Saarland

The flag of Saarland, also known as Saar, a federal land of Germany, is the German of black (upper stripe), red, and gold, with the coat of arms in the centre.
==Symbolism==
The flag uses the German tricolour to demonstrate the commitment of Saarland to be a part of West Germany.
==History==
After the First World War in 1919-1935 the Saar Territory (Saargebiet) formally remained a part of Germany, but under the auspices of the League of Nations and administered by France. It had its own flag (adopted on July 28, 1920): a blue, white, and black horizontal tricolour. The blue and white did stand for Bavaria, and white and black for Prussia, out of whose lands the Saar Territory was formed. Also this flag reflected the colours of the coat of arms adopted in 1919. These symbols were in use until March 1, 1935, when the territory was reintegrated into Germany.
Since its establishment as a separate French protectorate in 1947, the Saar had a white Nordic cross on a blue and red background as its flag.DocumentArchiv.de: "Constitution of the Saarland" In 1955, the inhabitants of the French-administered Saar Protectorate voted to join West Germany. To demonstrate the commitment of the Saar to be a part of West Germany, a new flag was selected on 9 July 1956: the black-red-gold tricolour defaced with the new coat of arms, also proposed on this day.Government of the Saarland (1956-07-09) Gesetz Nr. 508 über die Flagge des Saarlandes and Gesetz Nr. 509 über das Wappen des Saarlandes This flag came into force on 1 January 1957, upon the establishment of the Saarland as a state of West Germany.
File:Saar 1920.svg|French occupied Saargebiet, 1920-1935
File:Saar 1947.svg|French protectorate, 1947-1956
File:Saar.svg|Since 1957
==References==
*Saar (Germany) on Flags of the World
*Flag of Germany on Wikipedia
Category:Germany
Category:Proportions 3-5
Category:Black
Category:Red
Category:Yellow
Category:Tricolour
Category:Coat of Arms
Category:Blue
Category:White
Category:Saarland