Former Flags

• In the Medieval period, the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation used both a banner and war flag. The war flag was a white cross set against a red background; this flag was used during the Crusades. The Holy Roman Empire also used an imperial banner. This banner featured a black eagle with red claws set against a golden background. Between 1871 and 1918, the German Empire used a black, white and red tricolor flag. With the emergence of the Nazi Party in the 1930s, the Nazi flag, with its infamous swastika, became the national flag of Germany.
  
  

Current Flag

• The Bundesflagge, the current national flag of Germany, was officially adopted in 1949. However, it was not the first time that the flag had been used. The flag was used for a brief period during the mid-1800s and again adopted in 1919 by the Weimar Republic. This period ended in 1933 with the rise to power of the Nazi regime and the swastika. The separation of Germany into East and West saw the flag used by both countries but with the addition of a coat of arms on the flag of East Germany. In 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Bundesflagge became the official flag of the reunified Germany.
  
  

Significance

• The colors of the German national flag have been used since the middle ages. The banner of the Holy Roman Empire used the same colors: black, red and gold. These colors were also used by German soldiers fighting in the Napoleonic wars. The black coats that formed part of each soldier's uniform were trimmed in red with gold buttons. The colors have come to represent both the history of Germany and the reunification of the nation.
  
  

Types

• There are three main variations of the German national flag. The standard version, the official national flag, is the basic black, red and gold tricolor. The exact same design is used for the Bundesdienstflagge, the state flag, with the addition of a coat of arms in the center. This coat of arms, a black eagle with red claws and beak, is the same as that found on the banner of the medieval Holy Roman Empire. A third variation is the naval ensign; this is the same as the state flag but its shape is that of a pennant.
  
  

Usage

• The German flag is commonly used for state events and sporting occasions. Increased usage of the flag has been noted since the 2006 FIFA World Cup was held in Germany. There are also a number of official flag days in Germany. On these days, the flag should officially be flown from all public buildings. Such days include International Workers' Day and German Unity Day.