Flag of Germany

Name	Schwarz-Rot-Gold
Use	Civil and state flag and ensign. flag of south africa This is an incomplete blue white red black green, saltire flag Nicknames. The design and description of Flags typically uses specialised flag terminology' with precise and technical meanings and is hence a form of Jargon. A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification An ensign is a distinguishing Flag of a ship or a military unit or a distinguishing token emblem or badge such as a symbol of office
Proportion	3:5
Adopted	23 May 1949
Design	A horizontal tricolour of black, red and gold. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A tricolour or tricolor (three colours is a Flag or Banner more-or-less equally divided (horizontally vertically or less frequently diagonally Black is the Color of objects that do not emit or Reflect Light in any part of the Visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength Gold, also called golden, is a Yellowish orange Color which is a representation of the color of the element
Use	State flag and ensign and war flag. The design and description of Flags typically uses specialised flag terminology' with precise and technical meanings and is hence a form of Jargon. There are two separate meanings for the term state flag in Vexillology – the flag of state of a Government, and the flag of an individual subnational state A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification An ensign is a distinguishing Flag of a ship or a military unit or a distinguishing token emblem or badge such as a symbol of office A war flag (or military flag) is a variant of a National flag for use by the nation's military forces on land A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification
Proportion	3:5
Adopted	7 June 1950
Use	Naval ensign. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The design and description of Flags typically uses specialised flag terminology' with precise and technical meanings and is hence a form of Jargon. An ensign is a distinguishing Flag of a ship or a military unit or a distinguishing token emblem or badge such as a symbol of office An ensign is a distinguishing Flag of a ship or a military unit or a distinguishing token emblem or badge such as a symbol of office
Proportion	3:5
Adopted	25 May 1956

The flag of Germany is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands displaying the national colours of Germany: black, red and gold. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A tricolour or tricolor (three colours is a Flag or Banner more-or-less equally divided (horizontally vertically or less frequently diagonally The national colours of Germany are officially Black, Red and Gold (in practice replaced by a shade of yellow as seen on the Flag of Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Black is the Color of objects that do not emit or Reflect Light in any part of the Visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength Gold, also called golden, is a Yellowish orange Color which is a representation of the color of the element

The black-red-gold tricolour first appeared in the early 19th century and achieved prominence during the 1848 revolution. " Germany " at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 had been a collection of 39 States loosely bound together in the German Confederation. The short-lived Frankfurt Parliament of 1848–50 proposed the tricolour as a flag for a united and democratic German state. The Frankfurt Parliament ( German: Frankfurter Nationalversammlung, literally Frankfurt National Assembly) was the first freely elected Parliament A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification With the formation of the Weimar Republic after World War I, the tricolour was adopted as the national flag of Germany. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Following World War II, the tricolour was designated as the flag of both West and East Germany. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state The two flags were identical until 1959, when socialist symbols were added to the East German flag. Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Since reunification on 3 October 1990, the black-red-gold tricolour has remained the flag of Germany. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)

The flag of Germany has not always used black, red and gold as its colours. After the Austro–Prussian War in 1866, the Prussian-dominated North German Confederation adopted a tricolour of black-white-red as its flag. The Austro-Prussian The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising The North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund came into existence in August 1866 as a military alliance of 22 states of northern Germany with the Kingdom of This flag later became the flag of the German Empire, formed following the unification of Germany in 1871, and was used until 1918. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent Black, white and red were reintroduced as the German national colours with the establishment of Nazi Germany in 1933. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers

The colour schemes of black-red-gold and black-white-red have played an important role in the history of Germany and have had various meanings. Despite the lack of a German nation state prior to 1871 the History of Germany dates back to the era of the Germanic tribes. The colours of the modern flag are associated with the republican democracy formed after World War II, and represent German unity and freedom: not only the freedom of Germany, but also the personal freedom of the German people. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Freedom, or the idea of being free is a broad concept that ^[1]

Flag variants

See also: Flags of Germany

Civil flag

The German national flag or Bundesflagge (federal flag), containing only the black-red-gold tricolour, was introduced as part of the (West) German constitution in 1949. This is a list of flags used by and in Germany. For more information about the national flag visit the article Flag of Germany. A national flag is a Flag that symbolises a country The flag is flown by the government but usually can be flown by Citizens of that country as well The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. ^[2] Following the creation of separate government and military flags in later years, the plain tricolour is now used as the German civil flag and civil ensign. A civil flag is a version of the National flag that is flown by civilians on non-government installations or craft The civil Ensign (also known as merchant flag or merchant ensign) is the National flag flown by civil ships (merchant ships and others to denote This flag is also used by non-federal authorities to show their connection to the federal government – for example, the authorities of the German states use the German national flag together with their own flag. Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular The flags of the German states usually come in two variants one variant (the simple striped flag is for the use by everybody ( civil flag) the other variant showing

Government flag

The government flag of Germany is officially known as the Dienstflagge der Bundesbehörden (state flag of the federal authorities) or Bundesdienstflagge for short. There are two separate meanings for the term state flag in Vexillology – the flag of state of a Government, and the flag of an individual subnational state Introduced in 1950, the government flag is the civil flag defaced with a badge known as the Bundesschild (federal badge or shield), which overlaps with up to one fifth of the black and gold bands. Defacement is a term used in Heraldry and Vexillology to refer to the addition of a symbol or charge to another flag ^[3] The Bundesschild is a variant of the coat of arms of Germany, where the main differences are the illustration of the eagle and the shape of the shield: the Bundesschild is rounded, the standard coat of arms is not. The coat of arms of Germany is a symbol of Germany; the Coat of arms feature an eagle. The government flag may only be used by federal government authorities and its use by others is an offence, punishable with a fine. ^[4] Public use of flags similar to the Bundesdienstflagge (e. g. using the actual coat of arms instead of the Bundesschild) is tolerated and such flags are sometimes seen at international sporting events.

