Ceremonial raising of the Flag of Unity on the eve of 3 October 1990 (Larger version opens in new window) Source: BReg/Klaus Lehnartz Ceremonial raising of the Flag of Unity on the eve of 3 October 1990

As an autonomous constitutional entity at federal level, the German Bundestag has its own flag code, which is based on the Directive concerning the German flags and the Federal Government Decree concerning flag displays at federal buildings.

The flag

The Flag of Unity is never flown at half-mast nor decorated with black crepe streamers as a sign of mourning.

The Flag of Unity is 6 x 10 metres in size and is displayed on a flagpole 28.5 metres high. At the base of the flagpole is a bronze plate with the inscription “DEUTSCHE EINHEIT 3. OKTOBER 1990” (German Unity 3 October 1990). Four large spotlights built into the base illuminate the flagpole and flag at night.

The 5 x 7-metre federal flags flying from the four towers of the Reichstag building – one European and three federal flags – and the 3 x 5-metre European and federal flags flying from the small poles on the Platz der Republik and Friedrich-Ebert-Platz in front of and behind the Reichstag building are illuminated at night and thus remain on display 24 hours a day.

Flag of Unity and flags of the eastern and western federal states flying at the Platz der Republik, 3 October 1990 (Larger version opens in new window) Source: BArch Bild 183-1990-1003-417/Thomas Uhlemann Flags of the eastern and western federal states

In addition to the Flag of Unity, 2.4 x 4 metre flags of the eleven western and five eastern Länder (based on designs of the German Unity Task Force of the former East German Council of Ministers) were hoisted on 10-metre-high poles at the Platz der Republik near Scheidemannstrasse. The design of the eastern Länder flags was not finalized until later.

Originals and duplicates

In addition to the original, the Federal Ministry of the Interior had a duplicate of the 60-square-metre Flag of Unity made at the same time, on 24 September 1990, as the original was to be given to a museum. The original flag was lowered on 5 October 1990 and presented to the foundation of the Museum of Contemporary History of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn on 10 December 1990. The duplicate was removed from the flagpole by unknown persons on the night of 14 November 1990; a replacement was hoisted immediately.

Flagpole and foundation

Inscription at the base of the flagpole, Platz der Republik, Berlin (Larger version opens in new window) Source: Protokoll Inland Base of the flagpole, Platz der Republik, Berlin

The initial, provisional flagpole was white-painted wood, 23 metres high with a diameter of 30 cm at the foot and 15 cm at the peak. The permanent flagpole is 31.5 metres long and extends three metres into the ground. It has a diameter of 20cm at the peak and 67cm at the foot. The pole weighs 6.7 tonnes and is made of galvanized steel with protective coating. Inside the pole is a mechanism for hoisting the flag; it can be operated electrically or manually. A heating cable protects the entire length of the rope against freezing.

The pole’s foundation is 6 x 6 x 3 metres and has a reinforcement of 1,000 kilos. The plinth is 6.10 x 6.10 x 0.45 metres and is covered with weather-resistant, 5 cm-thick sheets of granite from Kösseine, in the Fichtelgebirge region. The four spotlights each have a strength of 250 watts. The words “DEUTSCHE EINHEIT 3. OKTOBER 1990” (German Unity 3 October 1990) are written on the 2.1 x 2.1-metre bronze plate at the foot of the flagpole. The plinth was refurbished in 2000 as part of the redesign of the Platz der Republik.

The Flag of Unity being raised on its permanent flagpole at the Platz der Republik on 20 December 1990 (Larger version opens in new window) Source: BReg/Klaus Lehnartz 20 December 1990

After the permanent flagpole was completed, the federal flag was hoisted on the afternoon of 20 December 1990 before the constitutive session of the first Bundestag for reunified Germany, by the same young people who had participated in the ceremony on the eve of 3 October 1990. Due to weather conditions, the final work on the flagpole, foundation, plinth, bronze inscription, technical features and protective coating was completed in summer 1991.