Content deleted Content added
Reverting edit(s) by 2604:2D80:BE80:3300:6C:CC58:E704:6677 (talk) to rev. 1240098724 by 2.97.76.86: non-constructive (RW 16.1) |
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
| (16 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{short description|
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
Line 31:
[[File:Flag of Germany (unoff).svg|thumb|{{FIAV|variant}} Common unofficial flag variant with the [[coat of arms of Germany]]]]
The [[national flag]] of [[Germany]] ({{
Since the mid-19th century, Germany has two competing traditions of national colours, black-red-gold and black-white-red. Black-red-gold were the colours of the [[German revolutions of 1848–1849|1848 Revolutions]], the [[Weimar Republic]] of 1919–1933 and the Federal Republic (since 1949). They were also [[Flag of East Germany|adopted]] by the [[German Democratic Republic]] (1949–1990).
Line 49:
=== Civil flag ===
[[File:Berlin reichstag CP.jpg|thumb|The German Unity Flag is a national memorial to [[German reunification]] that was raised on 3 October 1990. It flies in front of the [[Reichstag building]] in [[Berlin]] (seat of the [[German parliament]]).]]
The German [[national flag]] or {{lang|de|Bundesflagge}} ({{
=== Government flag ===
Line 63:
[[File:Flag of Germany (Hanging).svg|thumb|left|upright=0.25|{{FIAV|Vertical exclusive}} Civil banner]]
[[File:Flag of Germany (Hanging state flag).svg|thumb|upright=0.25|{{FIAV|Vertical exclusive}} Government banner]]
In addition to the normal horizontal format, many public buildings in [[Germany]] use [[vertical flag]]s. Most town halls fly their town flag together with the national flag (and usually the flag of the state they are in and the flag of the [[European Union]]) in this way; many town flags in Germany exist only in vertical form.{{cit|date=September 2024}} The proportions of these vertical flags are not specified<!-- (commented out until supporting evidence can be found), although a ratio of 5:2 is the most common-->. In 1996, a layout for the vertical version of the government flag was established, that coincidentally matched the pattern of the "conventional" black-red-gold flag of the [[Principality of Reuss-Gera]] ({{lang|de|Fürstentum Reuß-Gera}}) from 1806 to 1918: the {{lang|de|Bundesschild}} is displayed in the centre of the flag, overlapping with up to one fifth of the black and gold bands.<ref name="flag1996">{{cite web |author=Federal Government of Germany |url=http://bundesrecht.juris.de/flaggano_1996/BJNR172900996.html |title=Anordnung über die deutschen Flaggen |work=Gesetze im Internet |language=de |trans-title=Arrangement of the German Flag |date=13 November 1996 |access-date=26 February 2008 |archive-date=13 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613050933/http://bundesrecht.juris.de/flaggano_1996/BJNR172900996.html |url-status=live }}</ref> When hung like a banner or draped, the black band should be on the left, as illustrated. When flown from a vertical flagpole, the black band must face the staff.<ref name="hangingflag">{{cite web |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/de_hoist.html |title=Flag hoisting formats and terminology (Germany, Austria, and adjacent countries) |work=[[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]] |date=26 October 2001 |access-date=24 February 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209123942/https://www.fotw.info/flags/de_hoist.html |archive-date=9 February 2008}}</ref> The only type of vertical flag that can be flown under the Federal Government Decree is a banner. Flags in vertical format, vertical flags with outrigger and hanging flags are not permitted.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.protokoll-inland.de/Webs/PI/EN/flag-displays/general-information/types/types-node.html | title=Kinds of flags | access-date=15 October 2022 | archive-date=15 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015233956/https://www.protokoll-inland.de/Webs/PI/EN/flag-displays/general-information/types/types-node.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Military flags ===
Line 132:
On 24 December 1951, the [[Federal Court of Justice]] ({{lang|de|Bundesgerichtshof}}) stated that the usage of "black–red–yellow" and the like had "through years of Nazi agitation, attained the significance of a malicious slander against the democratic symbols of the state" and was now an offence.<ref name="court1959">{{in lang|de}} Federal Court of Justice of Germany (16 November 1959). 3 StR 45/59.</ref> As summarised by heraldist Arnold Rabbow in 1968, "the German colours are black–red–yellow but they are called black–red–gold."<ref name="Rabbow1968">{{cite journal |last=Rabbow |year=1968 |title=Schwarz–Rot–Gold oder Schwarz–Rot–Gelb? |language=de |journal=Neue Heraldische Mitteilungen / Kleeblatt-Jahrbuch |place=Hanover| volume=6+7 |pages=30–32 |first=Arnold}}</ref>
== Flag
There are a number of [[
[[File:MuensterStadtweinhaus.jpg|thumb|upright|The {{lang|de|Stadtweinhaus}} in [[Münster]] with banners displayed in mourning (note the black ribbons atop each staff) after the death of former German president [[Johannes Rau]] in 2006]]
Line 149:
| 1 May
| [[International Workers' Day#Germany|Day of Labour]]<br />{{lang|de|Tag der Arbeit}}
| Established for German labour unions to demonstrate for the promotion of workers' welfare
|-
| 9 May
Line 213:
During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the German struggle against the occupying French forces was significantly symbolised by the colours of black, red, and gold, which became popular after their use in the uniforms of the [[Lützow Free Corps]], a volunteer unit of the [[Prussian Army]]. This unit had uniforms in black with red facings and gold buttons. The colour choice had pragmatic origins, even though black-red-gold were the former colours used by the Holy Roman Empire.<ref name="Rabbow2007">{{cite journal |last=Rabbow |first=Arnold |year=2007 |title=Schwarz-Rot-Gold: Einheit in Freiheit |journal=Der Flaggenkurier [The Flag Courier] |volume=25 |pages=41–45 |language=de |trans-title=Black-Red-Gold. Unity in Freedom}}</ref> At the time, the colours represented:
{{bquote|''Out of the blackness (black) of servitude through bloody (red) battles to the golden (gold) light of freedom''.{{Efn|{{
Members of the corps were required to supply their own clothing: in order to present a uniform appearance it was easiest to dye all clothes black. Gold-coloured buttons were widely available, and [[pennon]]s used by the [[lancer]]s in the unit were red and black. As the members of this unit came from all over Germany and included a modest but well known number of university students and academics, the Lützow Free Corps and their colours gained considerable exposure among the German people.<ref name="Rabbow2007"/> {{clear}}
Line 234:
[[File:Image Germania (painting).jpg|thumb|upright|left|''[[Germania (St. Paul's Church, Frankfurt am Main)|Germania]]''. The painting hung inside the ''Paulskirche'' above where the Frankfurt Parliament assembled]]
In the [[German revolutions of 1848–1849|Springtime of the Peoples]] during the [[Revolutions of 1848]], revolutionaries took to the streets, many flying the tricolour. The Confederation's Bundestag, alarmed by the events, hasted to adopt the tricolour (9 March 1848). Liberals took power and made the Bundestag call for general elections for a German parliament, the national assembly. This [[Frankfurt Parliament]] declared the black-red-gold as the official colours of Germany and passed a [[Imperial law regarding the introduction of a German war and civil ensign|law]] stating its civil ensign was the black-red-yellow tricolour.<ref name="flag1848">{{cite web |url=http://www.documentarchiv.de/nzjh/1848/reichsflaggen1848_ges.html |title=Gesetz betreffend die Einführung einer deutschen Kriegs- und Handelsflagge |author=Frankfurt Parliament |work=documentArchiv.de |language=de |trans-title=Act concerning the introduction of a German navy and merchant flag |date=12 November 1848 |access-date=9 August 2007 |archive-date=19 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019050120/http://www.documentarchiv.de/nzjh/1848/reichsflaggen1848_ges.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Also, a naval war ensign used these colours.