Civil flag (hanging)

Government flag (hanging)

Vertical flags

In addition to the normal horizontal format, many public buildings in Germany use vertical flags. Most town halls fly their town flag together with the national flag in this way – many town flags in Germany exist only in vertical form. The proportions of these vertical flags are not specified. In 1996, a layout for the vertical version of the government flag was established: the Bundesschild is displayed in the centre of the flag, overlapping with up to one fifth of the black and yellow bands. ^[5] When hung like a banner or draped, the black band should be on the left, as illustrated. When flown from a vertical flagpole, the black band must face the mast. ^[6]

Military flags

Since the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) are a federal authority, the Bundesdienstflagge is also used as the German war flag on land. The Bundeswehr ( German for "Federal Defence Force") is the name of the unified Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany A war flag (or military flag) is a variant of a National flag for use by the nation's military forces on land In 1956, the Dienstflagge der Seestreitkräfte der Bundeswehr (Flag of the German Navy) was introduced: the government flag ending in a swallowtail. The German Navy ( Deutsche Marine ( is the Navy of Germany and part of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces In Flag terminology, a swallowtail is either a V-shaped cut in a flag that causes the flag to end in two points at the fly or any flag which has this V-shaped ^[7] This naval flag is also used as a navy jack. A maritime flag is a Flag designated for use on Boats and other watercraft

Design

In the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany – the German constitution – Article 22 states: "The federal flag shall be black, red and gold. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. "^[2] Following specifications set by the (West) German government in 1950, the flag displays three bars of equal width and has a width–length ratio of 3:5;^[3] the tricolour used during the Weimar Republic had a ratio of 2:3. ^[8]

The exact colours used for the German flag were not officially defined at the time of the flag's adoption and have changed since then. ^[9] The federal cabinet introduced a corporate design for the German government on 2 June 1999, which currently uses the following colours:^[10]

*The value given here is an alternative to the following more-complicated combination: Yellow (765 g), Red 032 (26 g), Black (11 g), Transp. Pantone Inc is a corporation headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, USA Web colors are Colors used in designing web pages and the methods for describing and specifying those colors White (198 g)

Gold or yellow?

A version of the German flag where the golden band is of a metallic golden colour. This version was sometimes used in official publications before the introduction of the federal government's corporate design in 1999.

Vexillology rarely distinguishes between gold and yellow; in heraldry, they are both or. Vexillology is the scholarly study of Flags The word is a synthesis of the Latin word Vexillum and the suffix –''ology'', meaning "study Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. In Heraldry, or (from the French word for gold) is the tincture of gold, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals" For the German flag, such a distinction is made: the colour used in the flag is gold, not yellow.

When the black-red-gold tricolour was adopted by the Weimar Republic as its flag, it was attacked by conservatives, monarchists and the far right, who referred to the colours with spiteful nicknames such as Schwarz-Rot-Gelb (black-red-yellow), Schwarz-Rot-Senf (black-red-mustard) or even Schwarz-Rot-Scheiße (black-red-shit). Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment preservation or restoration of a Monarchy as a Form of government in a nation Far right, extreme right, ultra-right, or radical right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group ^[11] When the Nazis came to power in 1933, the black-white-red colours of pre-1918 Imperial Germany were swiftly reintroduced and their propaganda machine continued to discredit the Schwarz-Rot-Gold, using the same derogatory terms as previously used by the monarchists. ^[12]

On 16 November 1959, the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) stated that the usage of "black-red-yellow" and the like had "through years of Nazi agitation, attained the significance of a malicious slander against the democratic symbols of the state" and is now an offence. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The “ Federal Court of Justice of Germany ” ( German: “ Bundesgerichtshof ” or “ BGH ” is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction ^[12] As summarised by heraldist Arnold Rabbow in 1968, "the German colours are black-red-yellow but they are called black-red-gold. "^[13]

Flag days

The Stadtweinhaus in Münster with banners displayed in mourning (note the black ribbons atop each mast) after the death of former German president Johannes Rau in 2006

Following federal decree on 22 March 2005, the flag must be flown from public buildings on the following dates. Münster ( is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Johannes Rau ( January 16, 1931 &ndash January 27, 2006) was a German Politician of the SPD. A decree is an order made by a Head of state or government and having the force of Law. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Not all of these days are public holidays.

