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West German states (Germany)

Last modified: 2000-01-07 by marcus wendel
Keywords: germany | cologne | trier | mainz | palatinate | aremberg | papenberg | salm-salm | salm-horstmar | rhineland | hesse | leyen | westphalia | frankfurt | regensburg | saar | schaumburg | lippe |
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1) Cologne

[Hesse National] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

A black St. George cross on a white flag. In use from 14th century until the late 18th century.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

2) Trier

[Trier] by Jaume Ollé 22 August 1998

A red St. George cross on a white flag. In use from 14th century until the late 18th century.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

2a) Trier

Red, yellow, black horizontal flag. Unknown dates (perhaps the current local flag?)
Norman Martin in April, 1998

3) Mainz

[Mainz] by Jaume Ollé, 25 August 1998
A white wheel on a red field. In use from 14th century until the late 18th century.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

4) Palatinate (of the Rhine)

[Palatinate of the Rhine] by Jaume Ollé, 22 August 1998

A gold lion on a black field. In use from 14th century until the late 18th century.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

5) Aremberg

[Aremburg] by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

A yellow-red-blue horizontal tricolor, the red stripe twice as wide as the other two and having at its center a white disk with the arms of Aremberg. In use at least from 1792, conceivably as early as 1771, to 1803, but possibly as late as 1810 (when it was annexed by France,on 13 December 1810). [Illustrated in outline in Flag Bulletin 93, p.67]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

6) Aremberg

[Aremburg] by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

A yellow-red-blue horizontal tricolor, having at its center the arms of Aremberg. This has a reported use in 1807. It is not clear if this refers to the same flag. If it does one of the reports would be mistaken. On the other hand this may represent a modification of the earlier design.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

7) Papenberg 1813, 1823, 1832

[Papenberg] by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

A yellow-red-blue vertical tricolor. Possibly a flag of Aremberg [Illustrated in outline in Flag Bulletin 93, p.70]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

8) Salm-Salm

Triangular flag-red with two yellow "bars adossés" and 4 yellow crosses of Lorraine.
This flag may not belong to the house of Salm-Salm. The 4 yellow crosses were added when the House of Salm-Salm inherited through Christine part of the region of Lorraine.
Hans A.M. Weebers, 2 December 1998.

9) Salm-Salm

Rectangular flag-red with two white "bars adossés" and 4 white Greek crosses. In use since 1386.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

For the Salm territories after the adjustment of 1803, by which the Salm princes acquired Münster territories east of the Rhine to compensate for territories the French annexed in 1793:

10) Salm-Salm and Salm-Horstmar

A black-white-red horizontal tricolor. Not clear when adopted but certainly by 1803. Use abandoned in 1811 when the principalities were annexed.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

11) Salm-Salm

[Salm-Salm] by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

A square white flag with the arms at the center and with a black-white-red border (from inside out). Certainly existed but dates are unknown.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

[Salm-Salm]    [Salm-Salm]
by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

The Principalty of Salm-Salm (located in the departement Vosges, capital Senones) was annexed by France on the 2nd March 1793. (Some historians say that the Principalty freely chose to be attached to France). The Principalty has a triangular flag, red with two yellow "bars adossés" and four yellow crosses of Lorraine and four roses. There was also a variant, rectangular with the fishes being white as well as the crosses which are Greek crosses. No roses. This flag is still flying each Sunday in Senones when there is the changing the guards. It also flew during the bicentenary of the annexion of the principalty, in 1993, and especially during the visit of the last descendant of the Princes of Salm-Salm, Charles-Philippe of Salm. This flag in this oldest representation can be seen on a mural painting (1386) in the Franciskaner Kirche in Lucerne in Switzerland.
Pascal Vagnat, 22 April 1998

12). Rheina-Wolbeck

Colors red-yellow. In use during the Napoleonic era. Created 31 January 1803.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

12a) Great Duchy of Berg

Granted to Gral. Murat. Used flag white over dark red between 15 March 1806 to July 1808, when the french tricolor was adopted. In 1808 the crown passed to Napoleon Louis (son of Louis Bonaparte) and Murat was granted the kingdom of Naples. Napoleon Louis was under the regency of the Emperor Napoleon. In 1810 the Great Duchy was annexed to France, taking effect on 1 January 1811. (Information provided by Lucien Philippe).

