National Emblem of the German Democratic Republic

The state emblem of the GDR consisted of a yellow / golden garland of corn in which a hammer and a compass were in yellow color. The garland of corn was wrapped around the lower part with a black-red- golden ribbon. The hammer symbolizes the working class, the wreath of grain the peasant class and the social circles of the intelligentsia (academics ).

The precursor of the national coat of arms consisted only of a hammer in the garland of corn, as the GDR mainly understood as a workers 'and peasants' state in which workers and peasants in alliance with the should govern intelligence and other layers. This design came from the artist Fritz Behrendt.

By the year 1955, the coat of arms of the GDR was only as an unofficial and not allowed to be designated as " Crest". Prime Minister Otto Grotewohl declared in 1951 that the current emblem of the GDR " halboffiziös " and that had to be omitted any reference to the fact that it constitutes the official coat of arms of the GDR. This was done by the then all-German negotiations not to sabotage and create by declaring it an official GDR coat of arms " fait accompli ". Grotewohl was of the opinion that the emblem from the 1950 not recognized the nature of the GDR. By a law of 26 September 1955 to 1990, the valid coat of arms, based on designs by Heinz Behling, Herbert and Martin Good Hänisch introduced as the national emblem of the GDR - but the flag was still black-red- gold and thus identical with of the Federal Republic of Germany. Only with the Amendment Act of 1 October 1959, the coat of arms was then an integral part of the national flag of the GDR.

The coat of arms was also part of the crest of the NVA and - surrounded by a 12 -pointed white star - coat of arms of the People's Police.

Wearing and presentation of this national emblem was ten years in the Federal Republic of Germany and West Berlin as unconstitutional and was prosecuted and punished by the police - until 1969 amended the Federal Government as part of its new Ostpolitik this practice.

After the turn of 1989, the national coat of arms was officially crest of the GDR, but was not shown at important places, for example in the People's Chamber, the removal of the State Emblem of public buildings ruled in a decision on 31 May 1990. Reunification of the coat of arms was obsolete.

In 2004, a businessman from Karlsruhe tried to make this symbol and other symbols DDR trademark laws protect (such as the FDJ, the SED and the Stasi). The entry at the German Patent and Trademark Office in Munich has been deleted pursuant to a court decision. This decision, however, was tilted in the revision in spring 2008, so that the symbols to be entered again. In summer 2008, the Patent Court has ruled that the use of the State Emblem of the GDR as a brand is immoral and therefore the entry is to be deleted.

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