The anniversary № 40 of »Grb i zastava« was printed, closing its Volume XX, and posted to subscriber addresses. Additional copies of the GiZ you may order from Leykam International. We copy here from the »Editorial«:
Dear Reader,
You are holding the fortieth issue of Grb i Zastava. This number alone marks an important milestone in the life of our journal, and of course, it coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the founding of our Croatian Heraldic and Vexillological Association. These are two figures that invite us to pause for a moment and reflect before turning our attention to the new studies and topics that lie ahead.
When the Association was established in 2006, its primary aim was to bring together researchers, professionals, collectors, and enthusiasts of heraldry and vexillology, creating a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience. Twenty years later, we may confidently say that this goal has been achieved. Through the work of the Association, its conferences, projects, website, publications, and above all through this journal, a substantial body of knowledge has been created that today represents an indispensable point of reference for the study of Croatian heraldic and vexillological heritage.
In a symbolic way, this issue connects the past, the present, and the future of our activities. Within its pages, we remember individuals whose work has left a lasting mark on Croatian historiography and heraldry, present new findings on noble families, coats of arms, and flags, follow contemporary developments in heraldic and ecclesiastical symbolism, and record the activities of our community both in Croatia and abroad.
A special place is devoted to contributions marking the twentieth anniversary of the Association. Their purpose is not to provide a definitive balance sheet of all that has been accomplished, but rather to document at least a part of the projects, initiatives, publications, and individual contributions that have shaped the Association’s work over the past two decades. Such a review demonstrates that heraldry and vexillology extend far beyond coats of arms and flags alone; they encompass questions of identity, cultural heritage, historical memory, and social communication.
At the same time, this issue confirms the diversity of subjects that continue to attract our contributors. From medieval and early modern heraldry, through military and municipal flags, to contemporary applications of symbolic design and reports from international scholarly gatherings, the reader will find a cross-section of studies that demonstrate the vitality and breadth of these disciplines.
Twenty years of the Association’s work and forty published issues of this journal are not a reason for complacency. On the contrary, they should inspire continued research, documentation, and promotion of heraldic and vexillological heritage. New challenges, new technologies, and new generations of researchers stand before us, and we hope to provide them with solid foundations for future work.
I would like to thank all authors, contributors, translators, reviewers, Association members, institutions, and friends who have helped GiZ to appear regularly and develop over the past twenty years. Without their support, this anniversary would not have been possible.
As always, I wish you an enjoyable and stimulating reading of GiZ,
Željko Heimer
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The table of contents of this and previous issues see at »Grb i zastava« – Contents.
CIGH