[[File:Maerz1848 berlin.jpg|thumb|200px|Revolutionaries in [[Berlin]], [[Berlin Palace]] in the background (March 1848)]]
In May 1849, the larger states actively fought the revolution and the Frankfurt parliament. In late 1850, the [[German Confederation]] was definitely restored under Austrian-Prussian leadership. The tricolour remained official but was no longer used before 1863 at a conference of the German governments. Afterwards, the most pressing issue was whether or not to include Austria in any future German nation, as Austria's status as a multi-ethnic empire complicated the dream of a united Greater Germany—the {{lang|de|[[Kleindeutschland and Großdeutschland|grossdeutsch]]}} solution. Alternatively, there was the {{lang|de|[[Kleindeutschland|kleindeutsch]]}} (Lesser German) solution for a Germany that encompassed only German lands and excluded Austria. The Prussian–Austrian duality within the Confederation eventually led to the [[Austro-Prussian War]] in 1866. During the war, the southern states allied with Austria adopted the black-red-gold tricolour as their flag, and the 8th German Army Corps also wore black-red-gold armbands.<ref name="GermConf"/> The [[Kingdom of Prussia]] and its predominately north German allies defeated Austria and made way for the realisation of the Lesser German solution a few years later. {{clear}}
Line 280:
=== Nazi Germany and World War II (1933–1945) ===
[[File:SS Bremen incident illustration.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Illustration depicting anti-Nazi demonstrators attacking ''Bremen'' docked in New York Harbor, United States on 26 July 1935.]]
[[File:Flag of German Reich (1933–1935).svg|thumb|3:5 {{FIAV|110110}} {{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of the German Empire|National flag and ensign of Nazi Germany (1933–1935)]]
[[File:Flag of German Reich (1935–1945).svg|thumb|3:5 {{FIAV|110110}} {{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of Nazi Germany|National flag, ensign and naval jack of Nazi Germany (1935–1945)]]. An alternate centre-disc version
[[File:War Ensign of Germany (1938–1945).svg|thumb|[[Reichskriegsflagge|War flag]] of [[Nazi Germany]] adopted in 1935, with some minor changes in 1938, used by the army and navy until 1945.]]
{{anchor|Nazi Germany}}
Line 348:
[[File:Fangschnur Fahnenbegleitung.png|thumb|325x325px|Flag delegation of the [[Bundeswehr]] 2008]]
The old black-white-red tricolour of the German Empire is still used by [[monarchist]]s and those members of German royalty who long for the peaceful reintroduction of a German democratic monarchy.<ref name="pro-monarchy">[http://www.promonarchie.de/ Home page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804022948/http://www.promonarchie.de/ |date=4 August 2020 }} of monarchist organisation {{lang|de|[[Tradition und Leben]]}}. See German section for more detailed text. Retrieved on 24 February 2008.</ref> This use of the old flag is almost completely overshadowed by its prevalent use by the far right, however; since the aforementioned ban on all [[Nazi symbolism]] (e.g. the swastika), the ''[[Schutzstaffel]]'s'' (SS) double [[sig rune]], etc.) is still in effect within today's Germany, the far right have been forced to forgo any Nazi flags and instead use the old imperial flag, which the Nazis themselves banned in 1935.<ref name="flag1935" />[[File:World Cup 2006 German fans at Bochum.jpg|thumb|right|German football fans during a match against Ecuador in the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]]. Some flags seen here contain the [[Coat of arms of Germany|federal coat of arms]] but [[#Government flag|should not be confused]] with the ''Bundesdienstflagge'', which displays the {{lang|de|Bundesschild}} and may only be used by government authorities.]]In Germany, the use of the flag and other national symbols has been relatively low for most of the time since World War II – a reaction against the widespread use of flags by the Nazi Party and against nationalistic fervour in general.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,424373,00.html |title=Dr. Strangelove: How Germans Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Flag |author=Sontheimer, Michael |work=[[Der Spiegel|Spiegel Online]] |date=29 June 2006 |access-date=5 March 2008 |archive-date=15 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215134020/http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,424373,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> During the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], which took place in Germany and in which the [[Germany national football team|
|url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball-wm-2006/deutschland-und-die-wm/nach-der-wm-die-party-ist-aus-flaggen-muessen-weg-1354035.html
|title=Nach der WM: Die Party ist aus: Flaggen müssen weg
Line 406:
{{GermanFlags}}
{{National symbols of Germany}}
{{Germany topics}}
{{Flag of Europe}}
| |||