Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-13
THE GERMAN NATIONAL FLAG.
Why the Empire fiaunts to the Breeze
Tri-Co1ored Banner.

Before 1871, says The st. Louis Post
Dispatch, each German kingdom had
its own flag, composed of two colors,
black and white for Prussia, green and
white for Saxony. blue and white for
Bavaria, and so on. Not only the king
doms. but the principalities. had their
especial flags, all of two colors, and the
German array constituted a regular
kaleidoscope.
When the empire was established it
became necessary to adopt flag, and
this led to a tremendous controversy
and to plans and schemes without
number. No kingdom wished to have
its standard entirely ignored, and the
smaller governments insisted equally
strongly upon their rights. 1t was
practically impossible to let some in
without admitting all to the represen-
tation, and flag was presented to the
council having the matter in charge
which would have been, if adopted,
| the most curious and complicated
standard ever seen. The idea was to
represent the colors of the different
kingdoms in the corner, or jack, of the
flag, and to have the free cities and
| outer part.
Two arrangements were offered for
consideration, one not unlike the stars
and stripes in general design, and
another a sort of checker-board ar
rangement. When it is borne in mind
that more than forty combinations
had to be made, the complication of
this flag can be appreciated. A very
fierce controversy arose over this
point, all admitting that such flag as
the one proposed would be absurd,
while no one was willing to give up
the claims of the particular govern
ment he represented. The Kingdoms
proposed a plan by which their colors
alone should be combined into a
national flag, but this was strongly OPP
posed by the smaller divisions of the
empire. After letting the matter run
on for some time, the Prussian dele
gates who had at first taken little part
in the discussion, came to the front and
offered their plan.
This was that the Prussian colors,
black and white, should be combined
with red, which from time immemo-
rial had been recognized as the imperi-
dI CO1O1. - 1uI lOuS bOAlIONSIoN it
once broke out, as the representatives
of the smaller Kingdoms objected most
strongly to being entirely ignored and
apparently swallowed up in the Prus-
sian dominion. But the smaller states,
who saw that under no circumstances
had they any chances of recognition,
| Joined forces with Prussia, preferring
| to have comrades in extinction, and the
| consequence was that the present col
ors were decided upon.
The smaller Kingdoms, Bavaria
especially, then insisted upon each
kingdom being allowed to show it's
own flag, in addition to the imperial
standard, at the head of its troops.
This was voted down on the ground
| that such a course would give valuable
| information to an enemy as to the
number of troops in front. As a last
resort resolution was offered to the
| effect that the positions of the colors
should be changed, and that they
should be hung parallel to the staff,
| instead of at right angles to it. a
Prussian commissioner raised the OBJ
lection that this might cause fatal
| misunderstanding in time of battle, as
the blue, white, and red of the French
could not be told from the German
banner. This was regarded as conclu-
| sive, and the present standard, which
is essentially a Prusslan fag,was adopt
| ed.