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Danzig Historical Flags (Prussia, Germany)

nowadays Gdan´sk (Poland)

Introduction
Hanging Flag 14th Century
Until 1457
1457-1939 (Freistadt Danzig 1920-1939)
Blue Ensign 18th century - 1823 (reported 1805)
Civil Ensign 17th-18th Centuries (reported 1695 and 1756, doubtful)
Civil Ensign 18th-19th Centuries (reported 18th century and 1862, doubtful)
1805 Flag (doubtful)

See also:

Komturia Danzig (Teutonic Order)
Free City of Danzig 1920-1939
Gdan´sk (Poland)
Hanseatic Cities (Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland)
Germany

Introduction

The 1805 flag, as the one with four crosses topped by royal crowns and the one with three royal crowns, is a fantasy flag. There is some evidence, on the contrary, of a blue flag with two white crosses and a white flag with two red crosses (similar to the British system, as also adopted in Hamburg) used in the 18th century and, maybe, until 1823.

Mario Fabretto, 4 August 1998

Hanging Flag 14th Century

by Phil Nelson

Znamierowski 1999 shows several interesting flags of the Port Cities of northern Europe. These are derived from gonfanons, originally red in color. The flags, in a banner form [i.e. hanging flags], were flown from the stern of the vessels, the mast carrying the gonfanon of the colors. The oldest of the series, from the mid-13th century, that of Hamburg, was followed among others by Danzig in the 14th century.

Phil Nelson, 20 February 2000

The German editors of Norie and Hobbs 1971 added two charts (which were not originally in Norie and Hobbs 1848) with German flags that were important over time. One of them is no. 26, Flüger: Danzig 1400, as the above image, but crosses slightly potent instead, and placed fesswise and extended horizontally to a long flying flag. I believe a Flüger is a pennant of which the part near the hoist fixed to a piece of wood, and that is indeed how these are pictured in Norie and Hobbs 1971.

Peter Hans van der Muijzenberg, 12 November 2001

Until 1457

by Jaume Ollé

A red flag with at the hoist two crosses formy vertically arrayed. In use until 1457. Illustrated in Smith 1975, p. 115.

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

1457-1939

Freistadt Danzig 1920-1939

by Jan Oskar Engene

Like the former flag, but with somewhat smaller crosses with a gold crown above the top crown. In use since 1457. State and merchant flag of the Free City of Danzig 1920-1939.

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

Variant

by Jaume Ollé

Variant of the Danzig flag, believed to be referred to as the old flag.

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

Blue Ensign 18th century - 1823

Reported 1805

by Jaume Ollé

A blue field with two white crosses at center of flag (placement unusual for Danzig flags).

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

There is some evidence of a blue flag with two white crosses (...) used in the 18th century and, maybe, until 1823.

Mario Fabretto, 4 August 1998

The source for this flag is Tabel Öfver Alla Nationers nu brukeliga Flaggor År 1805, reprinted on pp. 146-147 of Kajanti 1983.

Norman Martin, 29 June 2000

Civil Ensign 17th-18th Centuries (doubtful)

Reported 1695 and 1756 (Encyclopédie de Diderot et d'Alembert)

by Jaume Ollé

Red flag with four gold crowned white crosses arranged two and two.

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

by Jaume Ollé

Variant of the above flag, from a Polish text [Miller 1962].

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

Civil Ensign 18th-19th Centuries (doubtful)

Reported 18th century and 1862 (Encyclopédie de Diderot et d'Alembert)

by Jaume Ollé

Red flag with three gold crowns arranged vertically, towards hoist.

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

1805 Flag (doubtful)

by Jaume Ollé

A red flag with a white canton with the arms of Danzig (red field with 2 white crosses formy, 2 lions rampant as supporters, crest an eagle).

Norman Martin, 20 January 1998

The design is incorrect; the Arms reproduced are not those of Danzig but the form they had on the flags adopted between 1920 and 1939 by the free town.

Mario Fabretto, 4 August 1998