Election days for the Bundestag and the European Parliament are also flag days in some states, in addition to other state-specific flag days. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Claus Philipp Maria Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg ( 15 November 1907 &ndash 21 July 1944) was a German army officer Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's The Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit is a national holiday in Germany, celebrated on October 3, which commemorates the anniversary of German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany Advent Sunday is the first day of the Liturgical year in the Western Christian churches. Volkstrauertag (national day of mourning is a public holiday in Germany. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU The public display of flags to mark other events – such as the election of the president or the death of a prominent politician (whereupon flags would be at half-mast) – can be declared at the discretion of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The President of Germany (deutscher Bundespräsident is Germany 's Head of state. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (in German, Bundesministerium des Innern or BMI is a ministry of the German federal government ^[14] When flags are required to be flown at half-mast, vertical flags are not lowered. A black mourning ribbon is instead attached, either atop the mast (if hung from a pole) or to each end of the flag's supporting cross-beams (if flown like a banner). ^[15]

History

Medieval period

Banners of the Holy Roman Emperor (left: 14th century, right: 15th–19th century)

War flag of the Holy Roman Empire (13th–14th century)

The Holy Roman Empire (10th century – 1806, known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512) did not have a national flag, but black and gold were used as colours of the Holy Roman Emperor and featured in the imperial banner: a black eagle on a golden background. The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states A war flag (or military flag) is a variant of a National flag for use by the nation's military forces on land The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states After the late 13th or early 14th century, the claws and beak of the eagle were coloured red. From the early 15th century, a double-headed eagle was used. The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in Heraldry and Vexillology. ^[16]

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte declared the First French Empire. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or In response to this, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II of the Habsburg dynasty declared his personal domain to be the Austrian Empire and became Francis I of Austria. Francis II (Franz II Heiliger Römischer Kaiser ( 12 February 1768 &ndash 2 March 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling Habsburg Monarchy (alternatively Habsburg Empire) refers to the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. Taking the colours of the banner of the Holy Roman Emperor, the flag of the Austrian Empire was black and gold. Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, with Napoleon forcing the empire's dissolution in 1806. After this point, these colours continued to be used as the flag of Austria until 1918. The flag of Austria has three equal horizontal bands of red (top white and red

The colours red and white were also significant during this period. When the Holy Roman Empire took part in the Crusades, a war flag was flown alongside the black-gold imperial banner. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents A war flag (or military flag) is a variant of a National flag for use by the nation's military forces on land This flag, known as the "Saint George Flag", was a white cross on a red background: the reverse of the St George's Cross used as the flag of England. The St George's Cross (or the Cross of St George is a centred red cross on a white background The Flag of England is the St George's Cross. The red cross appeared as an emblem of England during the Middle Ages and the Crusades and ^[16] Red and white were also colours of the Hanseatic League (13th–17th century). The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading cities and their Guilds that established and maintained trade Hanseatic trading ships were identifiable by their red-white pennants and most Hanseatic cities adopted red and white as their city colours (see Hanseatic flags). Hanseatic flags are the Banners of Hanseatic cities, that were flown by cogs and other ships of the Hanseatic league - as illustrated on the 1350 Red and white still feature as the colours of many former Hanseatic cities such as Hamburg. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany

Napoleonic Wars

Jena students in the Lützow Free Corps, painting by Ferdinand Hodler (1909)

With the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, many of its dukes and princes joined the Confederation of the Rhine, a Napoleonic client state. The Lützow Free Corps (Lützowsches Freikorps was a voluntary force of the Prussian army during the Napoleonic Wars. Ferdinand Hodler ( March 14 1853 &ndash May 19 1918) was one of the best-known Swiss Painters of the 19th century The Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation (Rheinbund États confédérés du Rhin officially and Confédération du Rhin in practice) lasted The confederation had no flag of its own; instead it used the blue-white-red flag of France and the Imperial Standard of its "protector", Napoleon. The National flag of France (known in French as drapeau tricolore, drapeau français,and in military parlance les couleurs Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. ^[17]

During the Napoleonic Wars, the German struggle against the occupying French forces were significantly symbolised by the colours of black, red and gold. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions This was largely attributed to the uniforms of the Lützow Free Corps, a volunteer unit of the Prussian Army. The Lützow Free Corps (Lützowsches Freikorps was a voluntary force of the Prussian army during the Napoleonic Wars. The Prussian Army (Preußische Armee was the Army of the Kingdom of Prussia. The uniforms for this unit were black with red facings and gold buttons. The colour choice here was a pragmatic one, even though it was also a popularisation of the former black-red-gold colours used by the Holy Roman Empire. ^[18] Members of the corps were required to supply their own clothing and, in order to present a uniform appearance, it was easiest to dye all clothes black. Gold-coloured buttons were widely available and pennons used by the lancers in the unit were red and black. A pennon or pennant is one of the principal varieties of Flags carried during the Middle Ages. A lancer ( Uhlan) was a type of Cavalryman who fought with a Lance. At the time, the colours were symbolised as: Out of the darkness (black) of servitude through bloody (red) conflict to the (golden) light of freedom. ^[19] As the members of this unit came from all over Germany and were mostly university students and academics, the Lützow Free Corps and their colours gained considerable prominence among the German people. ^[18]

German Confederation

The 1815/6 Congress of Vienna led to the creation of the German Confederation, a loose union of all remaining German states after the Napoleonic Wars. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to The Confederation was created as a replacement for the now-extinct Holy Roman Empire, with Francis I of Austria – the last Holy Roman Emperor – as its president. Francis II (Franz II Heiliger Römischer Kaiser ( 12 February 1768 &ndash 2 March 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling The confederation did not have a flag of its own, although the black-red-gold tricolour is sometimes mistakenly attributed to it. ^[20]

