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THE GWENN HA DU, THE MODERN FLAG
OF BRITTANY
 The
Gwenn ha du is the name of the Breton flag. This term
means in Breton "white and black". It is
a relatively recent flag in history, dating from 1923.
Its colors and design incorporate the symbols used
by Bretons for several centuries. It is used and recognized
by all Bretons as the strong, unifying symbol of Brittany.
Apolitical and aesthetic, it appears today outside
all town halls and institutions. It represents Brittany
and the Bretons throughout the world.
Morvan Marchal, creator
of the Gwenn ha du
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Morvan
Marchal, creator of the modern Breton flag
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Morvan Marchal (1900-1963) designed
the modern version of the Gwenn ha du. An architect,
he was a dedicated separatist and creating a modern
flag for Brittany was an ambition of his. The flag
was used in the Brittany house for the Exibition of
Decorative Arts, in Paris 1925. The artistic movement
"Seiz Breur", of which Morvan Marchal was
a member, exhibited it.
Symbolic system of
the Breton flag?
The Gwenn ha du is of simple design
with its form and colours explained in the following
way:
• The hermines represent ducal
Brittany. There are eleven. Older versions recommend
more, or recognized as having exact twisted héraldiquement).
This last solution should be avoided. Heraldic Breton
mouchetures of hermine are never crossed. Today the
flags produced in Brittany systematically comprise
eleven hermines. Though its significance is unknown,
many old illustrations depict the flag with 11 hermines.
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Giant
Gwenn ha du in front of the Townhouse in Rennes
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• The nine equal bands represent
the 9 historical countries of Brittany. The 4 white
bands represent the countries of Low-Brittany: Cornwall,
Leon, Trégor and Vannetais. The 5 black bands
represent the countries of High-Brittany: Nantes,
Rennais, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Malo and Dol. Some speak
of "évêchés" rather
than of countries, but this is not the same. The "evêchés"
share the same borders as the countries but are of
religious significance.
The explanation given by Morvan Marchal
himself is as thus: "The top-left corner of the
flag has a quarter of hermines innumerable. Nine equal
bands alternatively black and white, traditional colors,
the white representing countries where one speaks
Breton - Leon, Trégor, Cornwall, Vannetais,
and the black representing countries where Gallo is
spoken - Rennes, Nantes, Dol, St Malo and Penthièvre.
This flag, I repeat, is not a political flag, but
the modern symbol of Brittany. It appears to constitute
a perfectly acceptable synthesis of the traditional
flag of ermines plain and a figuration of Breton diversity
".
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To what does the Gwenn
ha du refer?
When considering the symbolism of the Gwenn
ha du today, one would think that Morvan Marchal's inspiration
came from three or four principal elements:
• historical colors and symbols of Brittany:
black and white and ermine.
• the form of what were considered as modern
flags, the American Stars and Stripes, or the Greek flag,
which contributed to the popularity of the Gwenn ha du among
the younger generation of the general public.
• the coat of arms of the town of Rennes.
Many flags borrow the design of the flag of its capital. For
example the French flag takes as a starting point the the
colors of the town of Paris. There could be the case of the
Breton flag using as a starting point the colours of one of
its capitals.
• Lastly, an Irish family of the name of
Marshal, homonym of Morvan Marchal, has a coat of arms resembling
the Gwenn ha du. A coincidence?
Who today can affirm that one of these assumptions
is real without verifiable biographical evidence? One can
easily imagine, however, that at least one of these elements
were determining factors in the creation of the modern flag
of Brittany.
Chronological history of the
Gwenn ha du?
• In 1925, the Gwenn ha du is unveiled
at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.
• In 1927, the Breton political movements
(whose Parti Autonomiste Breton) adopt Gwenn ha du, as the
national flag of Brittany. After this date it is also largely
used by the Breton cultural organizations, in particular in
the Celtic Circles, which carry the Gwenn ha du at the head
of processions. It was quickly identified as the Breton flag
in foreign vexillological books.
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Saint-Yves
Pardon in Arènes de Lutèce (Paris), 1960
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• In 1937, an alternative is unveiled in
Paris, at the international exhibition devoted to "Arts
and techniques in modern life". This version was drawn
by Charles Couësnon.
• Prohibited for many years by the French
State which did not support any reference to Brittany, it
was necessary to await the middle of the Sixties before finally
being able to hoist the Breton flag without obstacle or reprisal.
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The Gwenn ha
du on the cathedral Notre-Dame in Paris (3/10/1972)
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• In the Sixties (workers' strikes, student
demonstrations, Breton movements...), it re-appears amid much
publicity (for example on a lathe of the Cathedral Notre-Dame
in Paris). Religious organizations and political bodies use
it more and more.
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Ben Harper
in Erer kozh Music festival in Brittany (1999) in front
of the Breton flag
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• With the resurgence of interest in Breton
culture among Bretons, young and old, the flag flies outside
town halls, the General Councils (consisting that of Loire-Atlantique,
which asserts its inclusion in Brittany), the Regional Council
of Brittany and at many festivitals and events... The Gwenn
ha du finally arrived in the fields of officialdom!
Breton historical flags
The Gwenn ha du synthesizes the history of Brittany
perfectly. By its colors and his design, however simple (what
ensured its success), one finds the chronology of the various
flags which followed one another from the Middle Ages onwards.
 •
One supposes that at the high-means-age, the Breton Armoricans
used flags incorporating the Red Dragon of the Brittonic peoples
whom remained on the island of Brittany (Prydain, or Britain,
currently the 'United Kingdom'). The Red Dragon appears on
the Welsh flag to this day.
 •
the black cross on white zone called today the Kroaz du, is
regarded as one of the oldest flags used by the Breton people.
The oldest documents attest that this flag dates from the
15th and 16th centuries, of which an older version appeared
in battle in 1351. In the same way, the black cross as a maritime
and navy flag appears on many sea charts of 15th century.
One appears as an amalgam of the black crosses and hermines.
Some say the black cross was probably used by the Cross Bretons
at the time of the third crusade (1188).
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the hermines, the heraldic signs of the clergy were adopted
by Pierre de Dreux (1180-1243) (Mauclerc), who was initially
intending to follow a religious career. He became "Prince
Consort" of Brittany in 1212 by the arrangement of alliances.
The armorial bearings of Dreux were used by the following
Dukes until Jean III with the advent of his adaption in 1316
which replaces the chequered flag of Dreux with the hermines.
These armorial bearings became those of the following Dukes
and then those of Brittany as a province.
 •
the Gwenn ha du gathers elements of these various flags: black
and white of the houses of sovereign Brittany and hermines
of the ducal banners.
Article written by par Mikael Bodlore-Penlaez,
translated by Dewi Prysor © www.geobreizh.com
Read too: Divi
Kervella, Emblèmes de Bretons et des Celtes, Éd.
Coop Breizh
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