Article 22 (2) of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany states: “The federal flag shall be black, red and gold.”

Source: BReg/Rolf Unterberg 1955

Section I no. 1 of the Directive concerning the German flags of 13 November 1996 adds: “The federal flag shall consist of three horizontal stripes of equal width, black at the top, red in the middle and gold at the bottom; the proportion of the hoist (width) to the fly (length) of the bunting shall be 3:5. The federal flag may also be displayed in the form of a banner. The banner shall consist of three vertical stripes of equal width, black at the left, red in the middle and gold at the right.”

The federal flag was ceremonially hoisted in the garden of the Federal Chancellery at Schaumburg Palace in Bonn on 5 May 1955 on the occasion of regaining national sovereignty.

It is important to note the difference between the federal flag and the federal institutions flag.