Even at this year’s European Championships in their own country, it is a matter of course for many fans to show their solidarity with their team by flying a flag. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as you follow a few rules.
If you want to hang the German flag on your balcony, you will need permission from your landlord, for example, if you need to firmly anchor a bracket to the facade or railing.
If damage occurs to the building because the flag is not installed properly, there can be trouble, and if it is your own fault, even the insurance won’t cover it. The flag should also not blow over to your neighbor so that he or she doesn’t feel bothered. If you attach the flag to the balcony in such a way that it can be removed without leaving any residue, there is no problem.
When it comes to flags on your car, you need to make sure they are secured in such a way that they don’t get lost while driving and cause damage, otherwise you will be liable for them. Flags that get caught between the body and the window could injure pedestrians if they stick out too far, so you need to be careful about that.
Neither the license plate, nor the headlights, nor your view while driving may be obscured by flags. If you violate these regulations, you will be fined between 5 and 120 euros.
A debate was sparked about whether police officers are allowed to attach German flags to their vehicles or carry them with them on operations during the European Championships. The federal states have made different regulations in this regard. Berlin, for example, prohibits the capital’s police officers from carrying a visible German flag during the European Football Championships.
Flags that also feature the federal eagle may not be used by private individuals, but only by the federal authorities themselves. The use of the federal service flag by a non-official body or private individual constitutes an administrative offence under Section 124 of the Administrative Offenses Act. Anyone who violates this rule risks a fine of up to 1,000 euros.
However, a major event such as the European Championship is an exception – as stated on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior: “During a major event, the use of the federal flag with the federal coat of arms can be tolerated as an expression of national solidarity and considered ‘socially acceptable’. As the action is not illegal, no administrative offence will be punished.”