The flag is white over dark red ("amarante" if I don't remember wrong).
Norman Martin in April, 1998

12b) Lance pennon of Berg

Amarante over white swallow tailed (c. 1:2). This information is from the Flag Bulletin and the colors are reversed that in the information from L. Philippe.

13) Cisrhenian Republic

A green-white-red tricolor. Adopted early in 1797 and hoisted in various territories, specifically 28 August 1797 in Cologne, 14 (or 28?) Sept 1797 in Koblenz, 15 Sept 1797 in Mainz, 22 Sept 1797 in Bonn, mostly under the influence of Gen. Hoche, whose French troops had occupied the Rhineland. It is not certain whether the flag was a horizontal or vertical tricolor, although those authorities I have seen seem to prefer horizontal. Use abandoned late in November 1797, when the Cisrhenian territory was annexed to France (oficially on 25 December 1797), and use of the flag was prohibited. This flag was used briefly by the Rhenish Republic during the French occupation of the Rhineland after World War I. A vertical variant has also been reported.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

14) Rhine area

A blue-green-red tricolor. Reported raised 1797. It appears to have been a political flag.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

15) Rhine area

A light red-blue-green tricolor. Reported raised 1797. It appears to have been a political flag.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

15a) Rhine area

Blue, red, green horizontal. Lucien Philippe report it as the Rhenish republic national flag, and also as a vertical variant.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

15b) Rhine Confederation

[Napoleon's standard in Rhine Confederation] by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

No Confederate flag. The French flag was used. Napoleon was the Protector and used his personal standard (attached). The image is labelled de_napol because in this case it refers ton a old state of Germany.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

16) Salm-Kyrburg

[Salm-Kyrburg] by Zeljko Heimer, 26 June 1996

Colors black-white-red probably horizontal). Probably traditionally in use and certainly used after the arrival of French troops. Use abandoned 7 March 1798, when the principality was annexed.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

16a) Leyen

Colors blue-white-blue. Probably traditionally in use and certainly used after the arrival of French troops. Use abandoned 16 March 1798, when the county was annexed.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

16b) Croy-Dulmen.

[Croy-Dulmen] by Jaume Ollé, 23 August 1998

Existed between 1803 to 1806. Suposed flag (FB 102)
Norman Martin in April, 1998

17) Rhine Republic 1806

[Flag of Rhine Republic] by Rob Raeside 22 December 1997

I remember seeing the Rhine Republic flag as being a horizontal tricolor of green-white-black.
V. Ward, 7 September 1996

I have seen an image of the flag of the short-lived Rhenanian Republic in an old book, but I'm not sure of the first colour (blue or green - it was difficult to distinguish). The details of this flag were published in the Flag Bulletin, but the issue is now out of print. This may be the flag of the Rhenanian Confederation (not Republic) of 1806.

It should be noted that most of the records of territories of the Confederation of the Rhine were destroyed, probably because the various princes were embarrassed by their collaboration with the French. As a result much of the flag data of the Napoleonic period is difficult to come by. It should be noted that similar difficulties in getting a clear picture also happened in later times, e.g., in 1918-21, in that case primarily because of the fluidity of the situation.

17b) Montbeliard pre-1793

Occupied by France (11 Octuber 1793) and annexed (recognized by Treatry of Luneville 9 February 1801). The county was transferred to France by Prince Charles Eugene of Wurttemberg on 10 May 1748 except the principality of Montbeliard that was under the German Empire until 1803.

