List of German flags

This is a list of flags used by and in Germany between 1848 and now. For more information about the current national flag, see flag of Germany.

National flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1949–present	National and merchant flag (Bundes- und Handelsflagge)	A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), red, and gold (bottom).
	1950–present	State flag and ensign (Bundesdienstflagge) and military 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. The flag was originally used 1921–1933 in the Weimar Republic. While identical in heraldic terms to the original Weimar era flag, the modern exact design is slightly simplified.
		National flag with coat of arms (Bundesflagge mit Bundeswappen). Unofficial version, the private use of which is not penalized.
	1996–present	Hanging national flag (Bannerflagge)
	1996–present	Hanging state flag

Presidential standard

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1921–1926; since 1950	Standard of the President of Germany	The standard depicts the elements of the coat of arms. A version of the standard that is identical in heraldic terms, but with a slightly different exact design, was used 1926–1933.

Military and state flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1956–	War ensign and 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 Deutsche Bundespost
	1950–1994	Flag of the Minister of Deutsche Bundespost
	1950–1994	Flag of the President of Deutsche Bundespost	A swallowtail variant of the postal flag
	1950–1994	Flag of the State Secretary of Deutsche Bundespost

Flags of German states

Civil flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Civil flag of Baden-Württemberg
		Civil flag of Bavaria (striped variant)
		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 flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		State flag of Baden-Württemberg (lesser arms)
		State flag of Baden-Württemberg (greater arms)
		State flag of Bavaria (striped variant)
		State flag of Bavaria (lozengy variant)
		State flag of Berlin
		State flag of Brandenburg
		State flag of Bremen (with lesser arms)
		State flag of Bremen (with flag arms)
		State flag of Hamburg
		Admiralty flag of Hamburg (used by state ships)[1]
		State flag of Hesse
		Flag of Lower Saxony (on land)
		State ensign of Lower Saxony (at sea)
		State flag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
		State flag of North Rhine-Westphalia
		State flag of Rhineland-Palatinate
		Flag of Saarland
		State flag of Saxony
		State flag of Saxony-Anhalt
		State flag of Schleswig-Holstein
		State flag of Thuringia

Minority flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Flag of Silesians	Official in Saxony.
		Flag of Silesians	Official in Saxony.
		Flag of Sorbs	Official in Saxony.

Historical flags

Francia, Kingdom of Germany, and the Holy Roman Empire (800-1806)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	800-1401	Banner of the Emperor of the Romans and of the King of Germany	A black eagle on a yellow field
	c. 12th–early 14th centuries	War flag of the Holy Roman Empire	A non-rectangular flag depicting a white cross on a red field
	1400s	War flag of the Holy Roman Empire	A non-rectangular flag depicting a black eagle on a yellow field with a red bar on top
	1400s	War flag of the Holy Roman Empire	Red swords crossed on top of one another on a field. The top of the field is black and the bottom of the field is white.
	early 1400s	Imperial Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor	An Imperial Eagle displayed with a halo sable armed and langued gules [2]
	c. 1430-1806	Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor and state flag of the HRE	A black double-headed eagle with haloes on a yellow field
	c. 1430-1806	Another banner of the Holy Roman Emperor and state flag of the HRE	A black double-headed eagle without haloes on a yellow field
	1437–1493	Banner of Emperor Frederick III	A black double-headed eagle with the coat of arms of Austria on a yellow field
	1493–1556	Banner of Maximilian I. Charles V continued using this banner.	A black double-headed eagle with the combined arms of Austria and Burgundy on a yellow field
	1519–1556	Another imperial banner of Charles V	A black double-headed eagle with an escutcheon of the coat of arms of Charles V on a yellow field

Teutonic Order State and Prussia (1226–1935)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1226–1525	Flag of the Teutonic Order State	A black Nordic Cross on a white field
	1466 – 1772	Flag of Royal Prussia	A black eagle with a sword sticking out of its neck on a white field
	1525-1701	Flag of Ducal Prussia	A black eagle with the letter 's' on a white field
	1701–1750	First flag of the Kingdom in Prussia	A black eagle holding a rod and orb on a white field, a crown on top
	1701-1935	Civil flag of Prussia	The top of the flag is black and the bottom of the flag is white
	1750–1801	Second flag of the Kingdom in Prussia and first flag of the Kingdom of Prussia	A black eagle holding a sword and rod on a white field, a crown on top
	1801-1803	Second flag of the Kingdom of Prussia	Basically the same as the previous flag, but the crown in the top of the flag is larger, the rod is a bit different, and the black eagle doesn't have yellow arm plates.
	1803-1892	Third flag of the Kingdom of Prussia	Basically the same as the previous flag, but the crown in the top of the flag is smaller.
	1816	War flag of Prussia	A smaller black crowned eagle with yellow arm plates, a rod and orb, all on a white field with an Iron Cross in the upper-left corner
	1871-1918	Royal Standard of the Emperor of Germany in Prussia (King of Prussia)	On a red field, an Iron Cross is shown. in the center of the Iron Cross, the Imperial Eagle with a crown right on top of the eagle is shown. Around the eagle and crown, words spell the phrase: "Gott mit uns", meaning: "God with us."
	1871-1892	Royal Standard of the Crown Prince of Prussia	Basically the same as the previous flag, but on a white field, instead of a red one.
	1892-1918	Fourth flag of the Kingdom of Prussia	In the center of a white field, the Imperial Eagle is shown. Above and below the white field, black, thin lines are shown.
	1895–1918	War flag of Prussia	A non-rectangular flag depicting an Imperial Eagle in the center of a white field, and in the upper-left corner, a thinned-out Iron Cross is shown
	1918-1933	Flag of the Free State of Prussia	Basically the same as the fourth flag of the Kingdom of Prussia, but with a regular eagle, and the black lines are a bit thicker.
	1933-1935	Service flag of the Free State of Prussia	Basically the same as the previous flag, but the phrase "Gott mit uns" reappears, and the eagle is holding a sword and two lightning bolts. The eagle also has a Nazi swastika on the chest.

