Last modified: 2002-04-12 by santiago dotor
Keywords: german empire | rank | emperor | minister | grand admiral | admiral | vice admiral | rear admiral | commodore | commissioning pennant | senior officer | iron cross | cross: formy (black) | disc (black) | discs: 2 (black) | pennant |
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A white broad pennant, in the hoist the Imperial crown on a crossed scepter and sword on an Iron Cross on a white field. It is raised only by special command of the Kaiser. It is the highest command symbol of the Navy. (Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42 and Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799).
Norman Martin
![[Navy Minister (Imperial Germany)]](../images/d/de_jefe.gif)
by Jaume Ollé
![[Secretary of State for the Imperial Naval Office (Imperial Germany)]](../images/d/de_seino.gif)
by Jaume Ollé
The admiral's flag with 2 crossed gold anchors in the lower hoist. (Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799 and National Geographic 1917 p. 350, no. 595).
Norman Martin
![[Inspector General of the Navy (Imperial Germany)]](../images/d/de_insp.gif)
by Jaume Ollé
The admiral's flag with a red border occupying 1/5th of the length of the flag, outside of the cross. (Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799 and National Geographic 1917 p. 367, no. 1016).
Norman Martin
The admiral's flag with, at the center, a disk of white in which is contained a rope circle and a downward pointing rope sword. (Illustrated National Geographic 1917 p. 367, no. 1019).
Norman Martin
The admiral's flag with an imperial crown on 2 crossed batons at the center of the flag. (Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799 and National Geographic 1917 p. 367, no. 1015).
Norman Martin
Admiral's flag with golden crown in the middle [Editor: isn't this the same as the Grand Admiral's Flag?].
![[Admiral's Flag 1867 to nowadays (Germany)]](../images/d/de^adm.gif)
1:1
by Jaume Ollé
On a white field a narrow Iron Cross whose arms reach the edge of the flag. On a three-master, flown from the top mast by an admiral, from the fore mast by a vice-admiral, from the rear mast by a rear-admiral; on a two-master from the rear mast by an admiral, from the fore mast by a vice-admiral. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and has continued in use until today, except for the few years in which there was no German Navy, and for East Germany from 1945 until 1990. As far as I know, the complex rule on officer's flags expired with the end of the Empire. Illustrated in Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799, National Geographic 1917 p. 350, no. 596 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 4.
Norman Martin, 1998
Until when was the Prussian (later German) Admiralflagge used for all admirals [admirals, vice-admirals and rear-admirals]?.
Santiago Dotor, 10 October 2000
Meyer's Encyclopedia early in the century said:
Auf Dreimastern führt der Admiral diese flagge im Großtopp, der Vizeadmiral im Vortopp, der Konteradmiral im Kreuztopp; auf zweimastigen Schiffen führt der Admiral sie im hintern, der Vizeadmiral im vordern Mast.Note that at this time the rank flags with black balls had already been adopted. (...) On 29 October 1904, the usage referred to was discontinued in favor of the black balls. Note that the black balls were already in use for single mast ships.
Norman Martin, 11 October 2000
Also on boats and, in the case of the rear admiral's flag, on two-masted ships, according to the Flags of Maritime Nations 1899 and the British Admiralty's Drawings of the Flags in Use at the Present Time by Various Nations 1916. Note that the Admiralty book was still describing the use of the plain Iron Cross flag for all three ranks depending on the mast it was hoisted on 12 years after Norman Martin reports it as having been dropped. I wonder if British naval intelligence was just slow on the uptake or if usage had not caught up with regulations?
Drawings of the Flags in Use at the Present Time by Various Nations 1916 also says that German ships of the 2nd Squadron of the Battle Fleet used red instead of black balls on vice and rear admirals' flags. Flags of Maritime Nations 1870 indicates the same system being used for French, British, and US flag officers — tricolor, St. George, and 13 red and white stripes respectively, flown at main, fore, or mizzen for admiral, vice admiral and rear admiral, with additional charges (stars or balls) added only for use aboard boats and tenders. In Flags of Maritime Nations 1882 the US had dropped this system but UK and France still used it. France had dropped it in Flags of Maritime Nations 1899.
