List of command flags of the German armed forces and the army
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The list of command flags of the German Wehrmacht and the Army includes all the higher command flags, stands and pennants that were used by the Reichswehr , the Wehrmacht and the German Army between 1933 and 1945 .
Higher command flags of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht
flag
date
designation
description
1933-1935
Command flag of the Reichswehr Minister
The flag was introduced on March 14, 1933, and was used until July 23, 1935. The position of the Imperial War Minister and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces was from since January 30, 1933 , Werner von Blomberg taken
1935
Command flag of the Reich Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht
Accepted on July 23, 1935. Used until October 5, 1935. The name was changed to Reich Ministry of War on May 21, 1935
1935-1938
Command flag of the Reich Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht
Adopted on October 5, 1935. Used until February 4, 1938. After Adolf Hitler's dismissal of the Blombergs in February 1938, Hitler himself assumed the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht. The command flag was therefore no longer used and replaced by the following one.
1938-1945
Personal standard of Adolf Hitler as Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht
Adolf Hitler's personal standard, adopted on April 11, 1935, was also used to represent the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht after Werner von Blomberg's dismissal. Since December 19, 1941, it also served as a command flag for the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, after Hitler had also assumed this position himself
1938-1941
Command flag for the Chief of the High Command of the Wehrmacht
With the direct takeover of command over the Wehrmacht by Adolf Hitler, the Reich Ministry of War was dissolved and replaced by a newly created High Command of the Wehrmacht (OKW). Its boss was Wilhelm Keitel from the beginning and until the end of the war . The flag was adopted on August 6, 1938 and was only used on motor vehicles. The dimensions corresponded to the following flag.
1941-1945
Command flag for the Chief of the High Command of the Wehrmacht
The flag was introduced on April 7, 1941, after Wilhelm Keitel had already been promoted to Field Marshal on July 19, 1940. The flag was also only used on motor vehicles. It had a length to height ratio of 5 to 3. In practice it was 30 cm high, 45 cm long and provided with a 15 cm deep incision. In the white center circle there were two crossed General Field Marshal's baton, on which an imperial eagle was placed. This sat on a wreath that encompassed an upright swastika
A military commander was the head of all civil institutions in an occupied area (police, administration, etc.) and was a member of the Wehrmacht. The flag was shaped like a square, but apparently had no fixed size
A Wehrmacht commander in chief was the chief of all military units in an occupied area that was not under military administration. The flag was shaped like a square, but apparently had no fixed size
Higher command flags of the army
flag
date
designation
description
1933-1935
Flag for the Commander in Chief of the Army
Between February 1934 and June 1935 the designation was: Flag of the Chief of Army Command . The position of Commander-in-Chief was occupied from 1932 to 1938 by Werner von Fritsch
1935-1941
Flag for the Commander in Chief of the Army
In 1938 Walther von Brauchitsch took over the command. He owned this until December 19, 1941, when Adolf Hitler made himself Commander-in-Chief of the Army . The flag was therefore no longer used; In its place was practically the personal standard of Adolf Hitler (see above).
1944-1945
Flag for the Chief of the General Staff of the Army
The flag was introduced on September 1, 1944 and was used until shortly before the end of the war. Since the position of Chief of the Army General Staff was assumed by Heinz Guderian during this period , the flag was primarily associated with his person
1941-1945
Motor vehicle emblem for General Field Marshals of the Army
The flag was introduced on April 23, 1941, was square in shape and had a side length of 30 cm
1941-1945
Motor vehicle emblem for generals of the army
The pennant was introduced on April 23, 1941. The length was 35 cm with a height of 23 cm
1941-1945
Motor vehicle emblem for the other members of the army
The pennant was introduced on April 23, 1941. The length was 30 cm with a height of 20 cm
1941-1945
Command flag for the commander in chief of an army group
1933-1945
Command flag for the commander in chief of an army command
Until 1941 the designation was: Flag for the staff of an army high command
1941-1945
Command flag for the commander of a tank group
1933-1945
Command flag for the commanding general of an army corps
Until 1941 the designation was: Flag for the staff of a general command
1933-1945
Command flag for the commander of a division
Until 1941 the designation was: Flag for the staff of a division