German Confederation (1815–1866)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1848–1866	Flag of the German Confederation, used in 1848-1849 and again in 1863–1866 First appeared within the Fürstentum Reuß-Greiz after 12 May 1778 (4:5 aspect ratio)	Also used by the Empire of Germany (1848-1849)
	1848–1852	War ensign of the Reichsflotte
	1848–1852	Marine jack of the Reichsflotte

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 (Kriegsschiffgösch)

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)
	1884–1918	Colonial flag
	1871–1892	Imperial Navy war ensign (Kriegsflagge)
	1892–1903	Reich war flag (Reichskriegsflagge)
	1903–1918 (1921)	Reich war flag
	1871–1903	Marine jack (Kriegsschiffgösch)
	1903–1918 (1921)	Marine jack

Imperial family standards

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1871	The King in Prussia'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; since 1953	Flag of the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold	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. Refounded in 1953 as an association for political education.

Nazi Germany (1933–1945)

The flag with the swastika and white disc centered was used throughout (1920–1945) as the NSDAP party flag (Parteiflagge).[3] Between 1933 and 1935, it was used as the national flag (Nationalflagge) and merchant flag (Handelsflagge) – interchangeably with the black-white-red horizontal tricolour last used (up to 1918) by the German Empire. In 1935, the black-white-red horizontal tricolour was scrapped again, and the flag with the off-center swastika and disc was instituted as the only national flag (and was to remain as such until 1945). The flag with the centered disc only continued to be used as the Parteiflagge after 1935.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
Flags used 1933–1935
	1933–1935 1933–1935 1920–1945	National flag (Nationalflagge) Merchant flag (Handelsflagge) Nazi Party flag (Parteiflagge)[3]	A red field, with a white disc with a black swastika at a 45 degree angle. Disc and swastika are exactly in the centre.
	1933–1935	National flag (Nationalflagge) Merchant flag (Handelsflagge)	Black, white, and red horizontal tricolour. Used in conjunction with the Parteiflagge.
	1933–1935	Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz)
	1933–1935	Reich war flag (Reichskriegsflagge) and marine jack
	1933	Reich service flag (Reichsdienstflagge) of the Wehrmacht
	1933–1935	Reich service flag
	1933–1935 (de facto up to 1934)	Standard of the President
	1933–1935	Flag of the Minister of Defence
Flags used 1935–1945
	1935–1945 1935–1945	National flag[3] Marine jack (Gösch)	A red field, with a white disc with a black swastika at a 45 degree angle. Disk and swastika are slightly off-centre.
	1920–1945	Nazi Party flag (Parteiflagge)[3]	A red field, with a white disc with a black swastika at a 45 degree angle. Disk and swastika are exactly in the centre.
	1933–1945	Banner (Bannerflagge) of Germany	Banners were of various lengths, which were hung vertically on public buildings.
	1935–1945	Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross
	1935–1938	Kriegsmarine, Heer, Luftwaffe
	1938–1945	Kriegsmarine, Heer, Luftwaffe
	1935–1945	Reich service flag
	1935–1945	Standard of Adolf Hitler
	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 Nazi Germany)
	1933–1945	Flag of the Hitler Youth, a youth organization in the Nazi Party

World War II aftermath in Germany

Allied Control Council (1945–1949) and Saar Protectorate

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1946–1950	"C-Pennant" (C-Doppelstander) (provisional civil ensign)	Used during the Occupation Period to identify German ships according to international law.
	1947–1957	Flag of Saar Protectorate	Flag of Saarland which was given by French Government. at this time period Saar was satellite state of France.

East Germany (1949–1990)

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)
	1963–1990	Hanging state flag (Bannerflagge)
	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
	1989–1990	Defaced state flag	Used by supporters of German reunification in East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Historic flag proposals

Note: Ottfried Neubecker's proposal of 1919 and those of Josef Wirmer in 1944 and of his brother Ernst in 1948 are clearly modeled on the Nordic Cross flags used in all Nordic countries – the flags of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland all having the same horizontal cross, though differing in color.

Flag	Date	Description
	1817	German unification flag at Wartburg Festival
	1832	German unification flag at Hambach Festival
	1926	Proposal for the flag for Germany by Ottfried Neubecker
	1944	Proposal for the flag of Germany after 1944 military coup d'état by Josef Wirmer
	1948	Proposal for the flag for West Germany, based on Josef Wirmer's 1944 design, created by his brother, Ernst
	1948	Proposal for the flag for West Germany by Paul Wentzcke, based on 1848 republican designs
	1948	Proposal for a national flag, by Robert Lehr

German colonial empire (1884–1918)

The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.

Flag	Date	Description
	1914	Proposal for German East Africa
	1914	Proposal for German Kamerun
	1914	Proposal for German New Guinea
	1914	Proposal for German Samoa
	1914	Proposal for German South-West Africa
	1914	Proposal for German Togoland

References

1. "The flags of Hamburg". Retrieved 2017-11-02.
2. "Flags of the Holy Roman Empire", Wikipedia, 2020-09-24, retrieved 2021-01-25
3. (in German) Herzfeld, Andreas (June 2001). "Einige unbekannte Flaggenänderungen 1933–1945". Der Flaggenkurier (in German). Hennigsdorf: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flaggenkunde (13): 17–23. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17.

External links

• Historical flags (Germany) at Flags of the World