Last modified: 2013-12-09 by pete loeser
Keywords: german party | deutsche partei | dp | coat of arms (horse: white) | landesverband niedersachsen | b.v. land oldenburg | bezirksverband oldenburg | hameln | springe | brunswick | braunschweig |
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![[German Party (Germany)]](../images/d/de}dp.gif)
Image by Marcus Schmöger
Founded in 1945 as NLP (Niedersächsische Landespartei, Lower Saxony State Party), constituted in 1947 as DP. The DP was a conservative party, mainly in the northern states of Germany, especially in Lower Saxony. It took part in the coalition of Chancellor Adenauer from 1949-1961, as it was represented in the Bundestag with 15-17 seats. Until 1960 most of the more important politicians of the DP joined either the CDU or the FDP. The weakened party merged with GB/BHE in 1961 to form the GDP, the new party however not gaining seats in the Bundestag elections in 1961. The DP was reactivated in 1962, but without much success. Another reactivation took place in 1993. The decidedly right-wing branch of the DP in Bremen took part in the founding of the NPD in 1964.
The DP once had many flags, most of them singular, heavily-embroidered items (Fahnen). Rabbow 1965 mentions that most of the flags already in 1965 were collected at one place; the DP of today seems to lack the knowledge of the existence of these old flags. The DP of today does not use own flags, as I learned from an e-mail from the party.
The historical DP had one general flag and many regional and local flags. The Lower Saxony branch of the party used a standard based on the general flag. Other DP organizations on Länder (state) level usually used the colours of the respective states or former Prussian provinces with the coat-of-arms in the center. However, Rabbow 1965 does not mention more details of these flags.
On a regional level one should mention the Oldenburg branch flag. The local unit flags usually were based on the general flag and showed in a white canton the respective municipal arms and the town's name. Rabbow 1965 mentions three examples and describes them, although it does not show illustrations. My images are therefore vague approximations. The three towns are Hameln, Springe and Braunschweig (Brunswick).
Sources: Rabbow 1965 and party website.
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001
This webpage seems to suggest that most DP-members went to CDU in 1961, some went to GDP and the (small) rest stayed in the party, and that the party closed in 1971.
Ole Andersen, 14 September 2001
The general flag showed the colours yellow over white (colours of Hanover province) with the provincial arms (later also being the Lower Saxony arms) in the center. These colours show the roots of the DP in Lower Saxony and fail to show the bigger claim as "German Party".
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001
![[German Party, Lower Saxony Branch Flag (Germany)]](../images/d/de}dp-ni.gif)
4:5 
Image by Marcus Schmöger
The DP once had many flags, most of them singular, heavily-embroidered items (Fahnen)... The Lower Saxony branch of the party used a standard based on the general flag. Added to the normal flag are the silver inscriptions Deutsche Partei and Landesverband Niedersachsen and a silver fringe around the flag. On the reverse the inscriptions are readable as well, as they were embroidered separately.
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001
![[German Party, Oldenburg District Flag (Germany)]](../images/d/de}dp-ol.gif)
Image by Marcus Schmöger
On a regional level one should mention the flag of the Bezirksverband Oldenburg (district organization Oldenburg), that consisted of the former Oldenburg state flag (red cross on blue) with the arms in the center and a white canton bearing the inscription B.V. Land Oldenburg.
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001
![[German Party, Hameln Local Unit Flag (Germany)]](../images/d/de}dp-hm.gif)
Image by Marcus Schmöger
Rabbow 1965 describes the flag of the Hameln local unit, although it does not show an illustration. My image is therefore a vague approximation. Hameln did not show the coat-of-arms of the former Province of Hanover, but of the former Free State of Brunswick in the center: also a white horse on red, but leaping across a patch of green soil. The Hameln coat-of-arms in the canton is blazoned: Gules, a mill-iron Azure on a millstone Argent.
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001
![[German Party, Springe Local Unit Flag (Germany)]](../images/d/de}dp-sp.gif)
Image by Marcus Schmöger
Rabbow 1965 describes the flag of the Springe local unit, although it does not show an illustration. My image is therefore a vague approximation. Springe did not show the coat-of-arms of the former Province of Hanover, but of the former Free State of Brunswick in the center: also a white horse on red, but leaping across a patch of green soil. The Springe coat-of-arms in the canton is blazoned: Argent, an annulet Or under a Y-shaped river Azure; in each of the corners a rose Gules.
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001
![[German Party, Brunswick Local Unit Flag (Germany)]](../images/d/de}dp-bs.gif)
Image by Marcus Schmöger
Rabbow 1965 describes the flag of the Hameln local unit, although it does not show an illustration. My image is therefore a vague approximation. The DP flag of Brunswick showed the colours blue and yellow of the former Brunswick Free State, in the center the Free State coat-of-arms and in the canton the city coat-of-arms, blazoned: Argent, a lion rampant Gules armed Sable, langued Gules.
Marcus Schmöger, 14 September 2001