What does each color of the German flag represent?

Germany's modern flag has three equal horizontal bands of black, red and gold, which are the country's national colors. Sometimes the three colors are associated with the three principles "unity, law and freedom" which are stated in the text of Germany's national anthem. Historically, the three colors originate from the uniform colors (black fabric with red decorations, gold-colored brass buttons) of the Lützow Free Corps, a military unit fighting for Prussia in the liberation wars against Napoleon in the early 19th century. The members of this corps were volunteers, usually university students. They later took over these colors as the colors of their patriotic student corps. Black, red and gold was first shown on a flag on the first Wartburg festival in 1817, at this time still in reverse order, representing the student corps' principles "honor, freedom, home country".

As a national flag, it was first used by the Frankfurt Parliament after the 1848 revolution.

The "National Socialists" replaced the national colors by black, white and red, usually adorned with the swastica symbol. The German Tricolor flag was re-established in both German states after the end of World War II.

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