History of the Kurdish flag and Peshmerga Forces
The Kurdistan Republic (often mistakenly called the Mahabad Republic), established on the 22 of January 1946, stands as the high point of the Kurdish liberation movement. Among other things the republic gave birth to the Peshmerga Forces of Kurdistan (the republics Armed Forces) and the Kurdish flag.
Three years earlier a secret organization called the Society for the Revival of Kurdistan (Komeley Jiyanewey Kurdistan or JK) was formed. Peshewa Qazi Muhammad was elected as chairman of the organization. In 1945 the JK decided that the organization should reorganize into a mondern political party, hence the JK established the Partî Dêmokiratî Kurdistanî Êran (PDKI).
On orders from Peshewa Qazi Muhammad a committee of hand-picked academics and writers searched for a Kurdish word for the republics armed forces. Witnesses say that the committee discussed and argued about the name for several days until an old man serving tea to the members of the committee suggested that they call the Armed forces “Pêşmerga” – literally meaning “those who face death” (Pesh front + marg death). The committee approved the the suggestion and took it to Peshewa, who in turn made the name the official name of the Armed Forces of Kurdistan.
On the 17th of December 1945 the last trace of Iranian rule over Kurdistan disappeared when the Iranian military barack in the Kurdish capital Mahabad was overrun by the Kurdish people. On the same day the Kurdish people raised the Kurdish flag in Mahabad. Later the PDKI declared that the 26 Sermawez (17th of December) as the Kurdistan Peshmerga Day. Both the Kurdish flag and the Peshmerga name is today used by Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan.
Video from the declaration of the Kurdistan Republic and the first Peshmergas:
Video of Peshmerga training and graduation:










