List of German flags
This is a list of flags used by and in Germany between 1848 and now. For more information about the current national flag, see flag of Germany.
National flags
Presidential standard
Military and state flags
Flags of German states
Civil flags
State flags
Minority flags
Historical flags
German Confederation (1815–1866)
North German Confederation (1866–1871)
German Empire (1871–1918)
Imperial family standards
Weimar Republic (1919–1933)
Nazi Germany (1933–1945)
The flag with the Hakenkreuz and white disc centered was used throughout as the NSDAP party flag. Between 1933 and 1935, it was used as the national flag and merchant flag – interchangeably with the 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-center Hakenkreuz 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
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 Saar was satellite state of France. |
East Germany (1949–1990)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| 1949–1959 | State flag | ||
| 1959–1990 | State flag 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 | |
| 1959–1973 | Merchant flag | ||
| 1963–1990 | Hanging state flag | ||
| 1955–1973 | Flag of East German Post | ||
| 1975–1990 | Flag of East German Post | ||
| 1955–1990 | Standard of the President | ||
| 1960–1990 | Standard of President of State Council | ||
| 1960–1990 | Flag of the National People's Army | ||
| 1960–1990 | Regimental colours of Nationale Volksarmee | ||
| 1960–1990 | Naval ensign | ||
| 1962–1990 | Flag of boats of border troops | ||
| 1989–1990 | Defaced state flag | Used by supporters of German reunification in East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. |
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 color.| Flag | Date | Description |
| 1817 | German unification flag at Wartburg Festival | |
| 1832 | German unification flag at Hambach Festival | |
| 1919 | Proposal for the flag for Germany by Ottfried Neubecker | |
| 1944 | Proposal for the flag of Germany after 1944 military coup d'état by Josef Wirmer | |
| 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 | |
| 1948 | Proposal for a national flag, by Robert Lehr |
German colonial empire (1884–1918)
The flags of the German overseas colonies were first proposed in 1914, but were never implemented due to the breakout of World War I.| Flag | Date | Description |
| 1914 | Proposal for German East Africa | |
| 1914 | Proposal for German Kamerun | |
| 1914 | Proposal for German New Guinea | |
| 1914 | Proposal for German Samoa | |
| 1914 | Proposal for German South-West Africa | |
| 1914 | Proposal for German Togoland |