Flags of German states

All German states have a Landesflagge (flag of the state, sometimes known as a civil flag), that may be used by anyone. Some states have another variant, often showing the state coat of arms, called the Dienstflagge (service flag or government flag, sometimes known as a state flag), normally for use by official government offices only. In addition to these flags, in a few states there are variants exclusively for the state senate, or for state-operated ships. In some cases, there are specific flags for high-ranking officials, mainly used as car flags. Frequently, the flags are used in vertical variants.

Current state flags

Since German reunification in 1990, there are 16 states and state flags.[1]

Civil flag State flag Administrative division Adopted Description Ref.

Baden-Württemberg 1954–present Flag of Baden-Württemberg [1]

Bavaria 1949–present Flag of Bavaria
Berlin 1954–present Flag of Berlin [1]
Brandenburg 1991–present Flag of Brandenburg

Bremen 1952–present Flag of Bremen
Hamburg Civil flag 1751–present; state flag introduced in 1897, confirmed in 1952 Flag of Hamburg [1]
Hesse 1949–present Flag of Hesse

Lower Saxony 1951–present Flag of Lower Saxony [1]
Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania 1991–present Flag of Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania
North Rhine-Westphalia 1953–present Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia
Rhineland-Palatinate 1948–present Flag of Rhineland-Palatinate
Saarland 1957–present Flag of Saarland
Saxony 1991–present Flag of Saxony
Saxony-Anhalt 1991–present Flag of Saxony-Anhalt
Schleswig-Holstein 1948–present Flag of Schleswig-Holstein
Thuringia 1991–present Flag of Thuringia

Historical flags

Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
South Baden 1945–1952 Flag of Baden
Württemberg-Baden
Württemberg-Hohenzollern
Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
East Berlin 1956–1990 Flag of Berlin
Brandenburg 1945–1952 Flag of Brandenburg
Mecklenburg Flag of Mecklenburg
Saxony-Anhalt Flag of Saxony-Anhalt
Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
Gau Saxony 1933-1945
Free State of Prussia Flag of Prussia
State of Thuringia Flag of Thuringia


Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
Free State of Anhalt 1918–1945
Republic of Baden Flag of Baden
Free State of Brunswick 1918–1946
Free State of Coburg 1918–1920
People's State of Hesse 1918–1945 Flag of Hesse
Free State of Lippe 1918–1947
Free City of Lübeck ?–1937
Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1918–1933 Flag of Mecklenburg
Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Free State of Oldenburg 1918–1946
Free State of Prussia 1918–1933 Flag of Prussia
People's State of Reuss 1919–1920
Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe 1918–1946
Free State of Saxe-Altenburg 1918–1920
Free State of Saxe-Meiningen
Free State of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Free State of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Free State of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Free State of Waldeck-Pyrmont 1918–1929
Free People's State of Württemberg 1918–1945
Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
Province of Brandenburg 1918–1945 Flag of Brandenburg
East Prussia
Province of Hanover
Province of Hesse-Nassau 1918–1944
Province of Hohenzollern 1918–1945
Province of Kurhessen 1944–1945
Province of Lower Silesia and Province of Silesia 1919–1945 Flag of Silesia
Province of Nassau 1944–1945
Province of Pomerania 1882–1945 Flag of Western Pomerania
Posen-West Prussia 1922–1938
Rhine Province 1922–1945
Province of Saxony 1918–1945 Flag of Saxony-Anhalt
Province of Schleswig-Holstein Flag of Schleswig-Holstein
Province of Upper Silesia 1919–1938
1941–1945
Flag of Upper Silesia
Province of Westphalia 1918–1945
Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
Alsace-Lorraine 1891–1918
Duchy of Anhalt 1863–1935
Grand Duchy of Baden 1891–1935

Flag of Baden

Kingdom of Bavaria 1806–present

Flag of Bavaria

Free Hanseatic City of Bremen 1891–present

Flag of Bremen

Duchy of Brunswick 1830–1935
Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg 1834–present

Flag of Hamburg

Grand Duchy of Hesse 1806–1918

Flag of Hesse

Principality of Lippe 1789–1918
The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck 1815–1937
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1813–1918

Flag of Mecklenburg

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1813–1918

Flag of Mecklenburg

Grand Duchy of Oldenburg 1871–1918
Kingdom of Prussia 1892–1918

Flag of Prussia

Principality of Reuss-Greiz 1806–1918
Principality of Reuss-Gera 1806–1918
Kingdom of Saxony 1815–1918

Flag of Saxony

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg 1893–1918
Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1911–1920
Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen 1680–1918
Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe 1880–1935
Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 1897–1920
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt ???–1918
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen ???–1918
Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont 1830–1929
Kingdom of Württemberg 1816–1918
Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
Berlin 1861–1912 Flag of Berlin
Province of Pomerania 1882–1945 Flag of Western Pomerania
West Prussia 1886–1920

Minority flags

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Slater, Stephen (2007). The world encyclopedia of flags & heraldry. London: Lorenz. pp. 147–149. ISBN 9780754817802.