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danielsand · 05-19-2015, 11:54 AM

http://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/imagetext/1853-1914

If interested, one can read about the history of the gun making in Serbia/Yugoslavia here. On the left of the screen you can chose the period, and read the part that interests you, or read it all.

The website is written in English (other languages can be chosen), and few things are omitted, for reasons unknown to me. The factory was known by the name "Crvena Zastava" for the longest time in history of this factory. Yet,.....this name is widely misinterpreted in the west. Most people in the US translate the name as "Red Banner", which IMO is incorrect. As I am fluent in Serbo-Croatian (among other languages), and spent a considerable time of my life living in the former Yugoslavia, I can assure you that Yugoslavs (all of them, to include Slovenes, Croats, Serbs, Bosnians, Montenegrin, and Macedonians) DO NOT use the word "Zastava" in the way Americans use the word "Banner". In the US "banner" can be ANY form of advertising banner, written display for all purposes, but as an example, Americans would NEVER refer to "Old Glory" as a "banner".

"Zastava" simply means "The Flag" (as the flag that officially represents one's country, or in this case......The Party)! I'll explain.

Since SFRJ was "one party political system" (ruled by KPJ - Komunisticka Partija Jugoslavije - Communist Party of Yugoslavia) and that party's official flag was a dead copy of the Soviet flag (solid red with gold hammer and sickle in the upper left corner, with words in gold over the top "Proleteri Svih Zermalja Ujedinite Se" (Proletariat of all Countries Unite), the factory was named "Red Flag". The term used widely for the party flag.

In the later years, KPJ changed its name to SKJ (Savez Komunista Jugoslavije - Union of the Communists of Yugoslavia), but the flag remained the same. The party flag was displayed along the official Yugoslavian flag, at all events, government offices, and such, along with the flag of the republic (state) in which the office was residing. In the US, Old Glory (Stars and Stripes) is displayed with the State Flag in the same fashion, but in Yugoslavia there were three flags on display, in courts, government installations, parades, national holidays, etc (National Flag, Red Flag, and the State Flag).

So this IS where "Crvena Zastava" got its name from. And it's not a "banner", but the official party flag.

After the war of the 90s, and disintegration of SFRJ, the word "Crvena" (Red) was omitted, and the factory was simply called "The Flag" (Zastava).

All former republics retained their tricolors as before, except the red star was taken out, replaced by the coat of arms (shield) of each republic (independent country today).

And now I'm done with the rant/history lesson. Like I said in one of my previous posts,......the fact that we are all interested in historical arms, makes me think we all have a certain fondness for the history in general. Yugoslav produced arms are of particular interest to me (as a collector/user), and I think they belong into the "upper tier" of military issued arms, in terms of their quality, serviceability, and longevity. I used them in action, and I use them weekly in recreational shooting today.

05-19-2015, 11:54 AM	#12
danielsand User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 137 Thanks: 52 Thanked 100 Times in 43 Posts	http://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/imagetext/1853-1914 If interested, one can read about the history of the gun making in Serbia/Yugoslavia here. On the left of the screen you can chose the period, and read the part that interests you, or read it all. The website is written in English (other languages can be chosen), and few things are omitted, for reasons unknown to me. The factory was known by the name "Crvena Zastava" for the longest time in history of this factory. Yet,.....this name is widely misinterpreted in the west. Most people in the US translate the name as "Red Banner", which IMO is incorrect. As I am fluent in Serbo-Croatian (among other languages), and spent a considerable time of my life living in the former Yugoslavia, I can assure you that Yugoslavs (all of them, to include Slovenes, Croats, Serbs, Bosnians, Montenegrin, and Macedonians) DO NOT use the word "Zastava" in the way Americans use the word "Banner". In the US "banner" can be ANY form of advertising banner, written display for all purposes, but as an example, Americans would NEVER refer to "Old Glory" as a "banner". "Zastava" simply means "The Flag" (as the flag that officially represents one's country, or in this case......The Party)! I'll explain. Since SFRJ was "one party political system" (ruled by KPJ - Komunisticka Partija Jugoslavije - Communist Party of Yugoslavia) and that party's official flag was a dead copy of the Soviet flag (solid red with gold hammer and sickle in the upper left corner, with words in gold over the top "Proleteri Svih Zermalja Ujedinite Se" (Proletariat of all Countries Unite), the factory was named "Red Flag". The term used widely for the party flag. In the later years, KPJ changed its name to SKJ (Savez Komunista Jugoslavije - Union of the Communists of Yugoslavia), but the flag remained the same. The party flag was displayed along the official Yugoslavian flag, at all events, government offices, and such, along with the flag of the republic (state) in which the office was residing. In the US, Old Glory (Stars and Stripes) is displayed with the State Flag in the same fashion, but in Yugoslavia there were three flags on display, in courts, government installations, parades, national holidays, etc (National Flag, Red Flag, and the State Flag). So this IS where "Crvena Zastava" got its name from. And it's not a "banner", but the official party flag. After the war of the 90s, and disintegration of SFRJ, the word "Crvena" (Red) was omitted, and the factory was simply called "The Flag" (Zastava). All former republics retained their tricolors as before, except the red star was taken out, replaced by the coat of arms (shield) of each republic (independent country today). And now I'm done with the rant/history lesson. Like I said in one of my previous posts,......the fact that we are all interested in historical arms, makes me think we all have a certain fondness for the history in general. Yugoslav produced arms are of particular interest to me (as a collector/user), and I think they belong into the "upper tier" of military issued arms, in terms of their quality, serviceability, and longevity. I used them in action, and I use them weekly in recreational shooting today. Last edited by danielsand; 05-19-2015 at 03:56 PM.