Car Flags of the Federal Government (Germany)

Kraftfahrzeugflaggen der Bundesregierung

Last modified: 2012-11-03 by pete loeser
Keywords: rank | chancellor | bundeskanzler | minister | bundesminister | swallowtailed | pennant | coat of arms: eagle (black) | coat of arms (germany) |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

• Introduction
• Car Flag for the Federal Chancellor, Federal Ministers and other High Federal Authorities
• Car Flag for State Secretaries and other Federal Authorities
• Car Flag for Parliamentary Directors and other Federal Authorities
• Car Flag for Heads of the Intermediate Federal Offices
• Car Flag for Heads of the Lower Federal Offices
• Relative Size of the Car Flags

• Standard of the Federal President - Standarte des Bundespräsidenten
• Car Flag for the Post Minister 1950-1994 - Bundesdienstflagge an Dienstkraftfahrzeugen für den Postminister
• Car Flag for the Post Office State Secretary 1950-1994 - Bundesdienstflagge an Dienstkraftfahrzeugen für den Staatssekretär im Postministerium
• Car Flag for Other Postal Authorities 1950-1994 - Bundesdienstflagge an Dienstkraftfahrzeugen für anderen Behörden im Postministerium
• Index of all German Pages

Introduction

In 1950 car flags both for the chancellor and for the ministers were stipulated. There is a Runderlass (circular) of the Minister of the Interior from 2nd August 1950 referring to the car flags. The first states:

1. Der Bundespräsident führt an seinem Dienstkraftwagen seine Standarte.
2. An Dienstkraftwagen führen bei dienstlichen Fahrten auf dem rechten Kotflügel oder Scheinwerferhalter mit der Fläche in der Fahrtrichtung die Dienstflagge der Bundesbehörden (Bundesdienstflagge):
1. in der Grösse 30 x 30 cm (Muster I) der Bundeskanzler
2. in der Grösse 25 x 25 cm (Muster II) die Bundesminister
3. in der Grösse 18 x 25 cm (Muster III) die Staatssekretäre des Bundes, der Chef des Bundeskanzleramtes, der Bevollmächtigte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Berlin (...)

1. the Federal Chancellor (dimensions 30 x 30 cm),
2. Federal Cabinet Ministers (25 x 25 cm), and
3. Undersecretaries of the Federation, head of the Chancellor's office, and representatives of the Federal Republic in Berlin (18 x 25 cm) —I presume the last position no longer exists—.

Beside the flag for the Bundespräsident (federal president) there are five different types of car flags of the Federal Government. All of them are legally prescribed in the Anordnung über die deutschen Flaggen (Instruction on the German Flags) of 13th November 1996, published in the Bundesgesetzblatt I 1996, p. 1729. Sources: Laitenberger and Bassier 2000, Friedel 1968 and Bundesministerium des Innern 1956.
Marcus Schmöger, 15 March 2001

There is no difference between the 1950-1996 car flags and the 1996-today car flags, only the postal flags have been abandoned
Marcus Schmöger, 31 March 2002

Car Flag for the Federal Chancellor, Federal Ministersand other
High Federal Authorities

1:1 | 30×30cm / 25×25cm Image by Marcus Schmöger

A square version of the federal service flag. It is used by the Bundeskanzler (Federal Chancellor), the Präsident des Deutschen Bundestages (Speaker of the Lower House of the Parliament), the Präsident des Bundesrates (Speaker of the Upper House of the Parliament), the Präsident of the Bundesverfassungsgericht (President of the Federal Constitutional Court) in the size 30 x 30 cm. It is used by the Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) and the deputies of all the above in the size 25 × 25 cm.
Marcus Schmöger, 15 March 2001

Car Flag for State Secretaries and other Federal Authorities

18:25 | 18×25cm Image by Marcus Schmöger

A version of the federal service flag in the size 18 × 25 cm. It is used by the Staatssekretäre (State Secretaries), the Chef des Bundespräsidialamtes (Chief of the Federal Presidential Office), the Präsident des Bundesrechnungshofes (President of the Federal Audit Office), the Präsident der Bundesbank (President of the Federal Bank), the Präsidenten der obersten Gerichtshöfe des Bundes (Presidents of the Supreme Federal Courts).
Marcus Schmöger, 15 March 2001

Car Flag for Parliamentary Directors and other Federal Authorities

3:5 | 15×25cm Image by Marcus Schmöger

A version of the federal service flag in the size 15 × 25 cm. It is used by the Direktor beim Deutschen Bundestag (Director at the Lower House of the Parliament), the Direktor beim Deutschen Bundesrat (Director at the Upper House of the Parliament), the Leiter der Bundesoberbehörden (Heads of the Upper Federal Offices), the Präsident des Bundespatentgerichts (President of the Federal Patent Court), the Präsident des Bundesdisziplinargerichts (President of the Federal Disciplinary Court), the Generalbundesanwalt (Attorney-General at the Federal Supreme Court), the Oberbundesanwalt beim Bundesverwaltungsgericht (Chief Attorney at the Federal Administrative court), the Bundesdisziplinaranwalt (Federal Disciplinary Attorney).
Marcus Schmöger, 15 March 2001

Car Flag for Heads of the Intermediate Federal Offices

3:5 | 15×25cm Image by Marcus Schmöger

A swallowtailed version of the federal service flag in the size 15 × 25 cm. It is used by the Leiter der Bundesmittelbehörden (Heads of the Intermediate Federal Offices).
Marcus Schmöger, 15 March 2001

Car Flag for Heads of the Lower Federal Offices

3:5 | 15×25cm Image by Marcus Schmöger

A pennant version of the federal service flag in the size 15 × 25 cm. It is used by the Leiter der Bundesunterbehörden (Heads of the Lower Federal Offices).
Marcus Schmöger, 15 March 2001

Relative Size of the Car Flags

30×30cm     25×25cm     18×25cm     15×25cm

15×25cm     15×25cm - All images by Marcus Schmöger