Historical Flags (Berlin, Germany)

Last modified: 2001-12-14 by santiago dotor
Keywords: berlin | proposal | bear (black) | crown: mural | stripes: 5 |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

• Flag 1618-1861
• Flag 1861-1912
• Flag 1913-1943
• Flag 1943-1954 (East Berlin 1945-1956)
• West Berlin 1954-1990
• East Berlin 1956-1990
• CDU Proposal

See also:

• Prussian Historical Flags (Germany)
• Berlin (Germany)
• Germany

by Jorge Candeias

2:3
by Santiago Dotor

Horizontal black, red and white, designed by Ernst Fidicin with motive of the coronation of Wilhelm I, 19th December 1861. Was based in the Brandenburg colors.

Jaume Ollé (?)

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

In 1913, on the initiative of Ernst Friedel, a flag of red-white-red with the bear in the centre was created.

Jaume Ollé, 27 April 1998

Like the modern flag, but with the bear in the centre. Until 1935 the bear [w]as show[n] in several designs because no official details existed. Sigmund von Weech designed the official bear 12 July 1935 and it was added to the city shield in October and also to the flag.

Jaume Ollé (?), 17 May 1998

According to Stadler 1966, p. 93, Berlin did not have an official pattern of the arms between 1920 (creation of Greater Berlin) and 1934/35. Only in 1934/35 the already informally used arms —a black bear, armed and tongued red on a silver shield— were fixed. It was a design created by Sigmund von Weech which was adopted in 1934/35 and continued by the Magistrate of [East] Berlin from 1946 until the reunification of Berlin in 1990. Stadler 1966 also reports that the present flag (i.e. the West Berlin flag 1954-1990) was in unofficial use since 1912. The conclusion would be that there was no other design in the period referred by Jaume Ollé.

Dieter Linder, 30 April 1998

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

In 1943 the mural crown was added. The flag was confirmed on 20 May 1945 by the Assembly of Greater Berlin. In use by West Berlin 1943-1954 and by East Berlin (German Democratic Republic) 1943-1956.

Norman Martin (?)

Berlin Service Flag 1954: Same as the current flag, but with white shield with the bear replacing the figure of the bear. Above the shield a mural crown. Illustrated Talocci 1977, p. 35.

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

3:5 | stripes 1+3+1
by Jan Oskar Engene
Flag adopted 26th May 1954

Same as the present flag (...) Stadler 1966 reports that it was in unofficial use since 1912.

Dieter Linder, 30 April 1998

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

The East Berlin (German Democratic Republic) flag after 1945 was the same that in use previously, but after 7th November 1956 another design (without official regulation) came into use.

Jaume Ollé, 17 May 1998

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

The CDU in Berlin used in the Federal Republic of Germany a distinctive flag, perhaps based in the rejected design of 1952.

Jaume Ollé, 17 May 1998