The flag of Germany is a horizontal tricolor flag with black, red and gold bands from top to bottom. This flag first came into being during the Weimar Republic in 1919. In modern use, it was officially adopted in 1949 and is called the Bundesflagge und Handelsflagge in German. Germany actually has two major traditions of colors in its history. One is the black, red and gold tricolor, the other is black, white and red. The black, red and gold tricolor first became prominent in the 1848 Revolutions, however, it had its first appearance in the early 1800s. The tricolor became the national flag of Germany in 1919 and was also made the national flag of both East and West Germany after World War Two.
In 1959, East Germany added the East German coat of arms to its flag to distinguish it from the West German flag. The national emblem of the German Democratic Republic was a typical socialist emblem of the time, featuring a hammer and compass in red and gold colors. The tools were then surrounded by a ring of rye. The tools represented workers, while the rye represented farmers. When the two countries reunited in 1990, the black, red and gold tricolor again became the official flag of Germany.
The other faction of the black, white and red colors was a Prussian flag of northern Germany. This flag was the official flag of the German Empire in 1871. It was used until 1918 right before the black, red and gold tricolor took over. The Nazi Party brought the black, white and red imperial flag back into use during World War Two. Because of this, the black, red and gold colors are associated with German unity and a free country, while the other colors are viewed as imperialist and associated with the Nazis.
A variant flag of Germany called the Bundesdienstflagge und Kriegsflagge features a coat of arms in the center of the black, red and gold tricolor. The coat of arms features a black eagle on a gold shield. The eagle has a red beak and red talons. It has its wings outstretched and its red tongue protruding from its beak.