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180:, the commander-in-chief of the North German Navy, was commissioned with the task of designing the new war ensign. Around 1850, he already had designed a number of potential war ensigns for a hypothetical German nation-state under Prussian rule, which never were adopted as the project was not realised at that time. He used his old ideas to design the new North German war ensign with heavy involvement of the Prussian king, leading to numerous changes, like the inclusion of the Iron Cross in its original shape.
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202:
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431:
480:
The flag had to be formally hoisted every morning and lowered every evening. These hoisting and lowering ceremonies took the form of either an ordinary or a ceremonial flag parade. At the ordinary raising, the party consisted of the
Orderly Officer of the Day, the guard, and one musician. At the
158:, insisted on using new flags inspired by Prussia and without the traditional German colours. Therefore, the North German and eventually Imperial German flags prominently featured the Prussian colours (black and white) as well as symbols like the
464:
were sworn in on this flag (one recruit holding the flag and taking the oath on behalf of the entire recruit class with the recruits looking on as witnesses – before, this was done on the regimental colours).
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631:
This last round of prohibition decrees (since
September 2020) was triggered by an event on 29 August 2020 when a right-wing demonstration escalated into an attempted storming of the
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391:, with the German imperial black-white-red tricolour in the upper canton with an Iron Cross. In 1919, the flags of Imperial Germany were scrapped and replaced by those of the
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and the state interior ministers) published a decree extending the Bremen style prohibitions of 2020 to all of
Germany. The prohibition includes various imperial war flags (
119:(whose flag is shown here) greatly influenced the history of Prussia, which became the dominant German state and the source for most of the new war ensign's visual elements.
603:
From
September 2020, the public display of all versions of the war flags of the North German Confederation and of all periods of the German Reich became prohibited in the
600:("act contrary to order", an administrative offence that can be handled without a court process and that carries only a fine that is not legally considered a punishment).
410:), used the old flag in protest against the Weimar Republic during the 1920s and 1930s. This included the 1920 attempt to overthrow the Weimar government, known as the
460:, and it had to be flown from a pole positioned near the barracks entrance, or failing this, near the guard room or staff building. New recruits in the latter part of
607:
and violators can be fined up to €1,000; the black, white and red tricolour of the German Reich can be confiscated as well if there is a concrete provocation effect.
249:
588:
985:
677:, sights like the Nazi and Confederate "rebel flag" together at white supremacist events are also legally protected free speech in the United States.
670:
150:
Because
Prussia had emerged as the leading German state and the black-red-golden colour scheme was, at that time, associated with pan-Germanism (a
998:
481:
ceremonial raising, one officer, one platoon of soldiers with rifles, the guard, the regimental band, and the corps of drums were all present.
735:
720:
183:
The flag that was finally adopted became the war ensign of the German Empire after its founding, similar to the North German merchant ensign.
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488:(swastika and red background) with that of the old Imperial Reich war flag (four arms emanating from off-centre circle and Iron Cross in the
213:
201:
189:
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750:
587:" in seven states, and flags could be confiscated. In the other nine states, any provocative misuse of the flag can be prosecuted as an
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177:
83:
used by the German armed forces in history. A total of eight different designs were used in 1848–1849 and between 1867–1871 and 1945.
297:
1138:
273:
The first German imperial war flag was introduced by imperial law on 12 November 1848. The Regent signed it that day, although the
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had already voted for it on 31 July. The law described the commercial and war flag of the emerging new German federal state. The '
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957:
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as its war ensign (the national flag serving as jack). This flag was hoisted daily in barracks operated by units of the
19:
This article is about the German
Imperial War Flag. For the right-wing paramilitary organisation led by Ernst Röhm, see
583:
However, the black-white-red tricolour flag used between 1871 and 1918–19 can be shown. Its use is considered to be a "
1177:
1117:
838:
569:
Outside of educational, artistic, or scientific contexts, selling and showing symbols of Nazi
Germany, including the
628:), but also the simple black-white-red Imperial flag of 1871–1918 and 1933–1935 when used in a provocative context.
1187:
541:
333:
265:
580:. This covers the version used after 1935 with the swastika. The punishment can be up to three years in prison.
669:
at their gatherings at times. As the public display of Nazi flags within the United States is protected by the
1040:
1016:
1011:
507:
on 7 November 1935, it was taken down for the last time by
British occupation forces after the arrest of the
1093:. The two flags in recent years have been commonly seen together at white supremacist groups and gatherings.
348:
took over the fleet, but sold it in 1852 and did not make use of the German colours again until the 1860s.
107:
After the Austro-Prussian War, the entire German coastline was controlled by
Prussia and its allies (blue).
