Don't burn it, but lets make money

[abaris]

Yes, I know (as I say above) - I meant why did those uniform colors become the flag of the unified German republics, and might that have been helped by the fact that it was more than just a Prussian effort.

But sometimes it's as profane as cheapness. Just as with Nelson's Victory. The main color black came cheap. I don't doubt that there was some kind of tradition and it's pretty known that German nationalism rose during the Napoleonic wars. But the Lützows were a Prussian unit. The fact that others joined up as well, doesn't change the fact. It's more along the lines of the International brigades during the Spanish civil war.

The colors made it into German tradition because of the Lützows and because they were perceived as some kind of freedom fighters.