Hambach Festival (May 1832), contemporary lithograph

Upon returning from the war, veterans of the Lützow Free Corps founded the Urburschenschaft fraternity in Jena in June 1815. The Hambacher Fest was a German national democratic festival celebrated from May 27 to May 30 1832 at Hambach Castle near Neustadt an der The Urburschenschaft (Original student fraternity was the first Burschenschaft, a special type of German Studentenverbindung (student fraternity Jena (pronunciation ˈjeːna is a university City in central Germany on the river Saale. The Jena Urburschenschaft eventually adopted a flag with three equal horizontal bands of red, black and red, with gold trim and a golden oak branch across the black band, following the colours of the uniforms of the Free Corps. ^[18] Since the students who served in the Lützow Free Corps came from various German states, the idea of a unified German state began to gain momentum within the Urburschenschaft and similar Burschenschaften that were subsequently formed throughout the Confederation. German Burschenschaften (abbreviated B!, plural B!B!) are a special type of Studentenverbindungen On 18 October 1817, the fourth anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig, hundreds of fraternity members and academics from across the Confederation states met in Wartburg in Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (in modern Thuringia), calling for a free and unified German nation. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Battle of the Nations (or Battle of Leipzig or Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig) on 16–19 October 1813 was one of the most decisive defeats suffered by Napoleon For other uses of Wartburg see Wartburg (disambiguation The Wartburg is a castle situated on a 1230-foot (410 m precipice to the The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Herzogtum Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. The red-black-gold flag of the Jena Urburschenschaft featured prominently at this Wartburg festival and so the colours black, red and gold eventually became symbolic of this desire for a unified German state. The first Wartburg festival (Wartburgfest on 18 October 1817 was an important event in German history that took place at the Wartburg Castle Austria, in its determination to maintain the status quo,^[21] enacted the Carlsbad Decrees of 1819 that banned all student organisations, officially putting an end to the Burschenschaften. The Carlsbad Decrees were a set of social restrictions introduced in the German Confederation by Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich on 20 September

In May 1832, around 30,000 people demonstrated at the Hambach Festival for freedom, unity and civil rights. The Hambacher Fest was a German national democratic festival celebrated from May 27 to May 30 1832 at Hambach Castle near Neustadt an der The colours black, red and gold had become a well established symbol for the liberal, democratic and republican movement within the German states since the Wartburg Festival and flags in these colours were flown en masse at the Hambach Festival. While contemporary illustrations showed prominent use of a gold-red-black tricolour (an upside-down version of the modern German flag), surviving flags from the event were in black-red-gold. Such an example is the Ur-Fahne, the flag flown from Hambach Castle during the festival: a black-red-gold tricolour where the red band contains the inscription Deutschlands Wiedergeburt (Germany's rebirth). Hambach Castle near the urban district Hambach of Neustadt an der Weinstraße in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, is considered to be the symbol of the This flag is now on permanent display at the castle. ^[22]

Revolution and the Frankfurt Parliament

Revolutionaries in Berlin (March 1848)

War ensign of the Reichsflotte
(1848–1852)

In the Springtime of the Peoples during the Revolutions of 1848, revolutionaries took to the streets, many flying the tricolour. Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap The Reichsflotte (Imperial Fleet was the first all- German Navy. " Germany " at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 had been a collection of 39 States loosely bound together in the German Confederation. The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout the European Liberals took power and, after prolonged deliberation, a national assembly was formulated. This Frankfurt Parliament declared the black-red-gold as the official colours of Germany and passed a law stating its civil ensign was the black-red-yellow tricolour. The Frankfurt Parliament ( German: Frankfurter Nationalversammlung, literally Frankfurt National Assembly) was the first freely elected Parliament The civil Ensign (also known as merchant flag or merchant ensign) is the National flag flown by civil ships (merchant ships and others to denote ^[23] Also, a naval war ensign sued this colors.

In 1850, the Frankfurt Parliament collapsed and the German Confederation was restored under Austrian presidency, who suppressed the actions of the failed Frankfurt Parliament, including the tricolour. The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to Afterwards, the most pressing issue was whether or not to include Austria in any future German nation, as Austria's status as a multi-ethnic empire complicated the dream of a united Greater Germany – the grossdeutsch solution. Großdeutschland ( German for "Greater Germany" or "Large Germany" is a term referring to the concept of one German Nation-state Alternatively, there was the kleindeutsch (Lesser German) solution for a Germany that encompassed only German lands and excluded Austria. The Kleindeutsche Lösung ("Lesser German Solution" was a 19th century political idea postulating the idea of a unified Germany consisting of the members The Prussian–Austrian duality within the Confederation eventually led to the Austro–Prussian War in 1866. The Austro-Prussian During the war, the southern states allied with Austria adopted the black-red-gold tricolour as its flag, and the 8th German Army Corps also wore black-red-gold armbands. ^[20] The Kingdom of Prussia and its predominately north German allies defeated Austria and made way for the realisation of the Lesser German solution a few years later. The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising

North German Confederation and the German Empire

2:3 Flag of the
North German Confederation (1866–71) and the
German Empire (1871–1918). The North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund came into existence in August 1866 as a military alliance of 22 states of northern Germany with the Kingdom of The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification
Also used by Weimar Republic foreign services (1922–33)

Following the dissolution of the German Confederation, Prussia formed its unofficial successor, the North German Confederation, in 1867. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 The North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund came into existence in August 1866 as a military alliance of 22 states of northern Germany with the Kingdom of This coalition consisted of Prussia, the largest member state, and 21 other north-German states.

