ZFC1128 Germany// Pilot Flag / 1933 1945
Little is known about the history of this German Pilot flag; it is thought to be a GI bringback.
Ships in the past often required a pilot, familiar with local waters, to guide them into a harbor. In the 19th century, therefore, the custom developed of displaying a "pilot flag" to signal the need for assistance from a pilot. Special flags were also flown by pilot boats to identify their mission. The British added a white border to the Union Jack for use as a pilot flag and other countries soon followed their precedent.
When Germany came under the Nazi regime in 1933, official symbolism underwent extensive revision. The Swastika Flag was recognized as the national banner and swastikas appeared in dozens of other flags. This collection example is the German pilot flag used until 1945 both to call a pilot and to identify a pilot boat. It does not exactly correspond to official proportions, however.
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