Red over yellow flag
Norman Martin in April, 1998

17c) Montbeliard city c. 1470-XVI century

Red, white, light blue, horizontal flag
Norman Martin in April, 1998

17d) Montbeliard city c. 1599

Light blue, yellow, red, horizontal flag
Norman Martin in April, 1998

17e) Montbeliard city 1748-1793 military flag

[Montbeliard] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

17f) Mulhouse Republic (Free City)

[Mulhouse] by Jaume Ollé 23 August 1998

17g) Mulhouse

[Mulhouse] by Jaume Ollé 23 August 1998

Used for some time until 1789 when it was annexed to France.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

18) Hesse Grand Duke

[Hesse Grand Duke] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

Banner of (the small) arms of Hesse [Illustrated Crampton, Flags of the World p.44]

The sword should be straight. In Crampton's illustration the effect comes from the design of the flag that shows her waving. Why a different shade of blue? This is the standard that replaced 18) in 1903.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

19) Hesse National

[Hesse National] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

A horizontal triband red-white-red, ratio of stripes: 1:2:1. At the center the crowned small arms of Hesse (like the present arms, except for form of crown) In use 1843-1918. [Illustrated Jaume Olle's Historical Flags]

This design corresponds to the royal family standard from 1839 until (at least) 1903 (information about its use after 1903 is lacking). The State flag and merchant ensign 1839-1903 was the same without the crown. The shield should be in the white stripe only touching the red ones.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

20) Hesse Merchant

[Hesse Merchant Flag] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

A horizontal triband red-white-red, ratio of stripes: 1:2:1. At the center the uncrowned small arms of Hesse (like the present arms) In use 1843-1866? (I presume it was abolished as a result of the founding of the North German Confederation).

The sword held by the lion was silver and the crown should be a royal crown. The lion is "armed or", which means his claws are gold. This flag was used from 1839 until 1903. In 1902 the design of the arms was changed and this brought the modification of all the flags and ensigns (see n.21)). In 1866, entering the North German Confederation, and later in the German Empire, Hesse-Darmstad (Grand Duchy) changed the name simply to Hesse, being Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Homburg disappeared.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

21) Hesse Standard

[Hesse Standard] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

A horizontal triband red-white-red, ratio of stripes: 1:2:1. At the center the uncrowned small arms of Hesse (like the national flag, except for form of shield). In each corner a golden crown. In use 1843-1918 [Illustrated National Geographic 1917, p.367, no. 1002]

This was the State flag and merchant ensign 1903-1918. In 1913 the design of the crowns was simplified with respect to the 1903 design.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

22) Hesse: Grand Duke of Hesse bei Rhein

[Hesse Standard] by Jaume Ollé 24 August 1998

The Grand Duke of Hesse bei Rhein is the official title of the ruler of Hesse. A horizontal bicolor red-white. In the center the crowned small arms surrounded by garter. In use 1870. Abolished by 1919. [Illustrated Jaume Ollé's Historical Flags].

In 1903 the standard reverted to the old form of an armorial banner.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

23) Frankfurt 1848, 1865

[Frankfurt] by Jaume Ollé, 25 August 1998

Four stripes red-white-red-white with a white canton whose height is 1/2 of the flag with a shield with the arms of Frankfurt.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

24) Frankfurt 1862

[Frankfurt] by Jaume Ollé, 25 August 1998

A horizontal triband red-white-red with a white canton whose height is 2/3 of the flag with a shield with the arms of Frankfurt.

On 4 March 1833 the Trading Commission reported to the Senate that the State was lacking a law about the flag and proposed a white over red flag with the coat of arms in the canton. The Senate decided the next day (5 March) to choose a flag with four stripes red-white-red-white with the coat of arms in the canton. This flag was used until 1937 by the town motor boats. Prop. 2:3. The coat of arms has been, from the 15th century, gules, an eagle argent, tongued and armed azure, beaked and crowned or.
Mario Fabretto, 27 August 1998

24a) Regensburg

Five horizontal stripes: red, white, red, white, red.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

24b) Kingdom of Westfalia

Granted to Jeronime Bonaparte. Lucien Philippe gives white over blue flag (1807-1813). Also white over dark red is reported.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

