GDR NAVAL ENSIGNS & FLAGS

GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Naval Ensigns & Flags • 1949-90

Image Added March 2019

Group Commander's Pennant

The Deutsche Demokratische Republik (German Democratic Republic or DDR) was formed in 1949 from the Soviet sector of occupied Germany. The historic black-red-gold tricolor of 1848, which had also been used by the Weimar Republic from 1919 to 1933, was adopted as the flag of the new state. In 1959, however, the arms of the DDR were added to distinguish it from the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).

After the adoption of the revised national flag in 1959, new flags and ensigns were introduced for the Volksmarine (People's Navy). Most featured the arms of the state within a laurel wreath. Some sources erroneously state that the naval jack was square with the state arms on a red field. In fact, however, the national flag DDR served as the jack. In 1962 the Border Guard was transferred from the jurisdiction of the People's Police (Volkspolizei) to that of the Defense Ministry, and a new ensign for ships of the Border Guard was introduced. It was similar to the naval ensign, but with a green stripe at the hoist, green being the Border Guard branch color. This ensign was flown together with the naval jack and commissioning pennant. Technically the Border Guard was a separate service under the Defense Ministry, but to all intents and purposes the Border Guard Flotilla functioned as part of the Navy. Units of the Navy also had standards of the pattern common to all branches of the armed forces.

Except for the flag of the Chairman of the National Defense Council (Nationaler Verteidigungsrat), which was red, appointment and rank flags for use at sea were medium blue. Those for senior officials displayed the state arms within a wreath.

All these flags were abolished in 1990 when the DDR collapsed and was incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany.

Flag Proportions: Most GDR flags and ensigns were made in the traditional German 3:5 proportions.