Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920) Flag of Azerbaijan between 21 June and 9 November 1918 ADR flag made by Mammad Amin Rasulzade during the years of emigration On 28 May 1918, the
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR)
declared independence. One of the first actions of the republic was the adoption of national symbols. Taking inspiration from the
flag of the Ottoman Empire, the ADR adopted its first state flag on 21 June 1918, which depicted a white crescent and a white eight-pointed star on a red background. The new flag was almost identical to the old Ottoman Empire flag, which also featured an
eight-pointed star until 1844 when it was replaced by a
five-pointed star. The similarities between the flags reflected the
hegemony of the
Ottoman Empire at the time, as well as the ethnic kinship between the
Turkic populations of ADR and the Ottoman Empire. Within a few months, the newly adopted flag began to be questioned due to it exclusively representing
Turkism. Thus, it was suggested that a new flag be created. The new flag was to reflect three ideas: Turkism,
Islamism and the desire for progress. These ideas reflected the official ideology of ADR, which was "Turkicisation, Islamicization, and Modernisation". The formation of these ideas was influenced by the work of Islamic ideologist
Jamal al-Din al-Afghani who, in his books "The Philosophy of National Unity and the True Essence of Religious Unification" and "Islamic Unity", wrote that the progress of Muslim peoples is possible under the condition of religious consolidation,
national unity and the study of the progressive traditions of European statehood. On 9 November 1918, a draft of an updated state flag was approved. The colors of the flag were borrowed from
Ali bey Huseynzade's concept
Turkify, Islamize, Europeanize. The new flag was a horizontal tricolor of blue, red and green with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star placed in the centre. On 7 December 1918, the updated state flag was raised over Azerbaijan's parliament building. In a speech to the parliament,
Mammad Amin Rasulzade, the
Azerbaijani National Council chairman who had declared ADR's independence, stated: "[...] and for this reason, gentlemen, the National Council has raised this three-colored flag, which represents Azerbaijan, and this flag, the symbol of Turkic sovereignty, Islamic culture, and modern European power, will always fly above us. This flag, once raised, will never come down again".
Use of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic flag after 1920 which fought for
Nazi Germany during
World War II After the fall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in April 1920 following the
Red Army invasion, their flag was used by emigrant organizations outside the
Soviet Union. During
World War II, the ADR flag was used by the battalions of the
Azerbaijani Legion, who were military formations of ethnic
Azerbaijanis fighting on the side of
Nazi Germany. Depicted on the sleeve emblems of the Azerbaijan Legion's uniforms were three horizontal equal stripes of blue, red and green; a white crescent; and a five-pointed star on a red field. It was given to the
National Museum of History of Azerbaijan in July 2003 and has since been kept in the museum. In 1956, a protester named Jahid Hilaloghlu raised the ADR flag over
Maiden Tower in
Baku, showing his defiance of
Soviet Azerbaijan. Hilaloghlu was sentenced to four years of imprisonment and his supporter Chingiz Abdullayev was institutionalized. Azerbaijan Parlament.jpg|The first meeting of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, where a tricolor flag was hung. 7 December 1918. Azerbaijani delegation in Paris.jpg|Azerbaijani delegation in Paris at the Claridge Hotel during the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. The tricolor flag of the ADR is visible in the background, on the chest of drawers. Army of Azerbaijan in 1918.jpg|Officers and soldiers of the army of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic against the background of the state tricolor
Azerbaijan SSR (1920–1991) Flag of Soviet Azerbaijan between 1952 and 1990. Ratio: 1:2 On 28 April 1920, Azerbaijan became a Soviet republic, as the
Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Soviet Azerbaijan). The state flags of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic were banned during this period. While under Soviet rule, the Soviet Azerbaijan used eight different flags. Most of the flags only variated slightly. The adaptations were the result of the chaotic early years of the Soviet Union in the
Caucasus. The first unofficial Soviet Azerbaijan flag was used during the Soviet conquest of
Baku on 28 April 1920. Soviet Azerbaijan's first official flag was adopted on 19 May 1921, in its first constitution under Article 104. The eighth and final flag of Soviet Azerbaijan was issued on 7 October 1952. The design was similar to the
Soviet national flag but included a horizontal blue band on the bottom, which took up a quarter of the flag's height. The flag's definition was as follows:
Republic of Azerbaijan (1991–present) in
Baku In the late 1980s, during unrest in Soviet Azerbaijan, the tricolor Azerbaijan Democratic Republic flag was used in demonstrations calling for independence. On 17 November 1990, during the first session of the Supreme Assembly of the
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the 1918 ADR flag was adopted as the national flag of the autonomous state. This flag was later adopted with the decree, "On change the name and national flag of Azerbaijan SSR". The decree was issued on 29 November 1990 by the president of Azerbaijan SSR and ratified on 5 February 1991 by the
Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. The first constitution since independence was adopted on 12 November 1995 after a national vote; one of the articles described the three-color flag of the republic. On 17 November 2007, the Azerbaijani president
Ilham Aliyev issued a decree "On creation of the
National Flag Square" in Baku. The square had a 162 metre tall flag pole weighing 220 tons. The flag flown on the pole was 35 metres wide and 70 metres long, and weighed 350 kilograms. A museum dedicated to the national flag was also built at the flagpole. On 1 September 2010, the flag was officially raised to open the museum; subsequently becoming the world's tallest unsupported flagpole, until being overtaken by
Tajikistan 165 metre
Dushanbe Flagpole in 2011. The flagpole was dismantled in 2017 due the risks of the structure falling onto
Baku Boulevard grounds. == Timeline gallery ==