Germany, as you know, after the defeat in World War II, was divided into several parts by the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition. The German Democratic Republic (abbreviated as the GDR) lasted from 1949 to 1990. It was also called East Germany. In this article we will tell you about the flag and coat of arms of the GDR, as well as explain the meaning of the symbols depicted on them.
GDR flag: photo and description
The flag of East Germany is a rectangular, horizontally oriented cloth with three colored stripes of the same width. The upper strip is black, the middle is red, and the lower is yellow (gold). The emblem of the GDR is placed in the geometric center of the canvas. But about it we will tell in more detail below.
The flag of East Germany was approved in October 1959. Previously (since 1949), it was identical to the flag of neighboring Germany and modern Germany.
The flag of the GDR, like the republic itself, was abolished in 1990. But now the banner is used by fans of some football clubs. Since far from all German fans positively perceive this symbol, the demonstration of the former flag of East Germany in many stadiums is prohibited.
Coat of arms of the GDR: photo and description
In its color scheme, this symbol echoes the flag of the republic. The central figures in the coat of arms of the GDR are a pair of compasses and a gold-colored hammer superimposed on one another. These figures are located on a red background and are surrounded by a wreath of wheat ears. In the lower part, this wreath is entwined with a national black-red-yellow ribbon. It is curious that in practice the figures of the coat of arms of East Germany were found in two color options: gold and yellow.
This version of the coat of arms in the GDR was developed and approved in 1955 according to the project of the artist Heinz Beling. Before that, there was a semi-official emblem in the republic, on which only two figures were depicted: a wreath and a hammer. How she looked, you can see in the next picture.
The image of the national emblem of the GDR could also be seen in the symbols of the People’s Army and People’s Police of the Republic.
Character Meaning
What does the emblem of the GDR and the flag of an already defunct republic mean?
Looking at the coat of arms of East Germany, associations with Freemasons immediately arise. The compass and hammer are indeed symbols of the Masonic movement. However, in this case, they are only analogues of the Soviet sickle and hammer.
In the coat of arms and flag of the German Democratic Republic, a golden compass indicates the intelligentsia, a hammer means workers, and ears of wheat the peasantry. The combination of all these figures symbolizes the unity of representatives of these layers of German society. Interestingly, back in the middle of the 19th century, the working class in Germany chose the compass as its main symbol. In the German tradition, this instrument personifies not only science as such, but also the famous German precision, as well as the high quality of products made by the hands of the Germans.
The colors of the German flag have been known since 1848. It is believed that they were borrowed from the uniform of the German soldiers who participated in the war with Napoleon Bonaparte. What is the meaning of these colors?
The black stripe on the flag symbolizes the strength and courage of the Germans, as well as the difficult past of the German people. The red bar is nothing but the blood of fighters shed in the battles for the Motherland. Yellow (gold) color serves as a symbol of freedom, democracy and the bright future of the country.