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Weimar Republic (Germany)

Weimarer Republik

by Mark Sensen

The national flag of the Weimar Republic was the same as the modern German flag, the black-red-yellow tricolour (1919-1933).

Flags of the Weimar Republic

by Norman Martin

In 1914, the German Empire entered into the conflict which acquired the name of World War I. When in the fall of 1918, Germany was finally clearly losing the war, disorder and rebellion broke out in many places in Germany. Among others, on October 28 1918, the large naval garrison at Kiel with the ships in port, mutinied and, at least some lowered their ensigns and raised red flags. As far as I know, these were plain red flags, although some may have had the initials or names of the Independent Social Democrats (USPD) or, less likely, the Social Democrats (SPD). When on 21 June 1919, the German fleet of 10 battleships, and 169 smaller ships scuttled their ships at Scapa Flow (Scotland) rather than surrender, the reports that mention flags indicate that they were flying the imperial ensign.

During the overthrow of the monarchy in November, there are many reports of the use of red flags as symbol of the new order: on the 9th and 10th, red flags were raised at the railway station at Mannheim, at the palace of the crown prince and the castle in Berlin, at the Royal Palace in Leipzig, and carried by troops marching through the street in Berlin. In addition many of the ships also raised the red flag. Some of these represented the fledgling Communists, but many were more identifying with the new Social Democratic government. For instance, the auto carrying Chancellor (later President) Ebert flew a red flag on November 9 and 10. The confusion concerning flags can be seen in some photographs of the period. For example, in a picture showing the Guard Division marching into the Pariserplatz (in front of the Brandenburg gate) on Dec. 10, 1918, it is not clear what flags outside of white and black lance pennons the troops are carrying, but the welcoming crowd has red flags, black-white-red tricolors, Imperial Ensigns and black-red-gold flags. In a picture about a month later showing the 47th division, returning from the front, marching into the same square, the troops are marching under the black-white Prussian colors, soon to become the official Landesflagge of Prussia, while the buildings are decorated with Imperial ensigns and a few black-white-red tricolors. There are many pictures during this period of soldiers flying red flags. During the Spartacus uprising (Dec 1918-March 1919), the Volksmarinedivision and other Communist units flew of course the red flag.

Although I have several dozen photographs of government troops during the uprising, not one shows any flags--even one of a parade has no flag visible. It is difficult to be certain about flags during such periods of political upheaval. In general, one cannot assume that old flags were being used merely because new official ones had not been adopted, nor can one necessarily conclude that old ones were discarded merely because the new government was not fond of them. I could make some guesses, but I'm trying to report what I have really good reason to believe.

The Weimar constitution (August 1919) provided for (Art.3):

1) National Flag (Reichsflagge) The black-red-gold tricolor. This flag was in use until early 1933 (de facto, 31 January, de jure April), but was again adopted by the Federal Republic in 1949 and is still in use. It was also used by the German Democratic Republic 1955-1959. (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.1;Smith, FTAAW, p. 121, Crampton, p.43, French 1990 Flag Book p.17).

2) Merchant Flag (Handelsflagge)

The black-white-red tricolor with the national flag in the canton. The usage was suspended for 2 years, but became permanent with the 1921 ordinance on flags. This flag was in use until early 1933 (de facto, 31 January, de jure April). (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.2;Smith, FTAAW, p. 121).

Concerning the German Weimar Republic ensigns, of black-white-red pattern with black-red-yellow flag in canton, I understood that this canton was as high as the black stripe, but I found today in W. Smith's 1975 "Flags Through the Ages and Around the World" that the canton was smaller than that. On the images Smith gives, the canton is 3/5 of the black stripe, and it seems (maybe it is a printing error) that it had white fimbriation on its fly side.
Zeljko Heimer, 3 October 1996

The 3/5 seems to be correct, but from my observations only the small black stripe was fimbriated white on its fly side.
Carsten Linke, 4 October 1996

In December 1919, President Ebert issued a decree establishing:
3) National Ensign (Reichskriegsflagge)

by Jaume Ollé, 15 August 1998

Like the former Ensign, except that the black-white-red in the canton is replaced by the black-red-gold (the Iron Cross remaining) and the Prussian royal eagle in the round center field is replaced by a new "republican" eagle (i.e. essentially the old eagle without the crown, orb or scepter and with no escutcheon--I have never seen it). Ratio 3:5. This was replaced in 1921.

