Dennis Schroder led Germany to a world title. Now the Nets guard will lead his homeland in another way, as their first black Olympic flag bearer.

However, when Germany's national team was set up in 1899, they opted to promote the white and black colours seen on the flag of Prussia, which was eventually dissolved in the early 20th century.

A Monarchy motion in the Reichstag to substitute for the black-red-gold republican flag the old black-white-red colors of Imperial Germany was rejected.Apparently, this is only an academic defeat; ...