Austria Flag - Republic of

The Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich) is a landlocked nation in central Europe. It borders Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. It's capital is Vienna. Although it is a member of both the European Community and the United Nations, Austria is one of two European countries that has declared its everlasting neutrality, the other being Switzerland.

Similar in design to the Danish Flag, the Austrian flag is also believed to be among the oldest national flag designs in the world. According to legend, the flag was conceived  by Duke Leopold V of Austria during in a fierce battle during the Crusades. The conclusion of the Battle of Acre resulted in his white battledress being completely drenched in blood. When he removed his belt the cloth underneath was white and untouched by the blood. The Duke was so amazed that his belt line remained white that he adopted the colour scheme as his banner.

The flag was designed in the 13th century by Duke Frederick II of Austria, the last of the Babenberg  dynasty. Frederick sought greater independence from the Holy Roman Emperor. To this end, he commissioned a new coat of arms designed: a red field with a silver fess. The oldest known depiction of the flag is on a seal held in safekeeping at the monastery of Lilienfeld in Lower Austria The seal is dated November 30, 1230.