The question regarding what flag should be adopted by the new confederation was first raised by the shipping sector and its desire to have an internationally recognisable identity. Virtually all international shipping that belonged to the confederation originated from either Prussia or the three former Hanseatic city-states of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck. The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (German Freie Hansestadt Bremen) is the smallest of Germany's 16 Federal States ( Bundesländer) Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck was a city-state that existed from 1226 to 1937 in the present-day German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Based on this, Adolf Soetbeer, secretary of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, suggested in the Bremer Handelsblatt on 22 September 1866 that any planned flag should combine the colours of Prussia (black and white) with the Hanseatic colours (red and white). Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The state of Prussia had its origins in the separate lands of the Margravate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia. Hanseatic flags are the Banners of Hanseatic cities, that were flown by cogs and other ships of the Hanseatic league - as illustrated on the 1350 In the following year, the constitution of the North German Confederation was enacted, where a horizontal black-white-red tricolour was declared to be both the civil and war ensign. The North German Constitution was the Constitution of the ^[24]

King William I of Prussia was satisfied with the colour choice: the red and white were also taken to represent the Margraviate of Brandenburg, the Imperial elector state that was a predecessor of the Kingdom of Prussia. The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 The Prince-Electors (or simply Electors) of the Holy Roman Empire ( German: Kurfürst ( pl ^[18] The absence of gold from the flag also made it clear that this German state did not include the "black and gold" monarchy of Austria. Following the Franco–Prussian War, the remaining southern German states allied with the North German Confederation, leading to the unification of Germany and the elevation of the Prussian monarch to Emperor of this new state in 1871. The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 The unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent In its constitution, the German Empire retained black, white and red as its national colours,^[25] with the tricolour previously used by the North German Confederation officially adopted as its flag in 1892. The Constitution of the German Empire was the basic law of the German Empire of 1871-1919 The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification

The black-white-red tricolour remained the flag of Germany until the end of the German Empire in 1918, in the final days of World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Weimar Republic

2:3 Flag of Weimar Germany (1919–33)

"Let the old flags fly", election poster for the monarchist and nationalist DNVP, 1932

Following the declaration of the German republic in 1918 and the ensuing revolutionary period, the so-called Weimar Republic was founded in August 1919. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 The German National People's Party (Deutschnationale Volkspartei DNVP was a national-conservative party in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 To form a continuity between the anti-autocratic movement of the 19th century and the new democratic republic, the old black-red-gold tricolour was designated as the national German flag in the Weimar Constitution in 1919. For a detailed discussion of the English translation of Reich, see Reich. ^[26] As a civil ensign, the black-white-red-tricolour was retained, albeit with the new tricolour in the top left corner.

This change was not welcomed by many people in Germany, who saw this new flag as a symbol of humiliation following Germany's defeat in World War I. In the Reichswehr, the old colours continued to be used in various forms. The Reichswehr ( German for "National Defence" formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935 when it was Many conservatives wanted the old colours to return, while monarchists and the far right were far more vocal with their objections, referring to the new flag with various derogatory names (see Gold or yellow? above). As a compromise, the old black-white-red flag was reintroduced in 1922 to represent German diplomatic missions abroad. ^[8]

The symbols of Imperial Germany became symbols of monarchist and nationalist protest and were often used by monarchist and nationalist organisations (e. g. Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten). The Stahlhelm Bund der Frontsoldaten ( English: Steel Helmet League of Frontline Soldiers was one of the many Paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat This included the Reichskriegsflagge (war flag of the Reich), which has been revived in the present for similar use. Reichskriegsflagge (Imperial War Flag was the official name of the War flag used by the German armed forces from 1867 to 1945 Many nationalist political parties during the Weimar period – such as the German National People's Party (see poster) and the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) – used the imperial colours, a practice that has continued today with the National Democratic Party of Germany. The German National People's Party (Deutschnationale Volkspartei DNVP was a national-conservative party in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic The, officially National Socialist German Workers' Party, ( abbreviated NSDAP) was a Political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945 The National Democratic Party of Germany (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands NPD is a German pan-German nationalist and White nationalist political

On 24 February 1924, the organisation Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold was founded in Magdeburg by the member parties of the Weimar Coalition (Centre, DDP, SPD) and the trade unions. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Magdeburg ( Low Saxon: Meideborg ˈmaˑɪdebɔɐx the Capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany The Weimar Coalition (Weimarer Koalition is the name given to the coalition of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD the German Democratic The German Centre Party ( Deutsche Zentrumspartei or merely Zentrum) was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich The German Democratic Party, or Deutsche Demokratische Partei (DDP was founded by leaders of the former Progressive People's Party (Fortschrittliche A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming This organisation was formed to protect the fragile democracy of the Weimar Republic, which was under constant pressure by both the far right and far left. Through this organisation, the black-red-gold flag became not only a symbol of German democracy, but also of resistance to political extremism. This was summarised by the organisation's first chairman, Otto Hörsing, who described their task as a "struggle against the swastika and the Soviet star". The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is The five-pointed red star, a Pentagram without the inner Pentagon, is a symbol of Communism as well as broader Socialism in general ^[27]