The ensign was adopted according to the order of September 1919, but was never really used. The information is from Valentin and Neubecker (pag. 221) and Lucien Phillipe. Lucien drew the flag with the ratio c. 5:9 (?) Jaume Ollé, 15 August 1998

4) Jack (Goesch)

Similar to the merchant flag except for having an Iron Cross in the center and the black-red-gold canton fills the entire depth of the black stripe. Hence, it is much like the old Jack with a black-red-gold canton. The ratio of height to length was 3/5 and the Iron Cross was 2/3 the height of the flag. This was replaced in 1921.(I do not have an illustration, but it is like Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.657, no.1, except for being slightly longer).

4a) Flag of the President (Flagge der Reichspräsidenten)

by Jaume Ollé, 12 September 1998

The black-red-gold tricolor with a gold square field with the black eagle of the ensign at its center. The height of the center square is 5/9 of the height of the flag, thus overlapping the top and bottom stripes slightly. This flag was used 1919-1921.

Art.3 of the Weimar Constitution adopted 11 August provides for the national flag (Reichsfarbn) to be black-red-gold. Technically, I suppose the previous national flag (black-white-red) would have continued in effect until then (though one might also say that Germany had no national flag from the proclamation of the republic the previous November, or that the black-red-gold--or the red--flag was de facto in use in this period; in fact, all three flags and some others were intermittently in use, but none had a constitutional basis until the adoption of the Weimar constitution). The indicated flag was officially adopted in December 1919 and replaced in 1921 by what is now the Presidential Banner. (It is not clear how long the 1919 flag was actually used.)
Norman Weimar, 16 September 1998

The 1919 presidential flag was adopted by the decree about the flag of the Reichpresident, the flag of the Reichminister of defense and the new flag of the Reichnavy of the 27th September 1919, published in the Marine-Verordnungblatt, page 463. These last flags were abolished by the Ordinance on the German flags of the 11th April 1921. The last sentence of the first part of the ordinance gives a clue on the validity of the previous flags and not only those adopted in 1919. It states that "the former flags might be used till the 1st January 1922".
Pascal Vagnat, 17 September 1998

4b) National Postal Flag (Reichspostflagge) A golden post horn on a black-red-gold tricolor. It was replaced by the very similar flag 10) below in 1921. The two differed only in the width of the red stripe and the a small detail in the design of the horn.

On March 13, 1920, a monarchist group led by a minor official named Wolfgang Kapp, Gen. von Luettwitz and Capt. Ehrhardt, seized Berlin, declared Kapp Chancellor and Luettwitz commander. They were defeated by a general strike of the workers and government officials after 4 days. The Kapp putsch used the 1903-1918 Imperial ensign [see part III, no. 4)] as their flag (not the 1919-21 ensign)

On 11 April 1921, the decree on flags was issued. It provided for 10 flags, two of which were the two specified by the constitution and in addition 5)-12) below:

5) The Standard of the President (Standarte des Reichspraesidenten)

This is a slightly variant standard of arms (black eagle on gold field) with a red border. This was abolished in 1933, but again adopted by the Federal Republic in 1950 and is still in effect. (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.4; Smith, FTAAW, p. 227, Crampton, p.43)

6) Flag of Government Authorities at Sea (Flagge der Reichsbehoerden zur See) The black-white-red tricolor (Part III, no. 1) with the Arms shifted slightly toward the hoist. This was abolished in 1926 (Illustrated Smith, FTAAW, p. 121 [but miscaptioned as State Ensign 1926-1933, instead of State Ensign 1921-1926])

7) Flag of Government Authorities on Land (Dienstflagge der Reichsbehoerden zu Lande)

The black-red-gold tricolor with the Arms shifted slightly toward the fly. This was abolished in 1933, but readopted by the Federal Republic without the restriction to land in 1950 and is still in use (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.5;Smith, FTAAW, p. 227, Crampton,p.43, French 1990 Flag Book p.17).

8a) The War Ensign (Kriegsflagge)

Tom Gregg, 13 March 1997

Like the merchant flag, but with an Iron Cross in the center (except for the canton and the size, like the Imperial jack [part VI, no.25]). This was abolished in 1933. (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.3; Smith, FTAAW, p. 121, Crampton, p.43).

8b) Government authorities flag at sea (Dienstflagge der Reichsbehoerden zur See) 1921-1926

Black-white-red flag with eagle on shield. Ratio 2:3. In use 1919, 1921-1926. Mistakenly identified as the 1926-1933 ensign by Smi75b.

8c) Government authorities flag at sea (Dienstflagge der Reichsbehoerden zur See) 1926-1933

Tom Gregg, 13 March 1997

In 1926, the state flag and ensign were modified by the addition of the black-red-gold canton. In 1933, the state flag and ensign and the civil ensign were abolished, being replaced by the plain black-white-red tricolor (flown on land in conjunction with the Nazi flag).