24c) Wurzburg colors

Red over yellow (I believe these are the pre-Napoleonic colors)
Norman Martin in April, 1998

24d) Wurzburg

Probably in Napoleonic era was added blue to form: red, blue, yellow horizontal flag.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

24e) Isenburg

Unknown dates. Light blue over yellow.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

24f) Wied

[Prince of Wied] by Jaume Ollé, 25 August 1998
Principality created 1784. Transferred to Nassau 1806, and included in the Prussian Rhenish territory in 1815, as a mediated principality. The flag is the Nassau one, with a yellow canton with the dynastic symbol. Reconstructed image
Norman Martin in April, 1998

25) Lippe - Prince

[Prince of Lippe] by Jaume Ollé, 22 August 1998
A horizontal bicolor yellow-red. At the center the crowned small arms of Lippe. In use by 1870. Abolished 1918. [Illustrated Jaume Olle's Historical Flags]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

This form of the prince' standard was used between c.1890 and c. 1895 by Prince Weldemar. With reversed colors (red over yellow) and a different crown this was the State flag (c. 1856 - c. 1876/78). The shield is always reproducted of rounded type (H.G.Stroehl-Deutsche Wappenrolle, 1897).
Mario Fabretto, 27 August 1998

26) Schaumburg-Lippe. National

[Schaumburg-Lippe National] by Jaume Ollé, 25 August 1998
A horizontal tricolor white-red-blue. At the center a white disk with the arms of Schaumburg-Lippe.

The national flag (Landesflagge) was white-red-blue without emblems from c.1880 (before white-green, yellow and red, red and yellow and blue-red-white flags were used). The flag was never officially adopted until 1922. The small princely standard was the striped flag with the small shield of Schaumburg on a white circle in the center. The coat of arms of Schaumburg-Lippe wasn't the one reproduced in Jaume's image: quartered 1st and 4th of Lippe (argent, a bloomed rose gules, buttoned and leaved or), 2nd and 3rd… [editor's note: information lost]. The shield in Jaume's design correspond to the arms of Reuss.
Mario Fabretto, 27 August 1998

26c) Schaumburg-Lippe. Prince

[Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe] by Jaume Ollé, 30 August 1998

27) Hessen-Nassau (Prussian Province) Landesfarben

[Hessen-Nassau] by Jaume Ollé, 28 August 1998

A horizontal tricolor red-white-blue. Officially adopted 3 June 1892.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

27a) Hessen Homburg Landersfarben

White over red. Comunication by L. Philippe.

27b) Hessen-Kassel Landerfarben

Red over white. Comunication by L. Philippe.

27c) Nassau territories Landerfarben

Horizontal orange, blue, orange. Probably variants were used in the differents dinastic territories. Informations based mainly in comunications from L. Philippe.

27d) Nassau-Dietz

Supposed flag. Blue over orange
Norman Martin in April, 1998

27e) Nassau-Usingen Supposed flag. Blue, orange, blue horizontal
Norman Martin in April, 1998

27f) Nassau-Weilburg

Supposed flag, orange over blue
Norman Martin in April, 1998

28) Rhineland (Prussian Province) Landesfarben

A horizontal bicolor green-white. Officially adopted 22 Oct 1882. Still used with a coat of arms in the middle of the white field by the Landschaftsverband Rheinland in Cologne.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

29) Westfalia (Prussian Province) Landesfarben

[Westfalia Landesfarben] by Jaume Ollé, 28 August 1998

A horizontal bicolor white-red. Officially adopted 22 Oct 1882. Still used with a coat of arms in the middle of the white field by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe in Muenster.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

30) Hesse. Landesfarben.

