Rainbow flag

The reformer Thomas Müntzer (1489–1525) connected socially revolutionary claims with his religious preaching (Genesis 9:11–17, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25).

The Thomas Müntzer statue in the German town of Stolberg also shows him holding a rainbow banner in his hand.

After some experiments with different designs, a famous French cooperator, Charles Gide, suggested using the seven colours of the rainbow for the flag.

The most common variety has seven colours, purple, blue, azure, green, yellow, orange and red, and is emblazoned in bold with the Italian word PACE, meaning "peace".

[17] In Ecuador, a rainbow emblem is used by the Pachakutik political party (1995), which is composed mostly of left-wing indigenous people.

A seven-striped rainbow flag design is used in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador as a symbol of native ethnic groups and culture, and is anachronistically associated with the Tawantin Suyu, or Inca territory.

[19] The National Academy of Peruvian History has stated on the topic: "The official use of the wrongly called 'Tawantinsuyu flag' is a mistake.

[20] The rainbow Pride flag was popularized as a symbol of the gay community by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978.

The flag is used predominantly at LGBT pride events and in gay villages worldwide in various forms including banners, clothing and jewelry.

Since the 1990s, its symbolism has been transferred to represent the extended "LGBTQ" (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community.

[citation needed] In 1994, for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York city, a mile-long rainbow flag was created by Baker which he later cut into sections that were distributed around the world.

[28][29] The leftist Herri Batasuna party used a rainbow version of the Ikurriña (Basque national flag) from 1978 until it was dissolved in 2001.

[30] Another variation of rainbow flag is used by Jewish Autonomous Oblast, situated in the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia, by the Chinese border.

[34] During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom, the rainbow symbol has been used to signify support and gratitude for the National Health Service (NHS).