9) Flag of the Defence Minister (Flagge des Reichswehrministers)

by Tom Gregg, 2 August 1998

The black-red-gold tricolor with the Iron Cross in the center. This was abolished in 1933. (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.3; Smith, FTAAW, p. 121, Crampton,p.43).

10) National Postal Flag (Reichspostflagge)

A golden post horn on a black-red-gold tricolor. The width of the red stripe is somewhat larger than the other stripes. This was abolished in 1933, but readopted by the Federal Republic in 1950 and used at least until recently. (Illustrated: Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.3; Crampton,p.43, Pedersen, International Flag Book in Color, 1971, p.30)

11) Jack (Goesch) Like the 1919-1921 Jack, except that the ratio of height to length is 2/3 (Illustrated (in black and white) Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.657, no.1) In use from 1921 to 1933, when the canton was removed.

12) Merchant Flag with the Iron Cross (Handelsflagge mit Eisernem Kreuz) Similar to the merchant flag, but with the Defence Minister flag instead of the National flag in canton. Usage basically as Imperial 26). Used from 1921-1933.

On 5 of May 1926 the following change was decreed:

13) Flag of Government Authorities at Sea (Flagge der Reichsbehoerden zur See) Same as flag of government authorites at sea, but with the black-red-gold in the canton as in the merchant flag. This was established in 1926, replacing the jack and abolished in 1933 (Illustrated Grosse Brockhaus, 15th ed., vol.4, p.656, no.6; Crampton, p.43, Smith, FTAAW, p. 121 [but miscaptioned as State Ensign 1921-1926, instead of State Ensign 1926-1933])

In addition, at least the following Imperial flags remained in use:
the ship's pennant 15),
admiral's 16),
vice-admiral's 20),
rear-admiral's 24),
Commodore's 21),
Flotilla 22),
Division 23),
Pilot 27)

14) Pilot flag (Lotsenflagge) Like the previous pilot flag, but with the current merchant flag (Part VIII, no.2) instead of the plain black-white-red flag in the center.

In addition to the substitution of 13) for 6), the flag ordinance of 5 May 1926 provided that at embassies and consulates outside of Europe and at European port cities, the merchant flag 2) be flown along with the Government authorities flag on land 7).

During the whole period of the republic, there was considerable dispute about the flag: the pro-republican parties (especially the Social Democrats) supporting the black-red-gold, while the right wing parties (including the monarchists and the Nazis) urging a reversion to the black-white-red. The Nazis especially were very strongly opposed to the black-red-gold referring to it as "black-red-mustard, or worse black-red-chicken s---". When in 1933, the Nazis took power, they altered virtually all the country's flags.

State Ensign

(Schiffahrtdienstflagge der Reichsbehoerden): black-white-red tricolour with a black German eagle beaked and armed red on a gold shield and a black-red-yellow tricolour in the canton (Source: Brockhaus Enzyklopaedie). Ratio 2:3. In use 1926-1933. From 1921-1926, the same flag was used, without the canton.

The flags described here were used officially until 1935 (not 1933), although after 1933 they were in practice used simultaneously with the Third Reich flag.
Zeljko Heimer, 8 October 1996

German States in the Weimar Republic

Several states exisedt in the era of the called Weimar Republic. I include in this time all the states between the fall of the empire until the start of the III Reich (1918-1933). For example the Peoples Republic of Reuss wasn't a communist state, but socialist, but their leaders promoted the merger with other states to created the larger State of Thuringia. But for some period during these years the states existed and had flags. Also the communist states has flags.
Compiled by Jaume Ollé, modified by Mario Fabretto, 24 August 1998

Anhalt Adopted 18 July 1919. Horizontal white, green, red. I read that the revolutionaries also used the same flag reversed (i.e. red, green, white, perhaps for the pre-eminency of the red ideology), but this is not sure.

The 1918 constitution, art.1, stated that the traditional red-green-white flag of Anhalt remained unchanged, so this was the official color disposition. Rosenfeld, in his 1884 work, reported a quite unusual (but heraldic correct) red-white-green flag for Anhalt. I don't have other evidence for such a color disposition.

Baden yellow, red, yellow, horizontal.

Bayern Soviet Republic 4 April to 1 May 1919: plain red flag. After this the white blue flag was readopted (better restored)

Bremen November 1918 to summer 1919 plain red flags and red over white flags were used. Later the striped flag of Bremen adopted 17 November 1891 was restored (Ratio 15:23)

As for other Communist flags used in Germany around 1918-1919, the red flags never officially replaced the other flags. They were used during attempts to create Soviet-style states which, in some cases, co-existed for some times with the official governments.

