Germany’s national flag has three horizontal bands of black, red and gold.
The colors are commonly connected with the early 19th-century German nationalist movement, especially volunteers who fought Napoleon. Black, red and gold appeared prominently at the Hambach Festival in 1832 and became associated with German unity and constitutional government.
The Federal Republic of Germany adopted the current flag in 1949. The colors are arranged from top to bottom as black, red and gold, not yellow. Germany’s government flag adds the federal shield, while the ordinary national flag does not display a coat of arms.
Several European flags use related colors. Belgium’s bands are vertical black, yellow and red; Lithuania’s are horizontal yellow, green and red; and Romania’s are vertical blue, yellow and red. Band direction and color order therefore matter.