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Albania: People's Republic, 1946-1992

Last modified: 2020-07-26 by ivan sache
Keywords: eagle: double-headed (black) | star (red) | president | civil ensign | star (white): 6 points |
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[People's Republic, 1946-92]

Flag of the People's Republic of Albania - Image by Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996


See also:


National flag

For recognition of Hoxha's government, the Allies required elections, which took place on 2 December 1945 when 80% voted for the National Democratic Front coalition led by the Communists. On 11 January 1946 King Zogu I was declared deposed (the Italian occupation and the proclamation of Vittorio Emmanuele was considered an illegal act) and the People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed.
On 7 March 1946, a new Constitution came into effect, which established a new national flag with a yellow-bordered red star placed above the eagle. The shade of red became darker again, though not reaching the pre-1934 shade.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

The proportions of the flag were 5:7, whilte they were 2:3 for the ensigns.

Željko Heimer, 14 July 1996

Under Enver Hoxha's rule, the Albanian flag was only flown from a black staff.

Phil Lawrence, 11 September 2004


Erroneous rendition of the flag

[Erroneous flag]

Erroneous rendition of the flag - Image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 May 2012

The 1960s Italian geography textbook, Il nuovo Cielo Terra Genti - Corso di Geografia per la Scuola Media Statale, by Alessandro K. Vlora & Bemporad Marzocco (1963, 351 pp.) includes 2-3 page capsule entries on the nations of the world, including their flags. Most of these are OK, at least within the limits imposed by the mediocre printing quality, but Albania is somewhat amusingly off.

Eugene Ipavec, 7 May 2012


Presidential flag

[Presidential flag, 1946-92]

Presidential flag - Image by Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996

The presidential flag was identical to the national flag, but with proportions 1:1 instead of 5:7.

Jaume Ollé, 15 July 1996


Civil ensign

[Civil ensign 1945-92]

Civil ensign - Image by Mark Sensen, 4 October 1995

The civil ensign was very much alike in type with the former Yugoslav flags, being horizontally red-black-red with a golden bounded red star. The star is only in the black band and does not touch all three bands as in the Yugoslav flags. This star was added in 1945 to the merchant flag in use since 1913. So from 1913 to Second World War, I think the flag was plain red-black-red.

Mark Sensen, 4 October 1995