List of German flags

This list of German flags details flags and standards that have been or are currently used by Germany between 1848 and the present.

Standards

Imperial family standards

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1871–1888	German Emperor's Standard
	1888–1918	German Emperor's Standard
	1871–1901	Empress Augusta and Empress Victoria's Standard
	1888–1918	Empress Augusta Viktoria's Standard
	1871–1888	Standard of the Crown Prince
	1888–1918	Standard of the Crown Prince
	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.
	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
	1437–1493	Banner of Emperor Frederick III	A black double-headed eagle with the coat of arms of Austria on a yellow field
	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
	800–1401	Banner of the Emperor of the Romans and of the King of Germany	An Imperial Eagle displayed with a halo sable armed and langued gules

Other standards

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1871–1918	Royal Standard of the Emperor of Germany in Prussia	On a red field, an Iron Cross is shown. In the centre 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".
	1844–1871	Old Royal Standard of the Emperor of Germany in Prussia
	1871–1892	Royal Standard of the Crown Prince of Prussia	The same as the previous flag, but on a white field, instead of a red one.
	1835–1918	Royal Standard of the King of Bavaria
	1903–1918	Royal Standard of the Grand Duke of Hesse
	1903–1918	Royal Standard of the Grand Duchess of Hesse
	?–1918	Princely standard of Prince Reuss of Greiz
	?–1918	Standard of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha	Featured the flag of the British royal family until George V's decision to change the house into Windsor.
	1911-1918	Princely standard of Schaumburg-Lippe
	1816-1837	Royal Standard of the Kingdom of Hanover	Flag of the King of Great Britain in Hannover until Queen Victoria.

Sport flags

Flags of German municipalities

Most municipalities have unique flags. Like state flags, most of them are with either a bicolour or tricolour stipes with or without the emblem.

Ethnic groups flags

Historical flags

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

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Imperial Oriflamme of Charlemagne.	A 3 pointed green banner with 8 golden crosses and 6 flowers.
	–early 14th centuries	War flag of the Holy Roman Empire	A non-rectangular flag depicting a white cross on a red field
	1400–1523	Imperial Pavilion of 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.

Teutonic Order State and Prussia (1226–1935)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1226–1525	Flag of the Teutonic Order State	A black cross on a white field.
	1466–1772	Flag of Royal Prussia
	1525–1701	Flag of Ducal Prussia
	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	A bicolour design – white and black, split horizontally.
	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
	1803–1892	Third flag of the Kingdom of Prussia	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
	1892–1918	Fourth flag of the Kingdom of Prussia
	1895–1918	War flag of Prussia	A non-rectangular flag depicting an Imperial Eagle in the centre of a white field, and in the upper-left corner, an Iron Cross is shown.
	1918–1933	Flag of the Free State of Prussia
	1933–1935	Service flag of the Free State of Prussia	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 National Socialist 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	Also used by the Empire of Germany (1848–1849)

North German Confederation (1866–1871)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1867–1871	National and merchant flag	A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black, white, and red

German Empire (1871–1918)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1871–1918	National and merchant flag
	1884–1918	Colonial flag
	1903–1919	War Ensign

Weimar Republic (1919–1933)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1919–1933	National flag
	1921–1933	State flag
	1921–1926	State ensign
	1926–1933	State ensign
	1919–1921	Flag of Defence Minister
	1921–1933	Flag of Defence Minister

Nazi Germany (1933–1945)

The flag with the swastika and white disc centered was used throughout as the NSDAP flag. Between 1933 and 1935, it was used as the mandotary party flag with the national black-white-red horizontal tricolour last used by the German Empire. In 1935, the black-white-red horizontal tricolour was scrapped again, and the flag with the off-centre swastika and disc was instituted as the only national flag. The flag with the centered disc only continued to be used as the Parteiflagge after 1935.

World War II aftermath in Germany

Allied Control Council and Saar Protectorate

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1946–1950	"C-Pennant"	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 the Saar was a satellite state of France.

East Germany (1949–1990)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1949–1959	State flag
	1959–1990	State flag 1959–1990	Tricolour of black, red, and yellow, but bears the coat of arms of East Germany, consisting of a compass and a hammer encircled with rye
	1959–1990	Merchant flag 1973–1990	Tricolour of black, red, and yellow, but bears the coat of arms of East Germany, consisting of a compass and a hammer encircled with rye
	1963–1990	Hanging state flag
	1955–1973	Flag of East German Post
	1975–1990	Flag of East German Post
	1960–1990	Flag of the National People's Army
	1960–1990	Regimental colours of Nationale Volksarmee
	1962–1990	Flag of boats of the Border Troops

North Rhine-Westphalia

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 colour.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1817	German unification flag at Wartburg Festival
	1832	German unification flag at Hambach Festival
	1926	Ottfried Neubecker's Proposal
	1944	Proposal for the flag of Germany after 1944 military coup d'état by Josef Wirmer; later considered for adoption by the Constitutional Convention at Herrenchiemsee
	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	A vertical black-red-yellow tricolour flag.
	1948	Proposal for the flag for West Germany by Edwin Redslob
	1948	Proposal for a national flag, by Robert Lehr

German colonial empire (1884–1918)

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1914	Proposal for German East Africa	The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.
	1914	Proposal for German Kamerun	The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.
	1914	Proposal for German New Guinea	The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.
	1914	Proposal for German Samoa	The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.
	1914	Proposal for German South-West Africa	The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.
	1914	Proposal for German Togoland	The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.