Brunswick blue over yellow

Hessen

The merchant ensign was red-white-red (1:1:1) (5 July 1923 - 1933) while the service flag was red-white-red (1:2:1) with the Land coat of arms in the middle (this was essentially the old merchant ensign) (5 July 1923 - 1933).

Lippe yellow over red

Lubeck white over red

Mecklemburg blue, yellow, red flag adopted 24 May 1923

Mecklemburg-Schwerin November 1918 to 1919: a blue, white, red flag. Later blue, yellow, red flag

Mecklemburg-Strelitz (1919-23) blue, yellow, red flag

The history of flags of Mecklemburg is quite complex. After the proclamation of the republic in 1918, Mecklemburg-Schwerin and Mecklemburg-Strelitz became two separate entities, for the first time with different coats of arms. The traditional flag of Mecklemburg was the blue-yellow-red one, used in the past by both entities, and kept in use by both after 1918 (approved 24 May 1923 for M.-Strelitz). In 1933 they were unified again. Mecklemburg-Schwerin was a coastal province and, as in the past, a merchant ensign was adopted with the colors blue-white-red, which were the colors of Rostock (so with a different origin with respect to the colors of the State flag). So the flag for both Mecklemburgs was the blue-yellow-red (and it always had been so), while Mecklemburg-Schwerin had also a blue-white-red merchant ensign which is the flag usually reproduced on old charts and books dealing with *maritime flags*.

Oldenburg: red over blue flag

The flag adopted on 3 October 1919 for the Lander was the blue one with the red cross. The striped flag was the flag with the Lander colors.

Prussia black over white flag. State Ensign was black, white, black (1:2:1) with eagle.

The black-white-black (1:4:1) flag with the eagle was a service flag, adopted 24 February 1922 and confirmed 23 April 1922.

Rhenania The first republic was proclaimed 1 June 1919 by J.A. Dorten and was centered in Wiesbaden. Perhaps the green, white, red flag was used. Also reported was the use of the Westfalian colors green, white, black horizontal (reported also vertical) but this information is uncertain.

In 1923, tension between France and Germany resulted in the Rhenish independentist movement proclaiming the short lived Rhenania Republic (demonstrations started on 23 September; republic proclaimed 22 October). President Dorten stabilized a confederate regime with three states: North (Lower Rhine), South (Upper and Middle Rhine) and Ruhr, with capitals in each at in Aix la Chapelle, Koblenz and Essen; Cologne was the hedquarters of the confederate government. The Republic was abolished 27 February 1924. Green, white, red horizontal flag

Reuss Peoples Republic black, red, yellow (Ratio 2:3)

Reuss-Gera black, red, yellow (Ratio unknow, perhaps 3:4)

Reuss-Greiz black, red, yellow (Ratio unknow, perhaps 3:4)

Reuss-Greiz and Reuss-Schleiz-Gera were included in the new Lander of Thuringia in 1920. Previously (1820-1918) the Greiz line placed the colors horizontally on the flag while the Schleiz-Gera placed them mainly vertically.

Saxony Soviet Republic 1918-1919, red flag with black hammer and sickle in the center

by Jaume Ollé, 21 August 1998

Saxony (the zone of the Prusian Province): Landersfarben yellow over black.

Flag black over yellow, adopted 1884 and retained after 1918.

Saxony Republic white over green horizontal flag adopted 1 November 1920, and used already after some months (after the fall of the Soviet Republic).

Saxony-Altenburg white over green flag

Saxony-Coburg (1919-1920) green over white flag. After 1920 the republic was merged by Bayern and the Bavarian flag was in use

Saxony-Gotha (officially Saxony-Coburg-Gotha): green over white flag

Saxony-Meiningen white over green flag

Saxony-Weimar black, yellow, green flag

In 1920 all these small States were included in the new Lander of Thuringia. It is possible they retained their old symbols in the period 1918-1920 but they weren't official subdivisions of the republic. In any case Saxony-Coburg-Gotha doubled the stripes on the flag in 1911 and Saxony-Meiningen placed the colors green over white officially from 1835.

Sarre: blue, white, black horizontal flag adopted 28 July 1920.

Schaumburg-Lippe white, red, blue horizontal flag

Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt blue over white

Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen blue over white

Thuringia The small states of Ernestin Saxony and other states of Thuringia (Peoples Republic of Reuss) were merged in a new republic named Thuringia. White over red flag was adopted

Waldeck black, red, yellow horizontal flag

Wurttemberg black over red

This information comes from several sources, many of which are incomplete because the adoption date is unknown or not quoted. A few states existed for only around two years, in the confused era after the WWI (November 1918-1920)