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351:
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that it did not seem necessary to mention them in the constitution of 1849. The flag was used for the
1157:
155:
1192:
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forgot to announce the new flag to the foreign powers. By May 1850, the flag was recognised by the
55:
1197:
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536:
states that "in only two other designs did he (Adolf Hitler) execute the same care as he did his
281:' – black, red and gold – were so popular from their beginnings on
159:
154:) and the revolution of 1848, the Prussian king and President of the North German Confederation,
143:
had been the dominant power. The new
Confederation eventually became the German Empire after the
20:
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406:
341:
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on 4 June 1849 was the first and only maritime battle in which these colours were involved.
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345:
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136:
111:
8:
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124:
1135:
632:
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The World War II Reich war flag and the flag of the Kingdom of Italy in Rome, June 1943
430:
132:
28:
1113:
953:
889:
674:
657:
In the United States, conversely, American-founded white supremacist groups like the
388:
337:
635:. The majority of the flags shown were variations of the imperial black-white-red.
384:
167:
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had already adopted the German colours on 9 March 1848, but the Diet and also the
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Today the term refers usually to the flag from 1867–1871 to 1918, the war flag of
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coast) and naval power belonged to Prussia after the decisive victory in 1866.
147:, hence the Imperial German flags date back to the North German Confederation.
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go-to for what would else be swastika flags and should be understood as such.
170:
in Germany, virtually all of the 19th century German coastline (including the
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945:
Flags and Standards of the Third Reich: Army, Navy and Air Force 1933-1945
863:
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380:
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309:
492:), these flags were uniformly produced as a printed design on bunting.
415:
290:
163:
1014:[Showing of Imperial War Flags - From now on it can be sued].
930:
231:
One of Prince Adalbert's early proposals for a German war ensign, 1849
822:
516:
446:
400:
171:
1004:
986:
Reichsflaggen in der Öffentlichkeit verboten – Bußgeld von 1000 Euro
909:, E. S. Mittler und Sohn, Herford / Bonn 1981, pp. 29–50, see p. 34.
520:
32:
German, Prussian, and Austrian war ensigns, including those called "
758:
76:
931:
See Kapp Putsch pictures and notes from the German Federal Archive
989:, deutschlandfunk.de, erschienen und retrieved 18 September 2020.
371:
The German war flag, which was slightly changed twice during the
313:
1085:
It's notable that when Ku Klux Klan members recently rallied in
219:
One of Prince Adalbert's early proposals for a German war ensign
207:
One of Prince Adalbert's early proposals for a German war ensign
195:
One of Prince Adalbert's early proposals for a German war ensign
504:
1012:"Zeigen von Reichskriegflaggen: Künftig droht ein Verfahren"
973:
Zeigen von Reichskriegsfahnen und Reichsfahnen wird verboten
484:
The proportions of the flag are 3:5. Fusing elements of the
975:
senatspressestelle.bremen.de, retrieved 19 September 2020.
16:
War flags and war ensigns used by the German armed forces
1041:"How the Nazi Flags in Charlottesville Look to a German"
166:. And while seafaring was the traditional domain of the
643:, was quoted as saying that these flags are the modern
255:
The final design for the North German war ensign (1867)
1131:
The History of the Imperial German War Flag 1867—1921
903:
Die deutsche Reichsflotte 1848 und der Deutsche Bund.
999:
Bremen verbietet Reichsflaggen in der Öffentlichkeit
438:
Designed personally by Hitler, this flag served the
269:Draft for the imperial and commercial flag of 1848
1108:Davis, Brian Leigh, and Malcolm McGregor (2000).
948:. New York: Arco Publishing Company Inc. p.
671:First Amendment to the United States Constitution
1149:
921:Click picture for German Federal Archive record
1112:. Oxford, England: Osprey Publishing Company.
882:Dokumente zur deutschen Verfassungsgeschichte.
387:of black and white, the eagle of Prussia, the
283:a Thuringian principality's state flag in 1778
98:
1089:, they carried both the battle flag and the
1069:"How Germany dealt with its symbols of hate"
917:
915:
864:"Prince Adalbert's 1849 Proposals (Germany)"
565:at German reunification celebrations in 1990
44:
33:
694:War flag of the Imperial Fleet of 1848–1852
422:had a party flag based on the old colours.
243:1867 proposal for a North German war ensign
60:
706:North German Federal Navy (1867–1871) and
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912:
355:An original World War I German war ensign
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110:
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27:
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886:Deutsche Verfassungsdokumente 1803-1850
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540:house: that of the Reich war flag and
1001:zeit.de, retrieved 19 September 2020.
