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Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945) - Ustasha Youth Flags

Last modified: 2013-12-01 by ivan sache
Keywords: croatia | hrvatska | ustasa |
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Overview

Ustasha Youth (Croatian: Ustas<ka mladez<, henceforth: UM) was the youth organziation of Ustasha movement during WWII in Croatia. The organziation was similary formed as in other Axis countries. It was organized in military manner and was structured territorially. Each of the counties (velika zupa, first level county subdivision) had an UM headquarters (called stozer), each kotar (second level subdivision) had an UM camp (logor) and each community (obcina, third level subdivision) had a tabor. Within tabors there were platoons and squads (vod and roj). The platoons where organized in branches according to the age. Childern from 7 to 11 years old was part of Ustaska uzdanica, from 11 to 14 Ustaski junak and from 17 to 21 Starceviceva mladez. The elite units of the last group might have been organized in Ustaski jurisnik, that trained with weapons and even engaged in combat. The girls were organized in the same manner, but for the jurisnik they were organized in Ustaska djevojka.
The flags were established in 1943 by the order issued in Duznostnik, the UM official gezette: Naredba o zastavama Ustaske mladezi, Duznostnik, br. 3/1943. The order established seven different flags:

UM General Flag


by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

The general flag of UM (i.e. for general use, not for the generals) is the Croatian tricolour with the black UM symbol with white ornament in the middle. The symbol consits of a letter U and a wattle intervowen. The flag ratio was not specified, but probably the same as the national flag was used. The finial was prescribed to be in shape of the UM symbol 8with upper part of the wattle rised to spearhead shape) as for the rest of the UM flags. The flag was used to represent the organization in general, and it was hoisted on the buildings of th UM commands, schools, camps etc.

UM Command Flag


by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

The flag of the Command of UM is the Croatian tricolour with the golden-black UM symbol in the middle. The finial is gilded. The flag is hoisted from a crossbar and fringed in gold. The spear is prescribed to be 2.20 m, while the field is 0.60 X 0.80 m.

UM Headquarters Flag


by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

Similar to previous, but the UM symbol, finial, crossbar and fringe are silver. Above the flag on the hoist is attached a white ribbon fringed silver with silver inscription containing the name and number of the Headquarters.

UM Tabor Flag


by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

Similar to previous, but the UM symbol, crossbar, fringe and the ribbon fringe are dark red, while the finial is silver. The inscription on the ribbon is dark red conatining the name and number of Tabor and name and number of Headquarters.

Starceviceva Mladez Platoon Flag


by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

Flag like the general UM flag - i.e. the tricolour with black and white UM symbol. In red stripe near the hoist is the headrquarters number and in blue stirpe near the hoist in a white shape like the shape of the wattle in the state coat of arms are set the numbers of tabor and platoon. All numbers are black. The flag field is 1.50 X 3.00 m large, with a spear of 4.00 m, with a metal UM finial.

Ustaski Junak Platoon Flag


by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

The flag is blue with white and black UM symbol in the middle and the numerals as in previous flag. The flag field is 1.00 X 2.00 m large, with a spear of 3.00 m and a metal UM finial

Ustaska Uzdanica Platoon Flag


obverse
by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000


reverse
by Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000

The flag of a platoon of Ustaska uzdanica is red triangular pennant with white and black UM symbol near hoist on obverse, and with a black lined white platoon symbol on reverse where there are also headquarters, tabor and platoon numbers inscribed in fly end. The platoon symbol is different for each platoon, and might have been "a coat of arms of the city or town or platoon's origin, the name of a UM official from that town that was killed in action and considerd UM martyr, with the date of his martyrdom, or an image of a characteristic plant or animal (e.g. cloverleaf, daisy, dear, wolf, fox, boar, hawk, eagle, rooster, swan etc.)" [translation from the Order]. The size of the flag is 1.00 X 1.50 m, with a spear of 2.50 m with the metal UM finial.
The numerals and the dear head emblem are examples as given in the image attached to the Order.

The flags were de facto abandoned with the fall of the Independent State of Croatia, 8-MAY-1945.
Željko Heimer, 27 November 2000