War Ensign and other Naval Flags 1960-1990 (East Germany)

Volksmarine

Last modified: 2005-10-08 by santiago dotor
Keywords: germany | east germany | german democratic republic | historical | people's navy | volksmarine | coat of arms | wreath (gold) | lighthouse | helmet: diving |
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3:5
by Jaume Ollé
Flag adopted 1960, abolished 1990

• War Ensign 1960-1990 (Service Flag for Warships and Boats of the People's Navy / Dienstflagge der Kriegschiffe und Boote der Volksmarine)
• Auxiliary Navy Vessels' Ensign 1966-1990 (Dienstflagge der Rettungschiffe und Boote der Volksmarine)
• Coastal Frontier Brigade Ensign 1962-1990 (Dienstflagge der Schiffe und Boote der Grenzbrigade Küste)
• Ensign of the Hydrographic Service 1966-1990 (Flagge der Hydrographischendienst)
• Ensign of the Rescue Service 1966-1990 (Flagge der Rettungsdienst)
• Jack (Gösch)
• Commissioning Pennant for Auxiliary Vessels (Wimpel eines Kommandanten (Hilfsschiffe))

See also:

• Naval Rank Flags 1960-1990 (East Germany)
• East Germany 1949-1990
• Ensigns and other Naval Flags (Federal Republic of Germany 1949-nowadays)

Service Flag for Warships and Boats of the People's Navy
Dienstflagge der Kriegschiffe und Boote der Volksmarine

3:5
by Jaume Ollé
Flag adopted 1960, abolished 1990

Similar in design to the National People's Army flag except that a black-red-gold tricolor replaces the center red stripe and the top (black) and bottom (gold) stripes are replaced by red ones. In use 1960-1990. Illustrated in Pedersen 1971, p. 33 and Smith 1975, p. 228.

Norman Martin, February 1998

The date of adoption of the war ensign is 3 November 1960 according to Keubke and Kunz, Uniformen der nationalen Volksarmee der DDR 1956-1986, Berlin, 1990. Pedersen 1979 and Smith 1975 both give the year without date.

Norman Martin, 21 June 2000

Dienstflagge der Rettungschiffe und Boote der Volksmarine

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Like the war ensign except the top and bottom stripes are blue instead of red. In use 1966-1990. Illustrated in Oliver 1993, p. 3.

Norman Martin, February 1998

Service Flag for Ships and Boats of the Coastal Frontier Brigade
Dienstflagge der Schiffe und Boote der Grenzbrigade Küste

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Like the war ensign except with a vertical green stripe 1/5 of width of flag in the hoist. In use 1962-1990. Illustrated in Oliver 1993, p. 3, 27.

Norman Martin, February 1998

Editor's note: see also the Frontier Police Ensign 1960-1961 (Dienstflagge der Grenzpolizei).

Flagge der Hydrographischendienst

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Auxillary vessels ensign with a yellow lighthouse in the upper fly. Adopted 1966. Illustrated (in black and white) in Barraclough and Crampton, p.122.

Norman Martin, February 1998

Alternate ensign

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

A blue flag with the lighthouse emblem at the center. Illustrated (in black and white) in Pedersen 1980, p. 190. Relation between both is uncertain. Barraclough and Crampton and Pedersen 1970 gives the first, Pedersen 1980 gives the second, but without remarks as to date. [See also the Rescue Service ensigns.]

Norman Martin, February 1998

Flagge der Rettungsdienst

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Like the Hydrographic Service ensign, but with a yellow diver's helmet instead of lighthouse in upper fly. Adopted 1966.

Norman Martin, February 1998

Alternate ensign

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Like the alternate Hydrographic Service ensign, but with a yellow diver's helmet instead of lighthouse in center. Illustrated (in black and white) Pedersen 1980, p. 190.Relation between both is uncertain. Barraclough and Crampton and Pedersen 1970 gives the first, Pedersen 1980 gives the second, but without remarks as to date.

Norman Martin, February 1998

Gösch

I didn't see any mention of a GDR Navy Jack anywhere in FOTW. I know there was one and I am pretty sure it was a 1:1 red flag with the GDR coat of arms in center — like the Standard of the Chairman of the State Council without the black/red/yellow fringe. Unfortunately right now I do not have a source to confirm it.

Volker Moerbitz Keith, 9 February 2001

Wimpel eines Kommandanten (Hilfsschiffe)

by Jaume Ollé

by Jaume Ollé

Two patterns: with and without the Army emblem.

Norman Martin, 13 January 1998

I once bought an East German Volksmarine pennant after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Above we have two versions of a commissioning pennant, with and without the GDR emblem, both of them blue. The one I have at home is like the first one but red.

Marco Pribilla, 22 November 2001

The red version was for commanders of fighting ships and boats, and the blue for commanders of auxiliary vessels. In the Gesetzblatt der DDR, Sonderdruck nr. 1014 of 30 November 1979 labelled Wimpel eines Kommandanten (Kampfschiffe und -boote) and Wimpel eines Kommandanten (Hilfsschiffe) respectively.

Mark Sensen, 23 November 2001

Are the official proportions of the pennants known? Mine differs slightly from the above image, being 10 × 200 cm over all, of which the tricolour part at hoist is 19 cm long. The upper tail is clearly longer than the lower one (33 cm vs. 24 cm) but this could be a mistake as the entire pennant is rather rough work.

Marco Pribilla, 23 November 2001