A pristine German Naval Ensign of late 19th Century style.
This German Naval Storm Ensign bears the crowned W inspection mark of the German Empire. When the Second Reich (Empire) was established in 1870, the 1867 flag, ensign and jack that had been used by the North German Confederation became the national flags of Germany.

The national flag had equal horizontal stripes of black, white, and red corresponding to the "blood and iron" policy of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck who had designed it. These continued to be the national colors of Germany, until 1919, and they were featured in most German flags of the late 19th/early 20th century.

This ensign, the distinguishing flag of a warship, was basically the national flag defaced with the quintessential German symbol, the Iron Cross; in the canton, a white field is divided by an offset black cross cotised white into four fields. At the intersection of the arms of the cross is a medallion-like disk, with a thin black border which carries the Prussian eagle.

The black cross dates from the Middle Ages when the Teutonic Knights fought in northeastern Europe for German rule over local pagan tribes. Their banner was white with a simple black cross. To honor that tradition, when the German Empire was revived, a naval war ensign based on the banner of the Teutonic Knights was created.

The Iron Cross in the upper left field is also known, erroneously, as the Maltese cross, but it was originally a decoration demonstrating military prowess awarded by the Prussian monarchy. Later King Frederick William III of Prussia adopted the use of the Iron Cross for the German Military forces; first awarding it on the 10th of March in the year 1813. It continued to be awarded to the German military throughout all major wars of the late 19th Century and up until the mid 20th, including the Napoleonic, the Franco-Prussian and both World Wars.

The Iron Cross originally was also a symbol of the Teutonic Knights, a heraldic cross pattée, and the cross design - but not the specific decoration - has been the symbol of Germany's armed forces, the Bundeswehr since ca. 1870.

A version of this flag, corresponding to the collection item, became official in 1903. It was worn by all German naval vessels until 1919 when the empire was overthrown. This example was likely produced for World War I (1914-1918) or in the preceding years.

Because it was found in its original storage bag, it is unlikely to have been used from 1919-1933 when right-wing extremists fought the German Republic under this flag or from the Nazi era when this war ensign was flown once a year on the 31st of May, on all German navy vessels. The original bag made to hold the flag is still intact. The stencilled text on the bag reads "STURM.FL.95 x 1,57.".

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Deaccessed Heritage Auctions - 13 November 2023 - Auction 6276


Sources