I realized I've seen the 3 Arrows and 2 Flags logos forever and have not known the history behind them besides that they are historically anti-fascist and were used by groups fighting Nazis in the 30s. After some reading I learned they were inextricably linked from the start.

The three arrows (German: Drei Pfeile) logo was created by Sergei Chakhotin in 1931 for the Iron Front. According to the designer the inspiration came when he saw a swastika with one line crossing it out and thought three lines would better obfuscate the hate symbol.

The Iron Front was created in 1931 by the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in conjunction with other political groups, workers' unions, and sports clubs, in direct opposition to the far right Harzburg Front, which attempted to dispose then Chancellor Heinrich Brűning.

The Iron Front pivoted to also oppose other enemies of the SPD including monarchists and communists, this included the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) who the SPD considered bolsheviks and as big of a threat to Germany as Nazis.

Antifaschistische Aktion was created 1932 by the KPD as a reaction to the formation of the Iron Front, & was the successor to a long line of militant groups started by the KPD, including The Roter Frontkämpferbund (Red Front Fighters League) who were banned as extremists in 1929

The KPD viewed fascism as the end goal of capitalism, so anyone fighting for capitalism was inherently fascistic and their enemy, including SPD and the Iron Front who the KPD regarded as a "Social Fascist Terror Organization" and an even greater threat than the Nazi party.

The two flags logo used by anti fascists to this day was created Max Gebhard and Max Keilson in 1932. Many variants include one black flag for anarchism and one red flag for communism.

Many modern historians and political figures from the time think that if the KPD and SPD found a way to work together they could have beat the Nazis. The last legal elections before Hitler took power has the KPD and SPD winning more votes combined than the Nazi party.

Leon Trotsky advocated for the two parties to work together but still hold separate ideals saying

"No common platform with the Social Democracy, or with the leaders of the German trade unions, no common publications, banners, placards! March separately, but strike together!"

Trotsky continued "Agree only how to strike, whom to strike, and when to strike! Such an agreement can be concluded even with the devil himself"

Ultimately the two parties could not reach any such agreement and we're both outlawed when the Nazi party gained full control in 1933.

Both parties continued underground and shifted their focus to fighting Nazis and supporting/defending their local communities during the war. The KPD and SPD were able to find common ground in their oppression and suffering after meeting in concentration camps.

Many Antifaschistische organizations post war were made up of both SPD members and KPD members alike, and consisted of them activating their old pre war networks to continue the work of fighting fascism.

I started this thread just because I didn't know the history of the logos and ended up realizing that the left always eats itself, and if different left leaning groups with common goals can come together to fight fascism we stand a chance.