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The flag of Hamburg consists of a red field charged in the center with the white three-towered castle (Hamburger Burg) — the historical arms of the city. Three official variants exist: the civil flag (Landesflagge) shows the plain white castle; the state flag (Staatsflagge) bears the full coat of arms with lion supporters; the admiralty flag (Admiralitätsflagge) has a swallow-tailed cut and is used on government vessels. The red-and-white colors are the historical colors of the Hanseatic League. The flag was confirmed by state law on 14 May 1952.
The coat of arms of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg features the 'Hamburger Burg' — a white three-towered castle on a red field, with a gate, two smaller flanking towers topped by crosses, and six-pointed stars between them. The castle has been Hamburg's heraldic symbol since the 13th century, when the city emerged as a major port of the Hanseatic League. Three official versions exist: the civil arms with the plain castle shield; the state arms with two lion supporters and oak branches; and the admiralty arms used on government vessels. The civil arms were confirmed by state law on 14 May 1952.