germanheit:

Germany’s national flag is officially black, red and gold – schwarz, rot und gold. What do the colors actually mean? Well, in the war of liberation against Napolean, the uniforms where black, had golden buttons and red lapels.

“Aus der Schwärze (schwarz) der Knechtschaft durch blutige (rot) Schlachten ans goldene (gold) Licht der Freiheit.” (From the blackness of slavery through bloody battles to the golden light of freedom)