Flag of Germany
With the formation of the short-lived Weimar Republic after World War I, the tricolour was adopted as the national flag of Germany. Sixteen years later following World War II, the tricolour was again designated as the flag of both West and East Germany divided states in 1949. The two flags were identical until 1959, when the East German flag was augmented with the coat of arms of East Germany. Since reunification on 3 October 1990, the black-red-gold tricolour has become the flag of a reunified Federal Republic of Germany.
Weimar Republic
In 1928, however, the (Reich coat of arms) designed by Tobias Schwab (1887–1967) in 1926 (or 1924) replaced it as the official emblem for the German Olympic team. The Reichswehr adopted the new in 1927. Doepler's design then became the (Reich's escutcheon) with restricted use such as pennant for government vehicles. In 1949 the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) adopted all three signs of Weimar Republic – and – as and (Federal coat of arms, escutcheon and flag).