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Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945) - Flags for use at Sea

Last modified: 2006-02-18 by dov gutterman
Keywords: croatia | hrvatska |
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Naval Ensign

1941

image by Željko Heimer

The naval ensign is armorial banner of Croatia - twenty-five white and red cheques. That flag is used on naval vessels stern and on all offices and unit of the Navy.
In the sources for 1944 flags this flag is marked as prednja ratna zastava (forward war flag i.e. the jack), and it is possible that it was used as such until May 1945.
Željko Heimer

1944

image by Željko Heimer

The naval ensign of year 1944 is the Croatian tricolour with the state coat of arms offset towards the hoist (the axis is on 7/18 of the flag length, height is 1/2 flag width). The naval flags often use emblems offset to hoist to ensure its better visibility when the flag is fluttering in wind, and to gain effect of visual symmetry.
According to the source, together with this flag was used the jack equal to the earlier naval ensign.
Željko Heimer


Civil Ensign

image by Željko Heimer

The merchant ensign is equal to the state flag, but omitting the shield in the middle. According to the movies from the period, it seems that the civil vessels used unofficially the simple undefaced tricolour (i.e. the "Croatian national flag" as called by the Legal Decision of 1941).
Note: In the collection of Dr. O. Neubecker there is a whole list of flags of the Independent State of Croatia dated in year 1944, probably prepared for the next update of the Kriegsmarine's "Flaggenbuch". These flags certainly origin from Croatia, but their source and status are not confirmed. One assumption is that these are proposals that were never actually adopted. All flags shown here with adoption date 1944 are not confirmed by any other independent source.
Željko Heimer


Postal Service

image by Željko Heimer

The triangular markings on ships of state services were called rožci (for German term wimpel). Rozac of the post service is in Croatian national colours, with red and blue field width near hoist being 1/6 of the flag width, and it diminishes towards fly point. In the white field there is a blue post-horn (size 1/7:3/8 flag width near hoist) with centre set 3/8 flag width from the hoist.
Željko Heimer


Treasury Guard

image by Željko Heimer

The "wimpel" of the Treasury Guard (financial control organisation) is green with a running marten in proper colour (brown). The dimensions and position of the marten are the same as for the post-horn in postal pennant.
Željko Heimer


Harbour Police

image by Željko Heimer

The harbour police pennant is equal to the postal pennant, but with two fouled anchors in saltire in place of the post-horn. The dimensions of the anchors symbol are 1/5:3/14 flag width near hoist.
Željko Heimer