The flag of the
German State of
North Rhine-Westphalia is a horizontal tricolor consisting of green, white and red.
Overview
After the establishment of
North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946, the tricolor was first introduced in 1948, but was not formally adopted until 1953.
[ ] The plain variant of the tricolor is considered the
civil flag and state ensign, while government authorities use the
state flag (''Landesdienstflagge'') which is defaced with the
state's coat of arms.
The flag is a combination of the two former provinces of
Prussia that comprise most of the state: the
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province (german: Rheinprovinz), also known as Rhenish Prussia () or synonymous with the Rhineland (), was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822 to 1946. It ...
and
Westphalia. The state ensign can easily be mistaken for the
flag of Hungary, as well as the former civil
flag of Iran (Persia) (1910–1980) and the flag of the
Parti patriote.
The same flag was used by the
Rhenish Republic
The Rhenish Republic (german: Rheinische Republik) was proclaimed at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) in October 1923 during the occupation of the Ruhr by troops from France and Belgium (January 19231925) and subjected itself to French protectorate. It ...
(1923–1924) as a symbol of independence and freedom.
History
File:Red St George's Cross.svg, Electorate of Trier
The Electorate of Trier (german: Kurfürstentum Trier or ' or Trèves) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the end of the 9th to the early 19th century. It was the temporal possession of the prince- ...
(898–1801)
File:Black St George's Cross.svg, Free Imperial City of Aachen (1166–1801)
File:Flag of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster.svg, Prince-Bishopric of Münster (1770–1803)
File:Flag of the Cisrhenian Republic.svg, Cisrhenian Republic (1797)
File:Flag of the county of Dülmen.svg, County of Dülmen (1803–1806)
File:Flag of Arenberg (1803 - 1810).svg, Arenberg (1803–1810)
File:Flag of Salm principalities (1798-1811).svg, Principality of Salm (1802–1811)
File:Flag of the Grand Duchy of Berg (1806-1808).svg, Grand Duchy of Berg (1806–1808)
File:Flagge Preußen - Rheinland.svg, Rhine Province
The Rhine Province (german: Rheinprovinz), also known as Rhenish Prussia () or synonymous with the Rhineland (), was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822 to 1946. It ...
(1822–1946)
File:Flagge Preußen - Provinz Westfalen.svg, Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia () was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946. In turn, Prussia was the largest component state of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, of the Weimar Republic and from 1918 ...
(1815–1946)
File:Fürstentum Lippe c 1858- c 1880.svg, Principality of Lippe
Lippe (later Lippe-Detmold and then again Lippe) was a historical state in Germany, ruled by the House of Lippe. It was located between the Weser river and the southeast part of the Teutoburg Forest.
It was founded in the 1640s under a separa ...
(c.1858–1880)
File:Flagge Fürstentum Lippe.svg, Principality of Lippe (1880–1918) and Free State of Lippe (1918–1947)
File:Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg, Rhenish Republic
The Rhenish Republic (german: Rheinische Republik) was proclaimed at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) in October 1923 during the occupation of the Ruhr by troops from France and Belgium (January 19231925) and subjected itself to French protectorate. It ...
(1923–1924)
See also
*
Flags of German states
References
External links
*
{{German flags
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design empl ...