Alfred Znamierowski

Alfred Znamierowski (born June, 1940) is a Polish vexillologist, heraldist and journalist. During his career he has published several books and designed hundreds of coats of arms, flags, banners and seals for over 200 different municipalities and institutions.

Znamierowski was born in June, 1940 in Warsaw, Poland. Znamierowski has studied geography at the University of Warsaw. In 1965, he left Poland, and 1966-1978 was an editor of the Polish Service of the Radio Free Europe in Munich, Germany. In 1978, he settled in the United States and founded The Flag Design Center in San Diego, California. He was also a close co-worker of the foremost German heraldist, Ottfried Neubecker, and American vexillologist, Whitney Smith. Znamierowski made thousands of renditions of coats of arms and flags for their books as well as for numerous encyclopedias in Germany, United States, and Poland. For many years he was the chief artist of the "Flag Bulletin" published by Smith, who called him "the premier vexillological artist in the world".

Alfred Znamierowski is one of the leading figures in vexillology and the world's foremost flag artist. He began publishing numerous press articles on flags in the 1960s, and during the last 25 years thousands of his illustrations have been published in encyclopedias, books and journals. He has also designed flags and arms for commercial firms and for individuals. He is the founder of the Instytut Heraldyczno-Weksylologiczny (Institute of Heraldry and Vexillology) in his native Poland. Alfred Znamierowski has written several books on vexillology and heraldry, and has designed arms and flags for many Polish administrative districts, cities and communes.

From 1985 to 1994, Znamierowskie was an editor of the Polish Service of the Voice of America in Washington D.C. In 1994, he returned to his native Poland, and in 1997, he established Instytut Heraldyczno-Weksylologiczny (Institute of Heraldry and Vexillology) - since 2001 a member of FIAV (Federation internationale des associations vexillologiques). In 2001, Znamierowski was made by FIAV a Fellow of the Federation, and in 2005 he was rewarded with the highest vexillological award - the Vexillon for the promotion of vexillology.

Znamierowski is a member of the Heraldic Commission at the Ministry of Internal Affaires and Administration in Warsaw. Although he is known mainly for his expertise in heraldry and vexillology, he was also a leading member of the Polish-American Socio-Political Movement POMOST, and of Solidarność Walcząca from 1981 to 1990, organizations striving for the independence of Poland. In 2007, he was honoured with the Golden Cross of Merit.

• Stworzony do chwały, Editions Spotkania, Warszawa 1995
• The World Encyclopedia of Flags, Anness Publishing, London 1999
• Flags Through the Ages, a Guide to the World of Flags, Banners, Standards and Ensigns, Southwater, London 2000
• Flags of the World, an Illustrated Guide to Contemporary Flags, Southwater, London 2000
• World Flags Identifier, Lorenz Books, London 2001
• Flagi świata, Horyzont, Warszawa 2002
• Insygnia, symbole i herby polskie, Świat Książki, Warszawa 2003
• Herbarz rodowy, Świat Książki, Warszawa 2004
• The World Encyclopedia of Flags & Heraldry, Anness Publishing, London 2007
• Wielka księga heraldyki, Świat Książki, Warszawa 2008