Flags of the Navy 1933-1945 (Germany)

Deutsche Kriegsmarine

Last modified: 2002-05-31 by santiago dotor
Keywords: third reich | rank | grand admiral | general admiral | admiral | vice admiral | rear admiral | iron cross | cross: formy (black) | batons: crossed | eagle (gold) | swords: 2 (crossed) | swords: 2 (gold) | disc (black) | discs: |
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• Introduction
• Grand Admiral's Flag (Grossadmiralsflagge)
• Flag of the Inspector Admiral of the Navy of the Greater German Reich with the Rank of Grand Admiral 1943-1945 (Flagge des Admiralinspekteurs der Kriegsmarine des Grossdeutschen Reiches im Range eines Grossadmirals)
• Flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, if not a Grand Admiral (Flagge des Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine, sofern er nicht Grossadmiral ist)
• General Admiral's Flag (Generaladmiralsflagge)
• Admiral's Flag (Admiralsflagge)
• Car Pennant for Admirals (Dienstwimpel am Kraftwagen für Admirale)
• Vice Admiral's Flag (Vizeadmiralsflagge)
• Rear Admiral's Flag (Konteradmiralsflagge)
• Car Command Flag for Navy Fortress Commanders in Staff Officer Positions and Navy Regimental Commanders (Kommandozeichen am Kraftwagen für Festungskommandanten als Stabsoffiziersstellungen und Regimentskommandeure der Kriegsmarine)
• Car Command Pennant for Navy Division Commander
• Car Command Pennant for Navy Brigade Commander
• Car Command Pennant for Navy Regiment Commander
• Car Command Pennant for Navy Batallion Commanders (Kommandozeichen am Kraftwagen für Abteilungskommandeure der Kriegsmarine)
• Car Pennant for Other Members of the Navy (Dienstwimpel am Kraftwagen für die übrigen Angehörigen der Kriegsmarine)
• War Merit Pennants 1940-1945

See also:

• The Iron Cross
• Rank Flags of the Imperial Navy 1871-1919
• Flags of the Armed Forces 1933-1945 (Wehrmacht)
• War Ensign: 1933-1935 and 1935-1945
• Third Reich 1933-1945
• Germany

The Nazis continued the use of the Naval rank flags which the Weimar Republic had inherited from [the] Imperial Navy. In addition they installed 3 new ones: Generaladmiralsflagge, Grossadmiralsflagge and Flagge des Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine, sofern er nicht Grossadmiral ist.

Norman Martin, January 1998

Grossadmiralsflagge

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

Like the Imperial Grossadmiral's Flag with a gold Nazi national eagle replacing the imperial crown. Illustrated in Flaggenbuch 1939, pl. IV.

Norman Martin, January 1998

Flagge des Admiralinspekteurs der Kriegsmarine des Grossdeutschen Reiches im Range eines Grossadmirals

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

The Grossadmiral's Flag with a broad blue border. Introduced 30th January 1943. Illustrated in Flaggenbuch 1939, pl. IVa (color) and Davis 1975, p. 127 (black and white).

Norman Martin, January 1998

Flagge des Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine, sofern er nicht Grossadmiral ist

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

The Admiral's flag with gold crossed swords behind the Iron Cross. Illustrated in Flaggenbuch 1939, pl. IV.

Norman Martin, January 1998

Generaladmiralsflagge

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

The Admiral's flag with gold crossed swords in the lower hoist. Illustrated Flaggenbuch 1939, pl. IV (color) and Davis 1975, p. 125 (black and white).

Norman Martin, January 1998

Admiralsflagge

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

On a white field a narrow Iron Cross whose arms reach the edge of the flag. (...) 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 Flaggenbuch 1939 p. 4.

Norman Martin, 1998

Dienstwimpel am Kraftwagen für Admirale

by Jaume Ollé

Like the Car Pennant for Other Members of the Navy, but with a wider gold border, decorated with swastikas.

Norman Martin, March 1998

Vizeadmiralsflagge

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

The admiral's flag with a black ball in the upper 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 in 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

Konteradmiralsflagge

1:1
by Jaume Ollé

The admiral's flag with a black ball in the upper hoist and one in the lower 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 in 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

Kommandozeichen am Kraftwagen für Festungskommandanten als Stabsoffiziersstellungen und Regimentskommandeure der Kriegsmarine

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Black-white-black horizontal tricolor with golden anchor toward hoist.

Norman Martin, March 1998

As the one for Navy Batallion Commanders but the fields are black, white, red (top to bottom) and the anchor is a little bitter higher. Source: John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht, Die Kriegsmarine: Uniforms and Traditions, Volume 3.

Marcus Wendel, 20 September 2000

As the one for Navy Batallion Commanders but the fields are black, white, black (top to bottom) and the anchor is a little bitter higher. Source: John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht, Die Kriegsmarine: Uniforms and Traditions, Volume 3.

Marcus Wendel, 20 September 2000

Rectangular flag black/white/black. Originally without anchor, but it was added 20 January 1943. Source: John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht, Die Kriegsmarine: Uniforms and Traditions, Volume 3.

Marcus Wendel, 20 September 2000

Kommandozeichen am Kraftwagen für Abteilungskommandeure der Kriegsmarine

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

White-black-white horizontal tricolor pennant with golden anchor.

Norman Martin, March 1998

Battalion Commander: as Brigade Commander but without anchor. Colors changed to white/black/white 15 June 1938 and anchor was added 20 January 1943. Source: John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht, Die Kriegsmarine: Uniforms and Traditions, Volume 3.

Marcus Wendel, 20 September 2000

Dienstwimpel am Kraftwagen für die übrigen Angehörigen der Kriegsmarine

by Jaume Ollé

Blue pennant, gold fringe, with golden party eagle carrying a wreath. Inside the wreath, a swastika.

Norman Martin, March 1998