Last modified: 2006-09-23 by jarig bakker
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image by António Martins
Flag adopted 16 Apr 1871, gradually abandoned
since 1919, abolished 31 Dec 1921
I am not sure as to an exact definition of the "national flag". It was
used in an assortment of ways: at parliaments, schools and occasions where
it represented the whole country - sort of like the Union
Jack. On all of Germany, the national flags were 1848-1852
(more or less) black-red-gold. After c.1891, the black-white-red. Under
the Weimar republic, black-red-gold, etc. Note
that it was not quite either civil, state or war flag. I have tried to
use the expression as a translation of Nationalflagge.
Norman Martin, 25 Jul 2000
Used "at parliaments, schools and occasions where it represented
the whole country" - I guess that is what a civil flag is.
Norman Martin, 26 Jul 2000
With the establishment of the German Empire in 1871, the black-white-red
flag of the North German League was maintained,
Art. 55 of the Imperial Constitution of 16 April 1871 has the same reading
as that of the North German League: "Die Flagge der Kriegs- und Handelsmarine
ist schwarz-weiß-rot" (the flag of the navy and merchant fleet is black-white-red).
This flag was declared to be the national flag 8 November 1892 and continued
in use until after the fall of the monarchy. During the National Assembly
that established the Weimar Republic there was nearly as much support for
continuing it as for establishing the black-red-gold
flag which eventually was established by the adoption of the Constitution
11 August 1918 (in effect 14 August). The provision of the Flag Ordinance
of 11 April 1921 however allowed the use of the old flags, presumably
including this one, until the end of the year. In short one could regard
the black-white-red flag to have been de facto replaced with the
earliest use of the black-red-gold (or red) flags late in 1918, or by the
Weimar Constitution (and first flag ordinance) in 1919 or by the final
date of the Flag Ordinance of 1921. (It was readopted by the Nazi
government in 1933, but again abolished by the
flag law in 1935.)
Source: my series of contributions to FOTW on the flags of the German
Empire of 1998, much material from the article I wrote with Rüdiger Dreyhaupt
(Martin and Dreyhaupt 1999) and some other
material.
Illustrations (only major vexillological sources): Martin
and Dreyhaupt 1999, no. 15; Crampton 1990,
p. 42 (which is a copy of Meyers Konversationslexikon
1912, vol. 4, facing p. 799) no. 1; Znamierowski
1999, p. 48; Smith 1975, p. 121.
Norman Martin, 26 Jan 2001
The Iron Cross was a Prussian order first established by King Frederick
William III on 10th March 1813 for military valour or patriotic service
in the 1813-15 war against Napoleon. It was revived in 1871 for the Franco-Prussian
war and in 1914 for the First World War. It was also revived as a German
order in 1939 by Hitler. Except for the formal meaning, there is no official
significance, although it may have been inspired to some degree by the
cross of the Teutonic Knights which is superficially
similar.
Norman Martin, 15 Apr 1990
More information on the history of the Iron Cross (Eiserne Kreuz) at
Andrew D. Biggers' The Historic
Iron Cross 1813-1957 website.
Santiago Dotor, 20 Apr 1999
Like the Foreign Office state flag, but
instead of the eagle a golden crowned anchor in the disc. Flown by naval
vessels not entitled to fly the war ensign.
Adopted 1893 and abandoned by 1921. Illustrated in Crampton
1990 p. 42 (which is a copy of Meyers
Konversationslexikon 1912, vol. 4, facing p. 799) and National
Geographic 1917 p. 367, no. 1000.
Norman Martin, 1998
The state ensign was adopted by decree (Bekanntmachung) of 20
January 1893, which read "ratio 2:3, central white disk 5/9ths of height,
the red is light ['Zinnoberrot' - brick red or English red,
today we might say vermillion], the yellow is dark [golden yellow]".
It was possibly abolished in the Constitution of 11 August 1919, which
only mentions Reichsfarben [national colours] and Handelsflagge
[civil ensign]. A new state ensign was introduced
by decree (Verordnung) of 11th April 1921, but as this decree also
says that former flags could be used until 1 January 1922, it might be
possible that the state ensign was in use until this date.
Ralf Stelter, 8 Feb 2001
Other National Administrative Branches (Übrige Verwaltungszweige
des Reichs) flew a flag like the Foreign Office
state flag, but instead of the eagle an Imperial crown in gold. Flown
by government vessels not qualified to fly the [war]
ensign or any of the Foreign Office ensigns.
Adopted 1893 and abandoned by 1921. Illustrated in Crampton
1990 p. 42 (which is a copy of Meyers
Konversationslexikon 1912, vol. 4, facing p. 799), National
Geographic 1917 p. 367, no. 1010.
Norman Martin, 1998