The flag of Lower Saxony consists 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]

Lower Saxony
State civil flag (Landesflagge)
UseCivil and state flag
Proportion2:3
Adopted1951
State Flag (Landesdienstflagge) at sea
UseState ensign
Proportion3:5
Adopted1951

History

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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 Hanover, Brunswick, Oldenburg and Schaumburg-Lippe are seen only at historical or folk events, such as festivals.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ World Flag Database (2001-01-28), Germany Sub-national flags, retrieved 2011-01-18