A horizontal bicolor red-white. In use until 1935. Re-adopted as Landesflagge 1948 [Illustrated Pedersen 1970]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

31) Schaumburg-Lippe. Landesfarben

[Schaumburg-Lippe] by Zeljko Heimer, 29 July 1996
A horizontal tricolor white-red-blue. In use until 1935.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

Still used and official (with the flags of Hannover (Land), Braunschweig and Oldenburg) by virtue of the Lower-Saxon law about the coat of arms and the flag of the Land (Gesetz ueber Wappen, Flaggen und Siegel vom 13. Oktober 1952, GVBl. s. 169).
Pascal Vagnat, 22 April 1998

32) Lippe. Landesfarben

A horizontal bicolor yellow-red. In use until 1935.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

33) Waldeck-Pyrmont Landesfarben. A horizontal tricolor black-red-yellow.

33a) First reported previous 1848: yellow over black

b) Second reported previous 1848: yellow, red, black horizontal

The black-yellow-red colors go back at least to 1814, when the prince issued an ordinance on which it was stated: Art. 12 "Every man in the militia will wear, as identification symbol, a red-yellow-black cockade". Yellow and black were certainly the colors of the country in 1692. A flag reproduced in the civic archive of the town of Wildungen shows a red-yellow-black flag with a black star in the center and the date 1775.

The Country flag had always been the plain tricolor, until 1918. The coat of arms, with mantle, supporters, etc., was placed on the red stripe of the princely standard from c.1890; previously it was the same as the Country flag.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

34) Saargebiet

[Saargebeit] by Mark Sensen

A horizontal tricolor blue-white-black. In use 1920-1935. See also Saargebeit page.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

35) Hesse. Landesdienstflagge

Like Landesflagge, but with the crowned arms (with leaf crown) Adopted 31 Dec 1949 [Illustrated Smith, FTAAW, p.227]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

35a) Hesse Minister President

[Hesse Minister-President]by Jaume Ollé, 28 August 1998

36) North Rhine-Westphalia. Landesflagge

A horizontal tricolor green-white-red [Illustrated Pedersen 1970]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

37) North Rhine-Westphalia. Landesdienstflagge

A horizontal tricolor green-white-red with the arms shifted slightly left of center (the shield also isn't symmetrical). [Illustrated Smith, FTAAW, p.227]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

Landesflagge is without any coat of arms, while Landesdienstflagge has the coat of arms slightly moved toward the hoist.
Mario Fabretto, 28 August 1998

38) Rhineland-Pfalz. Landesflagge

[Rhineland-Pflaz Minister-President] by Nathan Augustine, 6 December 1995

The National flag. In the upper hoist, slightly overlapping the red stripe, the state arms.[Illustrated Smith, FTAAW, p.227]
Norman Martin in April, 1998

39) Rhineland-Pfalz. Minister-President

[Rhineland-Pflaz Minister-President] by Jaume Ollé, 28 August 1998, coat of arms by Mario Fabretto.

Square flag with the arms in the center of the tricolor and with a gold border.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

Rhineland-Pfalz. Service Flag on Cars

[Rhineland-Pflaz service flag for cars] by Jaume Ollé, 4 October 1998.

Service flag for use by the government president, state secretary, and higher dignitaries, when is used in car (shield in center instead of canton).
Norman Martin in April, 1998

40a) Saar

A white Greek Cross with upper half of field red and lower half blue. In use 17 Dec 1947 to 16 June 1948. (Existence of the flag doubtful - Pascal Vagnat, Norman Martin, 22 April 1998)
Norman Martin in April, 1998

40) Saar. National

[Saarland 1947] by Mark Sensen

A white Scandinavian cross with hoist fields blue and fly fields red. In use 16 June 1948 to 1 Jan 1957. [Illustrated Kannik 1957, no.196] Ratio 2:3. See also Saar page.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

41) Saarland. Landesflagge.

The National flag, with the arms of Saarland in the center, with a narrow white border, slightly overlapping black and gold stripes. Officially adopted 10 Sept 1956. See also Saar page.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

42) Saarland, Minister President

[Saarland, Minister-President] by Jaume Ollé, 28 August 1998

Square yellow flag with the arms in the center and a red inner and black outer border.

Most of the information concerning the Napoleonic era is based on articles by Dr. Günter Mattern published in the Flag Bulletin for 1976,1982 and 1983.
Norman Martin in April, 1998

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