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.
Reichskriegsflagge
Outside of educational, artistic or scientific contexts, selling and showing symbols of Nazi Germany, including the "Reichskriegsfahne", is illegal in Germany according to "Strafgesetzbuch" section 86a. This covers the version used after 1935 with the swastika. However, the original black-white-red tricolour flag used between 1871 and 1919 can be shown depending on circumstances in different states of Germany. Because members of the far right have used the imperial war flag as a symbol, its use is considered to be a "breach of the public order" in seven states, and flags could be confiscated. In the other nine states, any provocative misuse of the flag can be prosecuted as an ("act contrary to order", an administrative offence that can be handled without a court process and that carries only a fine that is not legally considered a punishment).