Flag of Lower Saxony
 | |
| State civil flag (Landesflagge) | |
| Use | Civil and state flag |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | 1951 |
| State Flag (Landesdienstflagge) at sea | |
 | |
| Use | State ensign |
| Proportion | 3:5 |
| Adopted | 1951 |
The Flag of Lower Saxony consists of the of the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany in Schwarz-Rot-Gold, with the coat of arms of Lower Saxony, shifted slightly toward the hoist. This flag is the civil and state flag. A double tailed version in 3:5 ratio is used as the state ensign. [1]
History
The flag of Lower Saxony was introduced on 1 May 1951, and made official on 13 October 1952. In the aftermath of World War II a neutral flag was needed for the state of Lower Saxony which consisted of the formerly separate entities of Hanover, Brunswick, Oldenburg, and Schaumburg-Lippe. Until the official launch of the current flag of Lower Saxony, the former national flags of their respective regions were used at official functions. Developed in parallel, there was a design using the Guelph Hanoverian flag of horizontal yellow and white stripes with the coat of arms in the middle. However, the non-Hanoverian parts of the state rejected this design. Today, the former national flags of Lippe, Hanover, Brunswick, Oldenburg and Schaumburg are seen only at historical or folk events, such as festivals.
References
- ^ World Flag Database (2001-01-28), Germany Sub-national flags, retrieved 2011-01-18
