Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-14
The Imperial German Flag.

HOW WHITE, RED AND BLACK CAME TO BIZ ADOPTED
From the st. Louis Post Dispatch.
Before 1871 each German Kingdom had its own
nag composed OF two colors black and white for
Prussia, green and white for saxony, blue and
white for Bavaria, and forth. Not only the king
doms, but the principalities, had their especial
nags, all OF two cOors. and the German array con-
stituted regular Kaleidoscope.
When the empire was established It became nee
essary to adopt flag, and this led to a tremendous
controversy and 10 plans and schemes without
nunOcr. NO Kingdom wished to have its standard
entirely ignored, and the smaller governments in
sisted equally strongly upon their rights II was
practically Impossible to let some In without ad-
uniting all to representation, and nag WAS pre-
sented TO the council having the matt .r In charge
which would have been, IL adopted The most curl.
Gus ana complicated standard ever The idea
was to represent the cOlors or the .'ant king
doms in the corner, or jack OF the ag and to have
the free cities and principalities show their
co color On the g., outer part Two arrangements
like the Stars and stripes ia general design
and another sort Of checkerboard arrangement.
When It IS borne IN mind that more than forty
combinations had to be made, the complication OF
this nag can be appreciated. very fierce contro-
versy arose this point all admitting that such
q d 9 as the one proposed would be absurd, while
no one was willing TO give up the claims OF the
part1cu ar government he represented. The king
doms proposed plan by which their colors alone
should be combined into a national flag but this
was strongly opposed by the smaller divisions OF
the empire. After letting the matter run on for
some lime, the Prussian delegates who had at
nrSt taken little part In the discussion, came to
the front and offered their plan.
This was that the Prussan colors, black and
white, should be combined with red, which from
time immemorial had been recognized as the i'm.
periai color. furious controversy at once broke
OUT, as the representatives or the smaller
obJec ed most strongly to being entirely ignored
and apparently swallowed up In the Prussian do.
minion. 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 conse-
quence Was that the present colors were decided
\ lnp0Qma ari QSpa III.
then insisted upon each Kingdom being allowed
TO show ITS own nag, In addition u the i'm
perial standard, at the head Of It's troops. This
was voted down, on the ground that such a course
would give valuable Information to any enemy as
to the number OF troops In front. AS last resort
a resolution was Offered to the effect that the posi-
tons OF the coiors should be changed, and that
they should be hung parallel to the staff, instead
OF at right angles 10 1t. Prussian commissioner
Raised the objection that this might cause fatal
misunderstanding in tine OF battle, as the blue
white, and red or the French could not be told
from the German banner. This was regarded as
conclusive, and the present standard, which Is
essentially PrusSian flag, was adopted"