The meanings of the flag, and the ceremonies surrounding the different Olympic flags, are very interesting. This is very true of the Olympic flag as it has come to mean the Olympics itself. The symbol of the Olympic flag is universally known and it could be one of the most recognized flags in the world. Its design of five different colored interlocking rings on a white background got its start in 1913 when Baron Pierre De Coubertin created the symbol using interlocking rings made of the colors black, green, red, black, and yellow. For De Coubertin the idea of interlocking rings is said to represent the continuity of humanity which is something that is said to come from the works of Carl Jung. De Coubertin described the different color rings as representing the different parts of the world that have participated in the Olympics and are interested in fair competition. The meaning of the Olympic flag was perverted by the Nazi regime in Germany as they saw the rings as marking the glory of Nazi Germany and attempted to use the symbol as much as possible in their hosting of the 1936 Olympic games. But the symbol survived and the flag survived and today the five multi colored rings are said to represent the five continents that participate in the games and the colors of the rings, along with the white background, are said to be colors present in all of the participant countries’ flags in 1931 when the flag was officially adopted.

Looking of the Olympic flag gives the impression that there is only one flag and that looking at the Olympic flag that is on display in the Olympic stadium is the only one in existence. This is not exactly true. In reality there are three main Olympic flags aside from the numerous flags created to represent the other organizations involved in the Olympics. The main flag, and the one that the world sees, is the huge white flag with the multi colored rings. This flag is raised after the Olympic torch is lit during the opening ceremonies to signify the opening of the Olympic games and it is lowered after the Olympic torch is doused to signify the end of the Olympic games. That flag you see at those particular opening and closing celebrations is the same flag for the Winter Olympic and Summer Olympics.

But each host city gets an Olympic flag as well and that has changed somewhat over the years. In 1920 the host city of Antwerp, Belgium present the International Olympic Committee with what became known as the Antwerp Flag. It was the flag passed around to each host of the Summer Olympic games until the Antwerp Flag was retired after the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea and not it is on display in the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. For the 1992 Summer Olympics they began using the flag presented to International Olympic Committee by the city of Seoul after the 1988 games. Now the Seoul Flag is passed from Summer Olympic host to Summer Olympic host. The Oslo Flag was presented to the International Olympic Committee by the city of Oslo, Norway after the 1952 Winter Olympic games and continues to be passed to the next Winter Olympic host city. The Olympic host flags are usually flown at the city hall of each host city. The previous host city will usually pass the Olympic host flag to the next host city in an event at the Olympic closing ceremonies.