Symbolism Rijeka (Fiume)

Rijeka (Croatian: Rijeka, Slovenian: Reka), Fiume (Italian: Fiume, Latin: Vitopolis et Flumen), Flaum (German: Sankt Veit am Fluß, Sankt Veit am Flaum) is a city and port in Croatia, the third largest city in the country after the capital Zagreb and Split. It is located in the northern part of Dalmatia, near the Istrian peninsula. 

Description

 The modern coat of arms of Rijeka (Fiume) is a scarlet oval (Italian) shield, on which is a black double-headed left-turned eagle with gold weapons, tongues of black and upturned wings. With his right paw the eagle stands on a silver rock and with his left paw he holds a golden jug from which water flows into the sea. 

The coat of arms refers to Rijeka (literally means "river") and the short, swiftly flowing river Rečina, after which the city is named.

 The flag of Rijeka is a blue cloth with an aspect ratio of 1:2.

History

Austrian period

 Rijeka (Fiume) had its coat of arms in the 17th century. On June 6, 1659 the Croatian and Austrian King Leopold I at the request of the locals, issued a coat of arms for the city. The first coat of arms was almost identical to the modern coat of arms, but with some minor differences: above the eagle was the Austrian imperial and Croatian royal crown of two azure ribbons, under the shield was placed the motto in Latin: "INDEFICIENTER" (deficient). 

 Fiume was a separate "crown land" of the Transleitania (Kingdom of Hungary), so this city had its own flag "landesfarben" - a red-yellow-blue tricolor based on the armorial colors.

 This coat of arms was very much liked by the inhabitants of Fiume. So in 1890, the people of Fiume staged protests because through reconstruction, the two-headed eagle was removed from the top of the city tower. 

In the meantime, a conflict arose between the local authorities and Hungarians over which flag should hang on the town clock. 

The conflict was resolved in 1906. With the help of the influential women of Fiume. The double-headed eagle was ordered from Venice. The new eagle, unlike the old one-headed eagle which stood 186 years, was 2.20 meters high, 3 meters wide and weighed 2000 kg. 

This coat of arms lasted until 1919.

D'Annunzio's period

 After Gabriele D'Annunzio seized power in the city and the creation of the Italian Regency of Carnaro (also known as the Republic of Fiume) was proclaimed, it was decided to replace the coat of arms. It was now an emblem on which was depicted the constellation of the Big Dipper (the coat of arms of the D'Annunzio family), the golden Ouroboros under which was the motto in Latin: "Quis Contra Nos" ("Who is Against Us?"). Also the red-yellow-blue tricolor was replaced by a red gonfalon. Also the eagle on the clock tower had one of its heads cut off; the new government considered the double-headed eagle to be Austrian, while the single-headed one was the symbol of the Roman Empire.

 Period of the Free State of Fiume 

 When the regime of D'Annunzio was abolished in 1920 the Austrian period flag and the old coat of arms with the double-headed eagle were returned. The coat of arms was slightly different: the shape of the shield was changed to French, the crown and motto were removed. 

 The period of Fascist Italy

 In 1924, Fiume became part of Italy. In 1925 new symbols were adopted for the Province of Carnaro. The coat of arms was a shield divided into niello and nioble, on the left (nioble) was the constellation of the Big Dipper, on the right (black) was a golden fascine, above the shield a golden provincial crown with two branches (oak and laurel). In place of the flag was used a blue gonfalon in the center of which is the coat of arms of the province, above which is written in Italian: "Provincia del Carnaro" (Province of Carnaro). This symbolism was eliminated in 1943.

Yugoslav period

 The Communists, after their accession, began to fight against everything bourgeois, fascist and imperialist. Thus, in 1949, the statue of the double-headed eagle on the clock tower was blown up, which was returned only in 2017.

 A new symbol was created and adopted in 1967, Dorian Sokolich was the winner. The coat of arms is an azure-colored emblem with a stylized image of a golden jug from which water flows. The flag is a blue cloth with a 1:4 aspect ratio with two white triangles near the stem. Both symbols refer to the river Recina, after which the city was named.

Croatian period

 The first, unofficial version of the coat of arms was identical to the Austrian one, also the flag was the same as the "Corpus separatum" (the name of Fiume during the Habsburg Monarchy), the size was different: instead of 2:3 it was 1:2, and also in the center was the coat of arms. 

 The new symbolism was officially adopted in 1998.