Arsène Heitz

Arsène Heitz (27 March 1908 – 1989) was a German-French draughtsman, born in Strasbourg, who worked at the Council of Europe. He was credited by some sources as being a co-designer of the Flag of Europe, in collaboration with Paul M. G. Lévy.

Heitz worked in the postal service of the Council of Europe while the flag was being chosen between 1950 and 1955, and he submitted 21 of the 101 designs that are conserved in the Council of Europe Archives.^[1]^[2]

He proposed among other drawings a circle of twelve yellow stars upon a blue background;^[3] inspired by the twelve-star halo of the Virgin Mary,^[4] the Queen of Heaven of the Book of Revelation, often portrayed in Roman Catholic art, which can be seen in the Rose Window that the Council of Europe donated to Strasbourg Cathedral in 1953.^[5]^[6] Indeed, he proposed a design with “a crown of 12 golden stars with 5 rays, their points not touching.”^[7]^[8]^[9]

His flag with twelve stars was eventually adopted by the council, and the design was finalised by Paul M. G. Lévy.^[10]

According to Lévy, Heitz's role in the actual design of the flag was relatively marginal, and the 12-star flag was one of several proposals Heitz submitted which were modified by Lévy. To this end, Lévy claimed sole authorship of the flag.^[11]

[1]
"Proposals for European flags from Arsène Heitz (1952–1955)". CVCE. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
[2]
"Lettre d'Arsène Heitz à Filippo Caracciolo (Strasbourg, 5 janvier 1952)". CVCE. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
[3]
"The European flag: questions and answers". CVCE. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
[4]
"Maria Europea : histoire du drapeau européen" (in French). L'Etre persienne. 20 September 2008. Archived from the original on 20 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
[5]
"The European Commission and religious values". The Economist. 2004-10-28. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
[6]
"Real politics, at last?". The Economist. 28 October 2004.
[7]
"Religious inspiration for EU flag". 17 November 2009.
[8]
"Symbolism of EU flag is Marian - Vatican Insider". vaticaninsider.lastampa.it. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23.
[9]
"Real politics, at last?". The Economist. 28 October 2004.
[10]
"Recommendation 56(1) of the Consultative Assembly on the choice of an emblem for the Council of Europe (25 September 1953)". CVCE. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
[11]
Carlo Curti Gialdino, I Simboli dell'Unione europea, Bandiera – Inno – Motto – Moneta – Giornata. Roma: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A., 2005. ISBN 88-240-2503-X, pp. 80–85. Gialdino is here cited after a translation of the Italian text published by the Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'Europe (cvce.eu):
Irrespective of the statements by Paul M. G. Levy and the recent reconstruction by Susan Hood, crediting Arsène Heitz with the original design still seems to me the soundest option. In particular, Arsène Heitz himself, in 1987, laid claim to his own role in designing the flag and to its religious inspiration when he said that 'the flag of Europe is the flag of Our Lady' [Magnificat magazine, 1987]. Secondly, it is worth noting the testimony of Father Pierre Caillon, who refers to a meeting with Arsène Heitz. Caillon tells of having met the former Council of Europe employee by chance in August 1987 at Lisieux in front of the Carmelite monastery. It was Heitz who stopped him and declared "I was the one who designed the European flag. I suddenly had the idea of putting the 12 stars of the Miraculous Medal of the Rue du Bac on a blue field. My proposal was adopted unanimously on 8 December 1955, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. I am telling you this, Father, because you are wearing the little blue cross of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima".

References

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