941:
573:, is illegal in Germany according to
472:British naval officers with a seized
54:
363:Imperial flag being used during the
1067:Schofield, Matthew (30 July 2015).
907:Die erste deutsche Flotte 1848-1853
13:
542:his own standard of Chief of State
14:
1209:
1124:
1039:Shuster, Simon (14 August 2017).
839:Personal standard of Adolf Hitler
495:Raised for the first time at the
398:German nationalists, such as the
383:. It continued to have Prussia's
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125:Prussia defeated Austria in 1866
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892:, Stuttgart u.a., 1978, p. 400.
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135:in order to replace the former
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978:
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673:which guarantees the right to
395:: a black-red-gold tricolour.
1:
1183:Military of the German Empire
1102:
1136:Imperial German Army Colours
56:[ˈʁaɪçsˌkʁiːksflaɡə]
7:
942:Davis, Brian Leigh (1975).
815:
547:
450:as their war flag, and the
330:Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
117:State of the Teutonic Order
10:
1214:
680:
585:breach of the public order
552:
178:Prince Adalbert of Prussia
129:North German Confederation
99:North German Confederation
93:
18:
667:Confederate "battle flag"
618:Federal Interior Minister
152:Germany including Austria
1178:Military of Nazi Germany
1110:Flags of the Third Reich
849:
710:war ensign (1871–1892) (
379:), was in common use in
289:. The short battle near
1188:Symbols of Nazi Germany
21:Bund Reichskriegsflagge
1141:2 January 2014 at the
756:1919–1921 war ensign (
744:war ensign (1903–1919)
729:war ensign (1892–1903)
665:side-by-side with the
641:Innenministerkonferenz
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613:Innenministerkonferenz
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529:Inside the Third Reich
477:
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407:Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
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340:, and (conditionally)
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39:
34:
1075:. McClatchy DC Bureau
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106:
31:
905:In: the same (ed.):
880:Ernst Rudolf Huber:
834:Flag of Nazi Germany
810:1938–1945 war ensign
798:1935–1938 war ensign
786:1933–1935 war ensign
774:1921–1933 war ensign
513:Naval Academy Mürwik
346:German Confederation
344:. The reestablished
137:German Confederation
75:) refers to several
626:Reichskriegsflaggen
145:Franco-Prussian War
1163:Flags with crosses
901:Walther Hubatsch:
868:Flags of the World
742:Kaiserliche Marine
727:Kaiserliche Marine
708:Kaiserliche Marine
633:Reichstag building
590:Ordnungswidrigkeit
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474:Reichskriegsflagge
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46:Reichskriegsflagge
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35:Reichskriegsflagge
959:978-0-668-03620-7
890:Kohlhammer Verlag
712:Reichskriegsfahne
675:freedom of speech
663:Reichskriegsfahne
610:In June 2021 the
571:Reichskriegsfahne
563:Reichskriegsfahne
509:Dönitz Government
503:Headquarters) in
373:Wilhelmine Period
275:National Assembly
70:Imperial War Flag
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1158:Flags of Germany
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88:Imperial Germany
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1020:. 13 June 2021
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762:never used)
594: [
578:section 86a
412:Kapp Putsch
381:World War I
365:Kapp Putsch
310:Netherlands
81:war ensigns
1152:Categories
1103:References
884:Volume 1:
499:Building (
416:Nazi Party
291:Heligoland
164:Iron Cross
1079:18 August
1052:15 August
823:Blutfahne
561:Homemade
517:Flensburg
501:Wehrmacht
486:Nazi flag
458:Wehrmacht
447:Luftwaffe
401:Freikorps
172:North Sea
156:Wilhelm I
139:in which
77:war flags
42:The term
1139:Archived
816:See also
759:de facto
548:Post-war
444:and the
326:Portugal
318:Sardinia
162:and the
1024:13 June
681:Gallery
553:Germany
511:at the
367:of 1920
314:Belgium
141:Austria
133:Prussia
94:History
64:
52:German:
1116:
956:
646:ersatz
622:German
521:Mürwik
505:Berlin
490:canton
476:, 1944
414:. The
342:France
338:Greece
328:, the
320:, the
308:, the
127:, the
123:After
850:Notes
616:(the
598:]
404:(see
375:(see
334:Spain
168:Hanse
1114:ISBN
1081:2017
1054:2017
1046:Time
1026:2021
954:ISBN
441:Heer
306:U.S.
296:The
115:The
79:and
61:lit.
544:."
515:in
418:of
1154::
1083:.
1071:.
1043:.
952:.
950:81
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624::
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