What animal is on the flag of Berlin?

The flag of Berlin has three stripes of red-white-red, the two outer stripes each occupying a fifth of its height, the middle the remaining three fifths. It is emblazoned with a bear on the civil flag, while it bears the coat of arms of Berlin on the state flag. The civil flag of West Berlin was adopted on 26 May 1954.

Designed by Ottfried Neubecker, it came in second in the contest of 1952, the winner being rejected by the Senate. The bear is placed slightly off-center toward the left. A bear occurs on seals, coins and signet rings from as early as the late 12th century (but not as heraldic charge before 1709), presumably due to a canting association with the city's name.

The state flag replaces the bear with the full coat of arms, with the bear inside the escutcheon. Being the state flag for West Berlin, it became the flag of the entire city after the reunification of Germany in 1990. Prior to that, it had also been the naval ensign as no other existing flag could be used. The proportions of the flag are 3:5.