when raising (hoisting) or lowering the flag

When raising the Norwegian flag on festive or ceremonial occasions, the hoisting will often be accompanied by a bugle call, fanfare, or the national anthem (Ja, vi elsker). For civilian use on ceremonial occasions, there are no written rules concerning this. The Norwegian armed forces have a unified bugle call for hoisting and lowering the flag, known as "flaggappell" (Attention to the flag) (cf.Bugle calls of the Norwegian Army).

Code of conduct during flag hoisting and lowering

According to Norwegian Law as well as common usage, flags of other sovereign states are to be treated with the same respect as the Norwegian flag.

For civilians and non-uniformed government employees, there are no formal hand gestures (e.g. the U.S. hand-over-the-heart gesture (cf. United States Flag Code) that must be performed. But it is commonly agreed that during the hoisting or lowering of the flag, civilians should conduct themselves in a respectful manner by facing the flag and standing still, straight, and quiet. Males should be bareheaded (unless there are religious, medical or climatic reasons for covering the head).

All uniformed government personnel (e.g.: Municipal traffic wardens, policemen, customs official, prison wardens, Maritime pilots, Armed Forces personnel) follow the Norwegian Armed Forces regulation during flag hoisting or lowering. The regulations stipulate that when seeing the flag being hoisted or lowered, or hearing the bugle call, all activity should if possible be stopped, and personnel should execute the foot drill manoeuvre of "Halt and front face" (stopping up and turning one's body to face the flagpole).

If a person is not in formation and is wearing a uniform hat, cap or beret, he or she must render a salute. A person in formation or not wearing a prescribed uniform hat, should stand at attention for the duration of the bugle signal, or if in sight of the hoisting or lowering, until the flag is either at the top of the pole, at half mast, or until 2/3 of the flag is in the hands of the flag party.

Rolling up the flag

Unlike the Anglo-American traditions of folding a flag (the triangular shape of the US flag or the square shape of the Union Jack), the Norwegian tradition is to roll the flag into a cylindrical shape and tie it up after lowering it.

The first step of this procedure is to fold the flag lengthwise so that its two long sides meet. Each half will then be folded 180 degrees, concealing the longitudinal white and blue stripes. Finally the folded full length flag, its width 1/4 of the hoist, will be rolled up into a red cylinder.

If the flag is fitted with a line, this is wrapped around the flag and tied with a simple slip knot. The use of a simple slip knot allows one person alone to hoist the flag unaided.

Occupation flag

When on international missions, Norwegian armed forces may keep a flag (national or merchant flag) raised during the night and illuminated by a spotlight, to affirm their presence and to boost morale.

This tradition stems from WW2, when a small-sized flag was hoisted (usually above the CO quarters) in the numerous camps of Norwegian forces in the UK, USA, Sweden and Canada, to symbolize that fight against the enemy would go on day and night until final victory.

Dishonoured flag

Military regulations stipulate that a Norwegian flag shall never touch the ground, since this is disrespectful towards the flag and may signify surrender.

If this strictly observed rule is broken, the commanding officer of the military unit must decide if the flag is dishonoured. If he decides that this is the case, he must order the flag to be cut into separate pieces (separating the red, white and blue colours) and the pieces to be burned on the parade ground before the next flag hoist.