
Last modified: 2000-01-07 by marcus wendel
Keywords: germany | europe | east | political parties | sed | schwerter zu pflugscharen |
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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:
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
"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