In the face of the increasingly violent conflicts between the communists and Nazis, the growing polarisation of the German population and a multitude of other factors, the Weimar Republic collapsed in 1933 with the Nazi seizure of power (Machtergreifung) and the appointment of Adolf Hitler as German chancellor. Machtergreifung ( is a German word meaning "seizure of power" Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler

Nazi Germany

3:5 Flag of the National Socialist German Workers Party (1920–45)
National flag of Germany (1933–45)

3:5 Used jointly with the swastika flag (1933–35), then banned as "reactionary"

With the establishment of Nazi regime in Germany on 5 March 1933, the black-red-gold flag was swiftly scrapped: a ruling on 12 March reintroduced the old black-white-red imperial tricolour and established the flag of the Nazi Party as the two legal national flags of Germany. The, officially National Socialist German Workers' Party, ( abbreviated NSDAP) was a Political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945 Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving The, officially National Socialist German Workers' Party, ( abbreviated NSDAP) was a Political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945 ^[28] In 1935, one year after the death of Reich President Paul von Hindenburg and Hitler's self-elevation to the position of Führer, the dual flag arrangement ended with the exclusive use of the Nazi flag as the national flag of Germany,^[29] while the old black-white-red flag was banned as "reactionary". The Reichspräsident was the German Head of state during the period of the 1919-1934 Weimar Republic and the title was later briefly revived Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg ( known universally as Paul von Hindenburg ( ( October 2, 1847 &ndash August 2 ^[30]

The design of the Nazi flag was introduced by Hitler as the party flag in the summer of 1920: a flag with a red background, a white disk, and a black swastika in the middle. The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is In addition to the flag forming a link to Imperial Germany via its colour choice, the Nazi flag had additional meaning, according to Hitler in Mein Kampf: white for nationalism, red for socialism, and the swastika to symbolise the Aryan race. Mein Kampf ( English: My Struggle/My Battle) is a book by Adolf Hitler. Aryan is an English word derived from the Sanskrit " Ārya " meaning "noble" or "honorable" Albert Speer stated in his memoirs that "in only two other designs did he (Adolf Hitler) execute the same care as he did his Obersalzberg house: that of the Reich War Flag and his own standard of Chief of State". Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer, commonly known as Albert Speer ( 19 March 1905 - 1 September 1981 was an Architect, author and for part of World The Berghof was Adolf Hitler 's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Germany. Reichskriegsflagge (Imperial War Flag was the official name of the War flag used by the German armed forces from 1867 to 1945 ^[31]

An off-centred disk version of the swastika flag was used as the civil ensign on German-registered civilian ships and was used as the jack on Kriegsmarine (the name of the German Navy, 1933–45) warships. The Kriegsmarine (English "War navy" was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945 during the Nazi regime superseding the The German Navy ( Deutsche Marine ( is the Navy of Germany and part of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces ^[32] Nazi ensigns had a through and through image, so the "left-facing" and "right-facing" version were each present on one side. Through and through describes a situation where an object real or imaginary passes completely through another object also real or imaginary The Nazi flag on land was right-facing on both sides while the centred-disk flag was commonly used by civilians and the German armed forces aside from the navy.

From 1933 to at least 1938, before any official swastika flag went into use, it had to take part in a ceremony where it touched the Blutfahne (blood flag), the swastika flag used by Nazi paramilitaries during the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. The Blutfahne ( Blood flag) was a Nazi Swastika Flag which was used in the attempted Nazi Beer Hall The Beer Hall Putsch (also known as the Munich Putsch) was a failed Coup d'état that occurred between the evening of Thursday November 8 This lengthy ceremony took place at every Nuremberg Rally. The Nuremberg Rally (officially Reichsparteitag, meaning national party convention was the annual rally of the NSDAP (Nazi Party in the years 1923 to 1938 in It is unknown whether this tradition was continued after the last Nuremberg rally in 1938.

At the end of World War II, the first law enacted by the Allied Control Council abolished all Nazi symbols and repealed all relevant laws. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Allied Control Council or Allied Control Authority, known in German as the Alliierter Kontrollrat, also referred to as the Four Powers (German ^[33] The possession of swastika flags is forbidden in many Western countries since then, particularly in Germany. The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is

After World War II

2:3 The C-Pennant (1946–49)

After the defeat of Germany in World War II, the country was placed under Allied administration. The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative Although there was no national German government and no German flag, German ships were required by international law to have a national ensign of some kind. As a provisional civil ensign of Germany, the Council designated the international signal pennant representing the letter C ending in a swallowtail, known as the C-Pennant (German: C-Doppelstander). The civil Ensign (also known as merchant flag or merchant ensign) is the National flag flown by civil ships (merchant ships and others to denote In Flag terminology, a swallowtail is either a V-shaped cut in a flag that causes the flag to end in two points at the fly or any flag which has this V-shaped The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The Council ruled that "no ceremonial shall be accorded this flag which shall not be dipped in salute to warships or merchant ships of any nationality". ^[34] Similarly, the Japanese civil ensign used immediately following World War II was the signal pennant for the letter E ending in a swallow-tail. The national flag of Japan is a white Flag with a large red circle (representing the rising sun) in the center

