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.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flags of Germany.
National flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1919–1933; since 1949 |
National and merchant flag ([Bundes- und Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), red, and gold (bottom). |
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1950– | State flag and ensign ([Bundesdienstflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) and war flag ([Kriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)). This flag may only be used by federal government authorities. | The national flag with the [Bundesschild] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (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. |
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National flag with coat of arms ([Bundesflagge mit Bundeswappen] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)). Unofficial version, the private use of which is not penalized. | ||
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1996– | Hanging national flag ([Bannerflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1996– | Hanging state flag |
Presidential standard
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
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1956– | War ensign and naval jack ([Seekriegsflagge und Gösch] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) of the German Navy | A swallowtail variant of the state flag |
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1957– | Standard of Inspector General of the [Bundeswehr] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) | |
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1964– | Troop colour ([Truppenfahne] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) of the [Bundeswehr] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) | |
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1950–1994 | Flag of Deutsche Bundespost | |
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1950–1994 | Flag of the Minister of Deutsche Bundespost | |
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1950–1994 | Flag of the President of Deutsche Bundespost | A swallowtail variant of the postal flag |
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1950–1994 | Flag of the State Secretary of Deutsche Bundespost |
Flags of German states
Civil flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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Civil flag of Baden-Württemberg | ||
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Civil flag of Bavaria (striped variant) | ||
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Civil flag of Bavaria (lozengy variant) | ||
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Civil flag of Berlin | ||
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Civil flag of Brandenburg | ||
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Civil flag of Bremen | ||
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Civil flag of Bremen (with middle arms) | ||
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Civil flag of Bremen (with flag arms) | ||
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Civil flag of Hamburg | ||
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Civil flag of Hesse | ||
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Civil flag of Lower Saxony | ||
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Civil flag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | ||
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Civil flag of North Rhine-Westphalia | ||
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Civil flag of Rhineland-Palatinate | ||
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Civil flag of Saarland | ||
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Civil flag of Saxony | ||
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Civil flag of Saxony-Anhalt | ||
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Civil flag of Schleswig-Holstein | ||
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Civil flag of Thuringia |
State flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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State flag of Baden-Württemberg (lesser arms) | ||
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State flag of Baden-Württemberg (greater arms) | ||
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State flag of Bavaria (striped variant) | ||
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State flag of Bavaria (lozengy variant) | ||
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1954–2007 | State flag of Berlin | |
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State flag of Brandenburg | ||
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State flag of Bremen (with lesser arms) | ||
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State flag of Bremen (with flag arms) | ||
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State flag of Hamburg | ||
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Admiralty flag of Hamburg (used by state ships) | ||
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State flag of Hesse | ||
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Flag of Lower Saxony (on land) | ||
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State ensign of Lower Saxony (at sea) | ||
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State flag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | ||
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State flag of North Rhine-Westphalia | ||
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State flag of Rhineland-Palatinate | ||
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Flag of Saarland | ||
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State flag of Saxony | ||
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State flag of Saxony-Anhalt | ||
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State flag of Schleswig-Holstein | ||
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State flag of Thuringia |
Historical flags
German Confederation (1815–1866)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1848–1867 | Flag of the Southern States during the Austro-Prussian War | Also German Empire (1849) |
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1848–1852 | War ensign of the Reichsflotte | |
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1848–1852 | Marine jack of the Reichsflotte |
North German Confederation (1866–1871)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1867–1871 | National and merchant flag ([National- und Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), white, and red (bottom) |
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1867–1871 | War flag ([Kriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1867–1871 | Marine jack ([Kriegsschiffgösch] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) |
German Empire (1871–1918)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1871–1918 | National and merchant flag ([National- und Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1896–1918 | Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross ([Eisernes Kreuz] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1871–1892 | Imperial Navy war ensign ([Kriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1892–1903 | Reich war flag ([Reichskriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1903–1918 (1921) | Reich war flag | |
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1871–1903 | Marine jack ([Kriegsschiffsgösch] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1903–1918 (1921) | Marine jack |
Imperial family standards
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1871 | Emperor William I's Standard | |
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1871–1888 | German Emperor's Standard | |
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1888–1918 | German Emperor's Standard | |
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1871–1901 | Empress Augusta and Empress Frederick's Standard |
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1888–1918 | Empress Augusta Viktoria's Standard | |
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1871–1888 | Standard of the Crown Prince | |
