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Haut-Rhin (Department, France)

Flag of the department of Haut-Rhin - Image by Pascal Vagnat & Ivan Sache, 24 October 2009

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Administrative data

Code: 68
Region: Alsace
Traditional province: Alsace
Bordering departments: Bas-Rhin, Vosges, Territoire de Belfort
Bordering countries: Germany (Federal State of Baden-Württemberg), Switzerland (Cantons of Basle-City, Basle-Land, Jura and Solothurn)

Area: 3,525 km²Population (2005): 731,000 inhabitants

Préfecture: Colmar
Sous-préfectures: Altkirch, Guebwiller, Mulhouse, Ribeauvillé, Thann
Subdivisions: 6 arrondissements, 31 cantons, 377 communes.

The department is named ("Upper-Rhine") after river Rhine.

Ivan Sache, 14 November 2009

Flag of Bas-Rhin

As observed by Pascal Vagnat since 2000, the flag of the department of Haut-Rhin is hoisted over the building of the General Council at Colmar and over several town halls in the department, for instance Mulhouse.
The flag is a banner of the arms of the department, De gueules à la bande d'or accompagnée de six couronnes d'or ("Gules a bend between six crowns bendwise or"), officially granted on 5 May 1948. These are the former arms of Upper-Alsace, which also appear on the flag of Region Alsace and on the flag of the traditional province of Alsace. The arms were often use to represent the whole of Alsace, as was the flag in 1930-1940.

According to Brian Timms, the Count of Alsace bore "Gules a bend argent between six crowns or" in a 15th century armorial.

Ivan Sache, 24 October 2009