Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very attractive German WWII-era NSDAP handheld flag, complete with its black-painted wooden pole and decorative wooden finial. The flag measures approximately 22" x 16" [55.9 x 40.6 cm], while the pole measures 34 ½" [87.6 cm] in overall length.

The flag is constructed from bright red woven fabric with double-sided construction and a separately applied white circular roundel at the center. The roundel is neatly machine-stitched around its perimeter and bears a large black canted swas. emblem printed directly onto the white fabric. The outer edges are hemmed, and the flag is attached along the hoist to a slender, black-painted wooden pole. At the top is a natural wood finial with an elongated, tapered point and decorative turned detailing.

Condition is very good overall, with relatively light age and storage wear. The red fabric retains its strong coloration, with scattered small marks and minor discoloration. The white roundel exhibits some age-related yellowing and light staining, while the printed black emblem remains bold and well defined. The wooden pole shows scratches and scattered areas of finish loss, and the finial has minor surface wear. The flag remains well preserved, with its principal stitching and construction intact.

Historical Context

The distinctive red flag bearing a white circular field and black canted swas. was adopted by the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP) in 1920. Its black, white, and red colors deliberately recalled those of the German Empire, while the central emblem became the principal symbol of the party. The design rapidly established itself as an important feature of NSDAP political propaganda during the Weimar Republic.

Flags held an important place in the party's public activities from its earliest years. They were carried during political marches and demonstrations, displayed at meetings, and used by formations of the Sturmabteilung (SA) and other party organizations. As the NSDAP expanded throughout Germany during the late 1920s and early 1930s, its growing network of regional and local branches adopted increasingly organized forms of public display. Flags helped identify participating groups and establish a recognizable political presence at rallies and processions.

Following the NSDAP's rise to power in January 1933, the flag acquired an official national role. On March 12, 1933, Reich President Paul von Hindenburg and Reich Chancellor AH issued a decree establishing the NSDAP flag and the black-white-red Imperial tricolor as Germany's two national flags. This decision displaced the black-red-gold flag of the Weimar Republic and marked an important change in the country's official symbolism.

The arrangement continued until September 15, 1935, when the Reichsflaggengesetz, or Reich Flag Law, was enacted during the annual NSDAP rally in Nuremberg. The legislation established the swas. flag as the sole national flag of the German Reich, as well as its merchant flag. Its official adoption further strengthened the connection between the NSDAP and the German state, making the party emblem a permanent feature of government buildings, official ceremonies, and public occasions.

Throughout the Reich, flags became a familiar feature of German public life. They appeared prominently during national holidays, political anniversaries, official visits, and organized celebrations. Streets and public squares were frequently decorated with the party's colors, while large gatherings involved extensive displays of flags and banners. The annual Reichsparteitage in Nuremberg were particularly elaborate manifestations of this practice, bringing together large formations of uniformed personnel and spectators in carefully organized political ceremonies.

Smaller pole-mounted flags were suited to handheld use during public gatherings and processions, allowing participants to display the national and party colors. Their portable construction also made them convenient for decorative and ceremonial purposes in settings where larger flags would have been impractical.

During WWII, the flag continued to occupy a prominent position in German civic and political life. Its widespread display formed part of the regime's broader system of public propaganda, in which recognizable symbols, organized ceremonies, and political demonstrations reinforced the identification of the NSDAP with the German nation. This practice continued until the collapse of the Reich in 1945.