Joseph McMillan, 11 October 2000
I have found that the Admiralty Flag Books were not particularly accurate or up to date with regard to British flags. I do not suppose they were any better with foreign flags.
David Prothero, 12 October 2000
Regarding naval rank flags in the past, it was common practice until the mid-to-late nineteenth century for admirals of any grade (admiral, vice admiral, rear admiral) to fly the same flag, their grade being distinguished by its being hoisted at the mainmast (admiral), foremast (vice admiral), or mizzenmast (rear admiral). Variations in the basic design were adopted originally for use in boats (where there was no way to differentiate ranks by hoisting the flag at different locations) and later carried over to use aboard ship as developments in ship design progressively eliminated one or two of the traditional three masts. As a result, between about 1860 and 1890 you will find all major navies moving to the modern system of a different flag for each grade.
Joseph McMillan, 16 October 2001
![[Vice Admiral's Flag 1867 to nowadays (Third Reich, Germany)]](../images/d/de^vad.gif)
1:1
by Jaume Ollé
The admiral's flag with a black ball in the upper hoist. Used only for one-mast ships during the Empire. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and has continued in use until today, except for the few years in which there was no German Navy, and for East Germany from 1945 until 1990. Illustrated in Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799, National Geographic 1917 p. 350, no. 597 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 4.
Norman Martin, 1998
The diameter of the black disc should be 9/50ths of the flag's height, according to Flaggenbuch 1939.
Santiago Dotor, 25 May 2000
![[Rear Admiral's Flag 1867 to nowadays (Third Reich, Germany)]](../images/d/de^rad.gif)
1:1
by Jaume Ollé
The admiral's flag with a black ball in the upper hoist and one in the lower hoist. Used only for one-mast ships during the Empire. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and has continued in use until today, except for the few years in which there was no German Navy, and for East Germany from 1945 until 1990. Illustrated in Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799, National Geographic 1917 p. 350, no. 598 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 4.
Norman Martin, 1998
The diameter of the black discs should be 9/50ths of the flag's height, according to Flaggenbuch 1939.
Santiago Dotor, 25 May 2000
![[Commodore's and Senior Officer's Pennant 1867-1945 (Germany)]](../images/d/de_com.gif)
by Jaume Ollé
White swallow tailed flag with narrow Iron Cross in hoist, extending to inner point of swallow tail. Also used by the senior officer of a unit. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and continued in use until 1945. (Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799, National Geographic 1917 p. 350, no. 600 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 5).
Norman Martin
The diameter of the black discs should be 9/50ths of the flag's height, according to Flaggenbuch 1939.
Santiago Dotor, 25 May 2000
by Jaume Ollé
Same as the Commodore's Pennant, but hung from a point [i.e. displayed with the hoist attached to a crossbar, like a horizontal vexillum]. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and continued in use until 1945. Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 5. This flag has continued in use by the Bundesmarine for the Squadron Commander although the rank of Commodore no longer exists.
Norman Martin
![[Division Pennant 1867 to nowadays (Germany)]](../images/d/de_divis.gif)
by Jaume Ollé
White triangular pennant with narrow Iron Cross in hoist. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and has continued in use until today, except for the few years in which there was no German Navy, and for East Germany from 1945 until 1990. (Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799, National Geographic 1917 p. 350, no. 600 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 4).
Norman Martin
by Jaume Ollé
White swallow tailed flag with narrow Iron Cross in hoist. This flag was probably in use as early as 1867, certainly by the mid 1880s and continued in use until 1945. Illustrated Crampton 1990 p. 42, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon 1912 vol. 4, facing p. 799, National Geographic 1917 p. 350 and Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 5).
Norman Martin
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