List of German flags

This is a list of historic flags used by and in Germany. For more information about the current national flag, visit the article Flag of Germany.

Contents

National flags

Flag Date Use Description
1949– National and merchant flag (Bundes- und Handelsflagge) A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), red, and gold (bottom).
1950– State flag and ensign (Bundesdienstflagge) and war flag (Kriegsflagge). This flag may only be used by federal government authorities. The national flag with the Bundesschild (a variant of the coat of arms of Germany) in the centre.
National flag with coat of arms (Bundesflagge mit Staatswappen). Unofficial version, the private use of which is permitted.
1996– Hanging national flag (Bannerflagge)
1996– Hanging state flag

Presidential standard

Flag Date Use Description
1950– Standard of the Federal President The standard depicts the elements of the coat of arms

Military and state flags

Flag Date Use Description
1956– War ensign and naval jack (Seekriegsflagge und Gösch) of the German Navy A swallowtail variant of the state flag
1957– Standard of Inspector General of the Bundeswehr
1964– Troop colour (Truppenfahne) of the Bundeswehr
1950–1994 Flag of the German Post
1950–1994 Flag of the German Post Minister
1950–1994 Flag of the German Post President A swallowtail variant of the postal flag
1950–1994 Flag of the German Post State Secretary

Flags of German states

Main article: Flags of German states

Civil flags

Flag Date Use Description
Civil flag of Baden-Württemberg
Civil flag of Bavaria
Civil flag of Bavaria (lozengy variant)
Civil flag of Berlin
Civil flag of Brandenburg
Civil flag of Bremen
Civil flag of Bremen (with middle arms)
Civil flag of Bremen (with flag arms)
Civil flag of Hamburg
Civil flag of Hesse
Civil flag of Lower Saxony
Civil flag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Civil flag of North Rhine-Westphalia
Civil flag of Rhineland-Palatinate
Civil flag of Saarland
Civil flag of Saxony
Civil flag of Saxony-Anhalt
Civil flag of Schleswig-Holstein
Civil flag of Thuringia

State service flags

Flag Date Use Description
Lesser state service flag of Baden-Württemberg
Greater state service flag of Baden-Württemberg
State service flag of Bavaria (striped variant)
State service flag of Bavaria (lozengy variant)
1954–2007 State service flag of Berlin
State service flag of Brandenburg
State service flag of Bremen (with lesser arms)
State service flag of Bremen (with flag arms)
State service flag of Hamburg
Admiralty flag of Hamburg (used by state ships)
State service flag of Hesse
Flag of Lower Saxony (on land)
State service ensign of Lower Saxony (at sea)
State service flag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
State service flag of North Rhine-Westphalia
State service flag of Rhineland-Palatinate
Flag of Saarland
State service flag of Saxony
State service flag of Saxony-Anhalt
State service flag of Schleswig-Holstein
State service flag of Thuringia

Historical flags

German Confederation (1815–1866)

Flag Date Use Description
1848–1867 Flag of Southern States During Austro-Prussian War Also German Empire (1849)
1848–1852 War ensign (Seekriegsflagge)

North German Confederation (1866–1871)

Flag Date Use Description
1867–1871 National and merchant flag (National- und Handelsflagge) A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), white, and red (bottom)
1867–1871 War flag (Kriegsflagge)
1867–1871 Marine jack (Kriegsschiffsgösch)

German Empire (1871–1918)

Flag Date Use Description
1871–1918 National and merchant flag (National- und Handelsflagge)
1896–1918 Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz)
1871–1892 Imperial Navy war ensign (Kriegsflagge)
1892–1903 Reich war flag (Reichskriegsflagge)
1903–1918 (1921) Reich war flag
1871–1903 Marine jack (Kriegsschiffsgösch)
1903–1918 (1921) Marine jack

Imperial family standards

Flag Date Use Description
1871 Emperor William I's Standard
1871–1888 German Emperor's Standard
1888–1918 German Emperor's Standard
1871–1901 Empress Augusta and
Empress Frederick's Standard
1888–1918 Empress Augusta Viktoria's Standard
1871–1888 Standard of the Crown Prince
1888–1918 Standard of the Crown Prince