West of the Oder–Neisse line, the German states were reorganised along the lines of the zones of occupation and new state governments were established. The Oder-Neisse line (Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej Oder-Neiße-Grenze was drawn in the aftermath of World War II as the eastern border of Germany and The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative Within the American zone, the northern halves of the former states of Württemberg and Baden were merged to form Württemberg-Baden in 1946. The Free People's State of Württemberg (Freier Volksstaat Württemberg was the official name of the state of Württemberg during the Weimar Republic. The Republic of Baden (Republik Baden was a state of Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic, formed after the abolition of the Grand Duchy of Baden Württemberg-Baden is a former state of Federal Republic of Germany. As its flag, Württemberg-Baden adopted the black-red-gold tricolour. ^[35] The choice of these colours was not based on the historical use of the tricolour, but the simple addition of gold to Württemberg's colours of red and black. ^[36] Coincidentally, Baden's colours were red and yellow, so the colour choice could be mistaken for a combination of the two flags. In 1952, Württemberg-Baden became part of the modern German state of Baden-Württemberg, whose flag is black and gold. Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Two other states that were created after the war, Rhineland-Palatinate (French zone) and Lower Saxony (British zone), chose to use the black-red-gold tricolour as their flag, defaced with the state's coat of arms. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second ^[37][38] These two states were formed from parts of other states and no colour combinations from these previous states were accepted as a new state flag. This led to the use of the black-red-gold for two reasons: the colours did not relate particularly to any one of the previous states, and using the old flag from the Weimar Republic was intended to be a symbol of the new democracy. ^[39][40]

Divided Germany

3:5 Flag of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949–today)
Flag of the German Democratic Republic (1949–59)

With relations deteriorating between the Soviet Union and the United States, the three western Allies met in March 1948 to merge their zones of occupation and allow the formation of a new German nation. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This was the Federal Republic of Germany, previously known as West Germany, now simply as Germany. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Meanwhile, the eastern Soviet zone became the German Democratic Republic, commonly known as East Germany. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state

During the preparation of the new constitution for West Germany, discussions regarding its national symbols took place in August 1948 during a meeting at Herrenchiemsee. Herrenchiemsee is a complex of royal buildings on the Herreninsel, an island in the middle of the Chiemsee, Bavaria 's largest lake 60 km south east of Although there were objections to the creation of a national flag before reunification with the east, it was decided to proceed. This decision was primarily motivated by the proposed constitution by the eastern SED in November 1946,^[41] where black-red-gold were suggested as the colours for a future German republic. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany ( German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED) was the governing party of the German Democratic ^[42]

Two variants of Josef Wirmer's 1944 "Resistance" design, created by his brother Ernst. Josef Wirmer ( 19 March 1901 – 8 September 1944) was a German Jurist and resistance fighter against the The top flag was proposed by conservative parties as a flag for West Germany (1948).

While there were suggestions for the new flag for West Germany,^[43] the final choice was between two designs, both using black-red-gold. The Social Democrats proposed the re-introduction of the old Weimar flag, while the conservative parties such as the CDU/CSU and the German Party proposed a suggestion by Ernst Wirmer, a member of the Parlamentarischer Rat (parliamentary council) and future advisor of chancellor Konrad Adenauer. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. The German Party ( Deutsche Partei) is a name used by a number of German political parties in the country's history The Parlamentarischer Rat (parliamentary council was a predecessor of the West German Bundestag. Konrad Hermann Josef Adenauer ( 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967 was a German Statesman. Wirmer suggested a variant of the 1944 "Resistance" flag designed by his brother and July 20 co-conspirator Josef. ^[44] The tricolour was ultimately selected, largely to illustrate the continuity between the Weimar Republic and this new German state. With the enactment of the (West) German constitution on 23 May 1949, the black-red-gold tricolour was adopted as the flag for the Federal Republic of Germany. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[2]

In 1955, the inhabitants of the French-administered Saar Protectorate elected to join West Germany. The Saar or Saar Area or Saar Protectorate or Saar Region was a French-German borderland territory twice temporarily made a protectorate ^[45] Since its establishment as a separate French protectorate in 1947, the Saar had a white Nordic cross on a blue and red background as its flag. ^[46] To demonstrate the commitment of the Saar to be a part of West Germany, a new flag was selected on 9 July 1956: the black-red-gold tricolour defaced with the new coat of arms, also proposed on this day. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the Coat of arms of the German state of Saarland. ^[47] This flag came into force on 1 January 1957, upon the establishment of the Saarland as a state of West Germany. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Saarland (ˈzaːɐ̯lant in German; French: Sarre) is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany.

