FLAG CONTROVERSY

   According to the Weimar Constitution,* Ger-many's official colors were black, red, and gold—the colors of the 1848 Frank-furt Parliament. The imperial emblem, dating from the formation of the North German Confederation in 1866, had been black, white, and red; black and white were Prussia s* colors, white and red were those of the Hanseatic cities. The change to black, red, and gold did not come easily; even in the halcyon days of the Weimar Coalition* debate raged over the flag. The DDP was divided on the issue; Hugo Preuss,* a determined republican, favored the Hohenzollern flag as a symbol of continuity (he also favored retention of the term Reich). Enough Democrats (including Preuss) were finally won over to ensure passage of the new colors.But the Constitution also permitted a black-white-red merchant en-sign that included the Weimar colors in the corner. On 27 September 1919 President Ebert* issued a decree standardizing this provision.

   The merchant ensign was a compromise designed to assuage supporters of the Kaiserreich. But monarchists were not mollified. The DNVP attacked the tricolor as symbolic of Catholic* clericalism (black), Marxist internationalism (red), and Jewish cosmopolitanism (yellow). On 5 May 1926 President Hinden-burg* issued an order expanding the late President s decree. Of key importance was the requirement that embassies and consulates outside of Europe and in European seaports fly the merchant ensign and the Weimar flag. According to Erich Eyck*, Hindenburg's action was inadmissible, for when "the Weimar constitution spoke of a 'merchant ensign,' it meant what the words say: the flag for merchant ships.

   Of equal import with the legality of Hindenburg s order was its political stupidity and Hans Luther s* folly in countersigning it. Few issues touched German sensibilities more than the national colors; indeed, the controversy kin-dled rumors of an effort to restore the Hohenzollerns. Luther s apparent indifference to the flag as a republican symbol was roundly denounced in the Reichstag* and led on 11 May to passage of a vote of no confidence (176 to 146), thus ending Luther s political career. Hindenburg was forgiven for per-mitting his private sympathies to influence his public acts. Moreover, his flag decree remained in effect.

   REFERENCES:Dorpalen, Hindenburg; Eyck, History of the Weimar Republic, vol. 2; Frye, Liberal Democrats.