Hanseatic flags
As Hanseatic flags were originally the banner of the Hanseatic cities that were in the 13th century at the rear, or attached to the stern castle of the ship and especially the Hanseatic cogs, is such as to see on a Elbląg Seal of 1350. Today the Hanseatic flags are often used as a town flag.
History
The ships of the Hanseatic League led to the mastheads ( Topp ) wind flags - the so-called Flügervlögel - which also served to identify the Hanseatic cogs since the 13th century. 1270 was the " clear vlugher " reported from Hamburg and 1299 was " de lübesche vloghel " mentioned first.
First, still solid red color Gonfanons were attached to a pole with a cross as the top - probably a sign of the protection of the king. Red was also the Gonfanon Danish ships - the English, the later the red St. George's Cross has been added, was probably white. Since the second half of the 13th century, various, mostly white-red banners were designed to prevent confusion from them. It was divided into different color ranges and simple symbols (such as crosses) were added. The red Gonfanon the mast remained.
As the oldest Hanseatic flag applies the solid red color of Hamburg. Other cities that had its own Hanseatic flags were, among others, Riga, Lübeck Whyt with the colors and red ( 13th century), Stralsund, Elbing, Danzig, Bremen, Rostock ( 14th century), Königsberg, Wismar and Stettin ( 15th century ). From these banners many of today's cities flags and coat of arms emerged. It was also exchanged red with blue and white with yellow.
At the creation of the North German Confederation in 1867, the red and white colors of the Hanseatic cities and the black and white of Prussia were the colors of the new flag in black, white and red, which was the flag of the German Empire since 1871.
Examples
Hanseatic League pennant
There was the so-called " Hanseatic League pennant " for the Mast, who knows in the upper part (silver), is in the lower red.
13th Century
Riga
Lubeck
14th Century
Gdansk
Elbing
Rostock
Stralsund
15th Century
Wismar
Szczecin