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Flags of universities and students' organizations (Austria)

I have been informed by the Dachverband der österreichischen Universitäten (Universities Roof Organization), which is the central organization of universities in Austria, that no Austrian university has a flag, either official or unofficial. However, according to my informant, most Austrian universities have many clubs, organizations, interest groups, social bodies, etc, many of which have their own flags, but there is no central record of such flags. The only way to find out about these flags is actually to contact individual universities and ask about internal campus flags.
Ron Lahav, 8 January 2006

At least for the 40th anniversary of its re-institution the University of Salzburg has used a flag, see http://www.sbg.ac.at/pr/bildergalerie/40jahre/fahnen1.jpg .
I guess, that if any university would have an unofficial flag, the Dachverband certainly would not know it. Flags are not important here in German universities, and I guess that's not that much different in Austria.
This is of course different for the Studentenverbindungen (traditional students' associations). These have their traditional colours, also used in the form of a striped flag, and many of them would have a special standard as well. Other more modern types of organizations at the universities most probably would not have flags, probably.
The universities themselves certainly do not have knowledge of the flags of any organizations at these universities.
M. Schmöger, 8 January 2006

The clarification on the Dachverband is very welcome. I was unable to find anything regarding this flag on the Salzburg University web site; it may well have been on a special rededication web site, however. I am sure that the old student societies (dueling societies) had their own heraldic banners, but I don't know if any of these societies still exist, especially at Austrian universities.
Ron Lahav, 9 January 2006

University of Graz

Photographs of the historical flag of the Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz:
http://www.uni-graz.at/uarc1www/uarc1www_geschichte/uarc1www_symbole/uarc1www_fahne.htm
reported by Jan Mertens, 30 May 2008

image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 December 2009

This photo of the main building shows vertically hoisted flags representing – from left to right as we see them – a university (promotional) flag, Graz (undefaced), EU, and Austria (undefaced): http://www.uni-graz.at/communication/alben/Hauptgebaeude/slides/Hauptgebaeude_frontal.html. The item representing the university can be seen at: http://www.uni-graz.at/communication/alben/Hauptgebaeude/slides/Hauptgebaeude_hoch.html

A narrow vertical white stripe, say Ľ of the width, is placed next to a yellow one which, at the lower horizontal edge, contains a black rectangle with the name “GRAZ” in yellow and immediately above it, at the lower end of the yellow stripe, the abbreviated word “UNI” in black letters.

University logo download page: http://www.uni-graz.at/communication/services&produkte/corporate_design/download/download_center.html. Yellow is Pantone 115 CVU, the font is BonnBold, and other graphic details – found here: http://www.uni-graz.at/communication/services&produkte/corporate_design/download/images/CorporateDesignManual.pdf

Again we see that a corporate design set may include a flag but also that the latter is only one of many expressions, in fact the flag is not treated differently from any other flat surface.
Jan Mertens, 4 December 2009

University of Vienna

Photographs and description of the flag (banner) of the Universität Wien, made in 1892:
http://public.univie.ac.at/index.php?id=6068&L=2
http://www.univie.ac.at/archiv/tour/22.htm

The image is archived here, and the supporting text states:

The University banner (1892) shows a portrait of Rudolph "The Founder" on the front, surrounded by bands of writing with the dates 1365 (founding date of the university of Vienna), 1384 (Great Reform by Albrecht III), 1884 (the date the main building on Ringstraße was opened), and 1892 (banner donation). The banner was actually manufactured for a festive function in the honour of famous surgeon Theodor Billroth on 11 October 1892.

and from the page at http://www.univie.ac.at/archiv/tour/22.htm

The use of banners in the University of Vienna is attested as far back as 1382. Originally they bore the image of St. Gregory, the patron saint of teachers, and St. Nicholas, the patron of pupils, but banners with the image of Our Lady were subsequently used in the University. The florid university banner in use today first appeared at a ceremony held in honour of the surgeon Theodor Billroth on 11th October 1892. It bears the portrait of Rudolf IV surrounded by scrolls with the dates 1365 (University foundation), 1384 (Great Reform of Albrecht III), 1884 (opening of the main building on the Ring) and 1892 (donation of the banner). Beside this portrait are symbols of Theology (palm, cross, eye of God) and Philosophy (column and scroll). On the reverse is a gothic trefoil with the arms of the University (hand holding a book), and next to this are symbols of Law (fasces) and medicine (leech). The upper section has the inscription UNIVERSITAS beside the imperial coat of arms and, on the reverse, VINDOBONENSIS, with the arms of the City of Vienna. The banner is still used today at academic ceremonies.

by Jan Mertens, 4 June 2008