{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-service-used-100cm-x-170cm-national-battle-flag-by-n-v-p-f-v-vlissingen-co-reichskriegsflagge","title":"Original German WWII Service Worn 100cm x 170cm National Battle Flag by N.V.P.F. v Vlissingen \u0026 Co. - Reichskriegsflagge","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. \u003cem\u003eReichskriegsflagge\u003c\/em\u003e (Imperial War Flag) was the official name of the war flag and war ensign used by the German armed forces from 1933 to 1945. This included the Heer, Luftwaffe, and Kriegsmarine, as it was a National flag. Recently acquired from a veteran's estate this is without a doubt the most impressive battle flag of the German WW2 era, it measures approximately 39\" x 67\" or 100cm x 170cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConstructed of what feels like light wool cloth or a wool \/ cotton blend, the flag design features a red background with a large white central circle displaying a large \u003cem\u003eSwas\u003c\/em\u003e (hook cross), overlaid on the German Naval \u003cem\u003eBalkenkreuz\u003c\/em\u003e (Beam Cross) design also in black to the edges. In the top corner (Canton) is a black on white \u003cem\u003eEisernes Kreuz\u003c\/em\u003e (Iron cross). It features a canvas header, with a halyard running the full length of the header, with loops at both ends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis battle flag is totally original and is definitely \"service worn\", showing overall straining and fading to the material, as well as a large area that is torn with material missing. This is definitely a flag that looks like it went through a war! There are however some rust stains around tack holes in the header, so we assume that the flag was on display for a long period of time after the war was over, which definitely lead to further age. In spite of the wear we can still make out the manufacturer information, which is very faded:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eN.V.P.F. v VLISSINGEN \u0026amp; CO'S KATOENFABR.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHELMOND (HOLLAND)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHelmond is a city in the southern Netherlands, which was occupied by Germany during WWII. Local industries were pressed into service making war materiel, such as this flag.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flag is also marked \u003cstrong\u003eKr. FL. 100 x 170\u003c\/strong\u003e, indicating that it is a \u003cem\u003e100cm x 170cm Reichskriegsflagge\u003c\/em\u003e. There are no Naval markings, so this was most likely a flag intended for Army or Airforce use. However it is always possible that it was never stamped. This size of flag, when used with the navy, would have been used with ships 500 to 1500 tons, unfortunately one size too large to be for a U-Boat. Ships in this displacement class would be D-E Torpedo boats, which are 900 tons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis very nice \"salty\" service worn example of this hard to find flag!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned personally by Adolf AH, this flag served the Heer and the Luftwaffe as their War Flag, and the Kriegsmarine as its War Ensign (the National Flag serving as Jack). This flag was hoisted daily in barracks operated by units of the Wehrmacht combined German military forces, and it had to be flown from a pole positioned near the barracks entrance, or failing this, near the guard room or staff building. New recruits in the latter part of World War II were sworn in on this flag (one recruit holding the flag and taking the oath on behalf of the entire recruit class with the recruits looking on as witnesses - before, this was done on the regimental colors).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flag had to be formally hoisted every morning and lowered every evening. These hoisting and lowering ceremonies took the form of either an ordinary or a ceremonial flag parade. At the ordinary raising, the party consisted of the Orderly Officer of the Day, the guard, and one musician. At the ceremonial raising, one officer, one platoon of soldiers with rifles, the guard, the regimental band, and the corps of drums were all present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe proportions of the flag are 3:5. Fusing elements of the NSDAP German Flag (swas and red background) with that of the old Imperial Reich War Flag (four arms emanating from off-center circle and Iron Cross in the canton), these flags were uniformly produced as a printed design on bunting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaised for the first time at the Bendlerstraße Building (Wehrmacht Headquarters) in Berlin on November 7, 1935, It was taken down for the last time by British occupation forces after the arrest of the Dönitz Government at the Naval Academy Mürwik in Flensburg-Mürwik, Germany, on May 23, 1945.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his book, Inside the Third Reich, Albert Speer states that \"in only two other designs did he (Adolf AH) execute the same care as he did his Obersalzberg house: that of the Reich War Flag and his own standard of Chief of State.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43875458744389,"sku":"ONSV23DCW125","price":695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV23DCW125__01.jpg?v=1761073607","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-service-used-100cm-x-170cm-national-battle-flag-by-n-v-p-f-v-vlissingen-co-reichskriegsflagge","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}