Germany - Imperial Army Color style painted flag.
This Imperial German Army Color style flag, was brought back from WWI by an American GI. It was incorrectly identified as an infantry color, but the black background precludes this as infantry colors had white backgrounds, black was utilized for grenadier & pioneer regiments.
The flag is made of cotton a fabric rarely encountered in German Military colors, leading the the possibility that this was perhaps a field expedient color to replace a lost or damaged flag that utilized cotton due to the unavailability of silk.
For comparison, during the American Civil War Confederate Battle Flags were normally made of wool, however, to to wartime shortages, cotton was often used to make replacement flags.
Another possibility is that veterans locally reproduced the color for a grenadier or pioneer regiment to use for reunion and memorial ceremonies.
Little is known about the history of this flag. According to family records of the flag's provenance this flag was procured by a GI during WWII from Berchtesgaden, a headquarter for Hitler during the war. Berchtesgaden was fitted to serve as an outpost of the German Reichskanzlei office (Imperial Chancellery), which sealed the area's fate as a strategic objective for Allied forces in World War II.
Companion Piece to ZFC3342.
ZFC Important Flag
Provenance:
• Acquired by as a GI Bring-back in Germany, 1945.
• By decent until offered on Craig's List, 2009
• Purchase on Internet Auction by Perry Krevat for Zaricor Flag Collection, 2009.
