The flag of Nazi Germany has become one of the most potent hate symbols worldwide. It consists of a black swastika in a white circle over a red background (the colors are the same as the Imperial German flag). Originally developed as the flag of the Nazi Party in 1920, it also became the flag of Germany itself after the Nazis took power in 1933. Various elements of the Nazi government and Nazi Party developed many variations and forms of the basic Nazi flag.
Since World War II, white supremacists, especially neo-Nazis, have adopted the Nazi flag and its variants for their own. In countries where the Nazi flag is specifically prohibited, such as Germany, neo-Nazi and other right-wing extremist groups often try to get around the ban by substituting some other symbol for the swastika. Such variations often occur even in places like the United States, where the original Nazi flag is legal.
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