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German Democratic Republic Political Parties

Last modified: 2000-01-07 by marcus wendel
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In the DDR there were the following political parties:

Party Flags

As we remarked for Nazi Germany, the Communist regime in East Germany was, until its last days, characterized by the union of party and state. Thus, it is appropriate to also list a few of the most important party flags:


29) Flag of the Socialist Unity Party (Flagge der SED)

[Socialist Unity Party]

A red flag with the party emblem (a white disk with at the center a red flag with superimposed clasped hands, around the edge a blue yellow-bordered circle with the letters "SOZIALISTISCHE EINHEITSPARTEI DEUTSCHLANDS" in yellow) at the center. Ratio 3:5 [Illustrated DDR Collectors Reference Guide, Vol.1, p.32]

The emblem showed two clasped hands in front of a red flag. The whole upright oval was surrounded by the inscription "Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands" within a ribbon (source: Arnold Rabbow, dtv-Lexikon politischer Symbole, Munich 1970, pp. 231-233). The emblem had been discontinued in January 1990, when the SED was renamed to SED-PDS and soon to PDS only. In the same month construction workers were ordered to remove the symbol from the SED central building in Eastern Berlin (source: Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Munich, 22th as well as 24th of January, 1990).
Dieter Linder, 11 April 1997


Peace Movement Flag

[Schwerter zu Pflugscharen]

"Schwerter zu Pflugscharen" means "swords into plowshares". Source is "Flaggenforum".
Norman Martin 1998-05-31.

The symbol "Schwerter zu Pflugscharen" (see Jesaja 2.4) was the most important emblem of the GDR-opposition movement in the 1980s which finally lead to the "revolution" of 1989 and the German unification. There was no unitary organisation or party but a large number of local groups (most of them protected - but not ruled - by the Church) with different political orientation - unified at their opposition to the communist regime and mostly inspired by pacifism, democracy and ecological ideas. I can't remember to have seen the flag you are presenting. Under the pressure of GDR police (and security service) it would not have been possible to use a flag like this in the public. The symbol was mostly shown on scarfs, buttons and so on - but not (or very rarely) combined with the colors of the national flag.
Thomas Binder, 4 August 1998


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