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1888–1918 | Standard of the Crown Prince |
Weimar Republic (1919–1933)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1919–1933 | National flag ([Nationalflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1921–1933 | State flag ([Dienstflagge zu Land] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1919–1933 | Merchant flag ([Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1921–1933 | Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross ([Eisernes Kreuz] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1921–1926 | State ensign ([Dienstflagge zur See] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1926–1933 | State ensign ([Dienstflagge zur See] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1919–1921 (de jure) | Reich war flag ([Reichskriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1921–1933 | Reich war flag | |
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1921–1933 | Marine jack ([Kriegsgösch] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1921–1926 | Standard of the President | |
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1926–1933 | Standard of the President | |
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1919–1921 | Flag of the President | |
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1919–1921 | Flag of Defence Minister | |
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1921–1933 | Flag of Defence Minister | |
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1924–1933; since 1953 |
Flag of the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold | The [Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) 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. |
Third Reich (1933–1945)
The flag with the swastika and white disk centered was used throughout (1920–45) as the NSDAP Party flag ([Parteiflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)).[1] Between 1933 and 1935, it was used as the National flag ([Nationalflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) and Merchant flag ([Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) - 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 disk only continued to be used as the Parteiflagge after 1935.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flags used 1933 – 1935 | |||
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1933–1935 1933–1935 1920–1945 |
National flag ([Nationalflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) Merchant flag ([Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) NSDAP Party flag ([Parteiflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help))[1] |
A red field, with a white disk with a black swastika, or [hakenkreuz] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), at a 45 degree angle. Disk and swastika are exactly in the centre. |
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1933–1935 | National flag ([Nationalflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) Merchant flag ([Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) |
Black, white, and red horizontal tricolour. Used in conjunction with the Parteiflagge. |
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1933–1935 | Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross ([Eisernes Kreuz] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1933–1935 | Reich war flag ([Reichskriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) and marine jack | |
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1933 | Reich service flag ([Reichsdienstflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) of the [Wehrmacht] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) | |
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1933–1935 | Reich service flag | |
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1933–1935 (de facto up to 1934) | Standard of the President | |
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1933–1935 | Flag of the Minister of Defence | |
| Flags used 1935 – 1945 | |||
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1935–1945 1935–1945 |
National flag[1] Marine jack ([Gösch] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) |
A red field, with a white disk with a black swastika, or [hakenkreuz] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), at a 45 degree angle. Disk and swastika are slightly off-centre. |
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1920-1945 | NSDAP Party flag ([Parteiflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help))[1] | A red field, with a white disk with a black swastika, or [hakenkreuz] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), at a 45 degree angle. Disk and swastika are exactly in the centre. |
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1933–1945 | Banner ([Bannerflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) of Germany | Banners were of various lengths, which were hung vertically on public buildings. |
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1935–1945 | Merchant flag variant with the Iron Cross | |
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1935–1938 | Kriegsmarine, Heer, Luftwaffe | |
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1938–1945 | Kriegsmarine, Heer, Luftwaffe | |
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1935–1945 | Reich service flag | |
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1935–1945 | Standard of Adolf Hitler | |
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1935–1938 | Flag of the [Wehrmacht] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) Commander in Chief (replaced the Minister of Defence) | |
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1935–1945 | Flag of the [Schutzstaffel] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (SS) | |
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1936–1945 | Flag of the [Ordnungspolizei (OrPo)] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("Order Police", the national regular police organization of the Third Reich) | |
Allied Control Council (1945–1949)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1946–1950 | "C-Pennant" ([C-Doppelstander] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) (provisional civil ensign) | Used during the Occupation Period to identify German ships according to international law. |
East Germany (1949–1990)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1949–1959 | State flag ([Staatsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1959–1990 | State flag ([Staatsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) 1959–1990 Merchant flag ([Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) 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 |
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1959–1973 | Merchant flag ([Handelsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1963–1990 | Hanging state flag ([Bannerflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1955–1973 | Flag of East German Post | |
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1975–1990 | Flag of East German Post | |
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1955–1990 | Standard of the President | |
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1960–1990 | Standard of President of State Council | |
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1960–1990 | Flag of the National People's Army ([Nationale Volksarmee] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) or [NVA] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1960–1990 | Regimental colours ([Truppenfahne] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) of [Nationale Volksarmee] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) | |
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1960–1990 | Naval ensign ([Seekriegsflagge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) | |
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1962–1990 | Flag of boats of border troops | |
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1989–1990 | Defaced state flag | Used by supporters of German reunification in East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. |
Notes
- ^ a b c d Template:De icon Herzfeld, Andreas (June 2001). "Einige unbekannte Flaggenänderungen 1933–1945". Der Flaggenkurier (in German) (13). Hennigsdorf: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Flaggenkunde: 17–23.