Flag of Estonia Pinback Button

The national flag of the Baltic nation of Estonia (sinimustvalge). The blue, black and white tricolour can trace its orgins all the way back to 1881, and it was formally adopted as the national flag in 1918 shortly after the Estonian declaration of independence, when it was raised in the capital, Tallinn. When the Soviets invaded Estonia in 1940, the flag was banned, before being allowed again as an ethnic, but not a national, flag under the German occupation after thier invasion of the USSR in 1941. After the expulsion of the Germans, the Soviets again occupied Estonia, and the Estonian tricolour was not tollerated being flown until the late 1980s. In the years leading up to Estonian independence the flag was openly flown, it was formally re-adopted as the national flag in 1990, and in 1991 Estonia once again declared independence and could fly the flag without hinderence from others. There are various interpretations of the meanings of the colours. One is that the blue is for the sky, sea, freedom and truth, the black for the soil, lost independence and dark coats, and white for future promise and hope. Another possible interpretation is blue for the sky, black for the soil and worry, and white for purity and hard work. Yet another would be blue for sky, black for forests and white for snow.