Weimar Republic (1919–1933)

Flag Date Use Description
1919–1933 National flag (Nationalflagge)
1921–1933 State flag (Dienstflagge zu Land)
1919–1933 Merchant flag (Handelsflagge)
1921–1933 Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz)
1921–1926 State ensign (Dienstflagge zur See)
1926–1933 State ensign (Dienstflagge zur See)
1919–1921 (de jure) Reich war flag (Reichskriegsflagge)
1921–1933 Reich war flag
1921–1933 Marine jack (Kriegsgösch)
1921–1926 Standard of the President
1926–1933 Standard of the President
1919–1921 Flag of the President
1919–1921 Flag of Defence Minister
1921–1933 Flag of Defence Minister
1924–1933 Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold (chapter Stockheim), unofficial paramilitary organization The Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold was an unofficial republican paramilitary organization dominated by social democrats, liberals, and members of the Catholic Centre Party, to defend the Weimar Republic against National Socialists, communists, and monarchists.

Third Reich (1933–1945)

See: Flag of Nazi Germany

Flag Date Use Description
1933–1935
1933-1935
1920-1945		 National flag (Nationalflagge)
Merchant flag (Handelsflagge)
NSDAP Party flag (Parteiflagge)[1]		 A red field, with a white disk in the centre with a black swastika, or hakenkreuz, at a 45 degree angle
1935–1945

1935–1945		 National flag[1]
Marine jack (Gösch)		 Similar to first flag, but with swastika and disc slightly off-centre
1933–1935 National and merchant flag Black, white, and red horizontal tricolour
1933–1945 Banner (Bannerflagge) of Germany Banners were of various lengths, which were hung vertically on public buildings.
1933–1935 Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz)
1933–1935 Reich war flag (Reichskriegsflagge) and marine jack
1935–1945 Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross
1935–1938 Reich war flag
1938–1945 Reich war flag
1933 Reich service flag (Reichsdienstflagge) of the Wehrmacht
1933–1935 Reich service flag
1935–1945 Reich service flag
1933–1935 (de facto up to 1934) Standard of President
1935–1945 Standard of Adolf Hitler
1933–1935 Flag of the Minister of Defence
1935–1938 Flag of the Wehrmacht Commander in Chief (replaced the Minister of Defence)
1935–1945 Flag of the Schutzstaffel (SS)
1936–1945 Flag of the Ordnungspolizei (OrPo) ("Order Police", the national regular police organization of the Third Reich)

Allied Control Council (1945–1949)

Flag Date Use Description
1946–1950 "C-Pennant" (C-Doppelstander) (provisional civil ensign)

DDR – East Germany (1949–1990)

See: Flag of the German Democratic Republic

Flag Date Use Description
1949–1959 State flag (Staatsflagge)
1959–1990 State flag (Staatsflagge) 1959–1990
Merchant flag (Handelsflagge) 1973–1990		 Tricolour of black, red, and yellow (same as West German colours), but bears the coat of arms of East Germany, consisting of a compass and a hammer encircled with rye
1959–1973 Merchant flag (Handelsflagge)
1955–1973 Flag of East German Post
1975–1990 Flag of East German Post
1955–1990 Standard of the President
1960–1990 Standard of President of State Council
1960–1990 Flag of the National People's Army (Nationale Volksarmee or NVA)
1960–1990 Regimental colours (Truppenfahne) of Nationale Volksarmee
1960–1990 Naval ensign (Seekriegsflagge)
1962–1990 Flag of boats of border troops

Notes

  1. ^ a b (German) Herzfeld, Andreas (June 2001). "Einige unbekannte Flaggenänderungen 1933–1945". Der Flaggenkurier (Hennigsdorf: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flaggenkunde) (13): 17–23. http://www.flaggenkunde.de/veroeffentlichungen/dfk13.htm. 

References

Flags of Germany
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Lists of flags
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