Red or white first checker on Croatian coat of arms both legitimate, academy says

Zagreb

After years of public debate and division over the correct appearance of the Croatian historic coat of arms, the country’s leading academic body has spoken.

The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) has presented a Declaration asserting that both versions of the Croatian historic coat of arms — whether with a red or white first field — are legitimate expressions of national heritage, HRT reported.

Centuries of Use

The question of whether the first field in the chequered shield (šahovnica) should be red or white has long stirred controversy. However, historians point out that both variants have been in use over the past 500 years.

“On one magazine cover, both versions of the coat of arms — red and white — were featured side by side, illustrating that both are entirely legitimate,” said Prof. Dr. Željko Holjevac, Director of the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences.

A Call for Clarity

In presenting the Declaration, the Academy underlined its responsibility to shed light on this national symbol.

“We want to highlight the historical evolution and use of the Croatian coat of arms and stress that this should be respected,” said academician Stjepan Ćosić from the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies in Zagreb.

Academy President Velimir Neidhardt noted that the purpose of the Declaration is to help clear up misunderstandings and allow Croatians to embrace the full richness of their national identity, in line with all relevant legal frameworks.

Flag of Croatia 

No Room for Stigmatisation

Dr. Mario Jareb from the Croatian Institute of History appeared on Croatian national television to explain the key message of the Declaration: the version of the coat of arms with a white first field should not be stigmatised or associated with the WWII-era Ustasha regime.

“It’s very clearly demonstrated that the white-first-field version is part of Croatia’s heraldic tradition,” said Dr. Jareb.

He stressed that the official state symbols are regulated by law, but unofficial historical versions, which are not banned, are permitted.

“There is no law or regulation that prohibits the coat of arms with the white field,” he added. “Unfortunately, part of the media and public has created hysteria, labelling it as a criminal or unacceptable symbol — often referred to as the ‘Ustasha coat of arms’ — but this is historically incorrect.”

Variation of the flag of the Republic of Croatia (July 25 – December 21, 1990) (Image: Public domain)

Jareb clarified that the insignia of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) included specific ideological elements such as a blue letter “U” framed by a red triple-wattle (troplet), clearly distinguishing it from the plain historical coat of arms with a white starting square.

A Step Toward Reconciliation

The Declaration, presented during a scientific conference, aims to bring an end to the polarising narrative.

“The Croatian historic coat of arms may be used and displayed — privately or publicly — as it has been by generations of Croats, with pride and respect, whether the first field is red or white,” the Declaration reads.

Dr. Ante Žužul of Školska Knjiga publishing house noted that the white-field version is not affiliated with any ideology — neither socialist, communist, nor Ustasha.

St Mark’s Church in Zagreb

“It is a historic symbol of Croatian national identity — the highest value a people can possess,” he stated.

Historians supported the claim with numerous examples, including the iconic roof of St. Mark’s Church in Zagreb and the coat of arms used in the 1925 millennium celebration of the Croatian Kingdom.