3:5 Flag of the German Democratic Republic (1959–90)

While the use of black-red-gold had been suggested in the Soviet zone in 1946, the Second People's Congress in 1948 decided to adopt the old black-white-red tricolour as a national flag for East Germany. This choice was based on the use of these colours by the National Committee for a Free Germany,^[43] a German anti-Nazi organisation that operated in the Soviet Union in the last two years of the war. The National Committee for a Free Germany (Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland or NKFD) was a German anti- Nazi organization that operated in the Soviet Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 In 1949, following a suggestion from Friedrich Ebert, the black-red-gold tricolour was instead selected as the flag of the German Democratic Republic upon the formation of this state on 7 October 1949. Friedrich "Fritz" Ebert ( September 12, 1894 &ndash December 4, 1979) was a German politician the son of Germany's first Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[48] From 1949 to 1959, the flags of both West and East Germany were identical. On 1 October 1959, the East German government changed its flag with the addition of its coat of arms. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Coat of Arms of the German Democratic Republic featured a Hammer and a compass, surrounded by a ring of Rye. ^[49] In West Germany, these changes were seen as a deliberate attempt to divide the two Germanys. Displaying this flag in West Germany and West Berlin – where it became known as the Spalterflagge (divider-flag) – was seen as a breach of the constitution and subsequently banned until the late 1960s.

Flag of the United Team of Germany, as used 1960 to 1968

From 1956 to 1964, West and East Germany attended the Winter and Summer Olympic Games as a single team, known as the United Team of Germany. The Unified Team of Germany (Équipe unifiée d'Allemagne Gesamtdeutsche Mannschaft competed in the 1956 1960 and 1964 Winter and Summer Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games are a winter Multi-sport event held every four years The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an International Multi-sport event, usually quadrennial organised by the International The Unified Team of Germany (Équipe unifiée d'Allemagne Gesamtdeutsche Mannschaft competed in the 1956 1960 and 1964 Winter and Summer Olympic Games After the East German national flag was changed in 1959, neither country accepted the flag of the other. As a compromise, a new flag was used from 1960 to 1968, featuring the black-red-gold tricolour defaced with white Olympic rings in the red stripe. Defacement is a term used in Heraldry and Vexillology to refer to the addition of a symbol or charge to another flag The Olympic symbols are the icons Flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Games.

1989 to today

The East German flag with the emblem cut out, displayed by many East Germans before reunification (1989)

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, many East Germans cut the coat of arms out of their flags, as Hungarians had done in 1956^[50][51], and Romanians would soon do during the fall of Ceauşescu. The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer was a physical barrier separating West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic (GDR ( East Germany) including The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 ( Hungarian: 1956-os forradalom) was a spontaneous nationwide Revolt against the Stalinist government of The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of increasingly violent riots and fighting in late December 1989 that overthrew the Communist regime of Nicolae The widespread act of removing the coat of arms from the East German flag implied that the plain black-red-gold tricolour was a symbol for a united and democratic Germany. Finally, on 3 October 1990, as the area of the German Democratic Republic was absorbed into the Federal Republic of Germany, the black-red-gold tricolour became the flag of a reunified Germany. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany In 1998, the Foundation for the Reconciliation of the SED Dictatorship was formed. The duty of this organisation, directly responsible to the federal government, is to examine the consequences of the former East German regime. As its logo, the foundation uses this cut-out version of the East German flag. ^[52]

Neo-Nazi march in Munich (2005)

The old black-white-red tricolour of the German Empire is still used by monarchists and those members of German royalty who long for the peaceful reintroduction of a German democratic monarchy. Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment preservation or restoration of a Monarchy as a Form of government in a nation ^[53] This use of the old flag is almost completely overshadowed by its prevalent use by the far right; since the swastika is illegal in Germany the far right have been forced to forego any Nazi flags and instead use the old tricolour – which the Nazis themselves banned in 1935. ^[29] The fact that Nazi symbols are banned in some countries is the main reason why many computer games related to World War II do not feature the Nazi flag, sometimes replacing it with the anachronistic flag of pre-1918 Germany. In Video games, many historical topics are used or centered upon as part of the Gameplay and storyline The utilisation of the old imperial tricolour by the far right and its attempts to associate the tricolour with its antidemocratic and xenophobic ideals are strongly objected to by modern German monarchists. ^[53]

German football fans during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament Some flags seen here contain the federal coat of arms and must not be confused with the state flag, which displays the Bundesschild. The coat of arms of Germany is a symbol of Germany; the Coat of arms feature an eagle.

In Germany, the use of the flag and other national symbols is relatively low – a reaction against the widespread use of flags by the Nazi Party, and against the nationalistic furore of the Nazis in general. ^[54] The flag is used primarily by official authorities on special occasions or by citizens during international sporting events. In some states (e. g. Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein) or sub-state historical regions (e. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 is the northernmost of the 16 ''Bundesländer'' in Germany. The former English name was Sleswick-Holsatia the Danish name is g. Baden, Franconia) residents may prefer the use of regional flags instead of the national flag. Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. Franconia (Franken is a historic region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria and the area to its immediate west

During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which took place in Germany, public use of the national flag increased dramatically. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament ^[55] Although this explosion in the flag's popularity was initially greeted by many Germans with a mixture of surprise and apprehension,^[56] the decades-old fear that German flag-waving and national pride was inextricably associated with its Nazi past was dismissed by the end of the tournament by Germans and non-Germans alike. ^[57]

See also

• List of German flags
• Flags of German states
• Coat of arms of Germany
• Hanseatic flags
• Flag of Prussia
• Reichskriegsflagge

References

External links

• German-Flag-History.com
• Germany at Flags of the World
• All medieval flags of Germany