Reichskriegsflagge

(To Francesco Bergamo)
03/12/17

Unleash a media war for an old German flag? You can do it safely. And that's what happened in Florence when it was discovered that a carabiniere hung the war flag of the German navy on the wall in his chamber in the Baldissera barracks (v.immagini).

The Reichskriegsflagge flag is aesthetically very elegant from a graphic point of view and not at all linked to the events of Nazism. After all, there are people who like flowers, others like navy war flags! It is a matter of personal taste and not at all linked to ideology. Appreciate the construction technique of a Luger P08 pistol Parabellum, in use until 1942, does not mean appreciating Nazism, for example, but only the technical and aesthetic qualities of the weapon designed and produced at that time. The same goes for Mercedes or even better for the cockchafer of Volkswagen. But the flag that was the subject of the scandal no longer existed when the Nazis arrived.

In Italy, however, certain aesthetic tastes are not allowed and there are flawed declarations on the right and left on the inappropriateness to expose such a flag. And so on and so forth. But, after all, there is so much noise for nothing, because the Reichskriegsflagge (combat flag of the German Imperial Navy) was flown at auction during the First World War. And if the history books did not change the dates, Nazism still was not in power and therefore had no possibility to associate the Reichskriegsflagge to the party.

Whether the neo-Nazis and Nazis have adopted the flag in question is their business. Ultimately it would be like considering a potential revolutionary ready to subvert the order of the Italian Republic, a simple French tourist, walking around Rome, while wearing the shirt with the image of Che Guevara.

There are two historical flags in question. The carabiniere, according to the photos taken through the window (privacy only comes out when it interests others?), Hung the second one.

(Flag above: Confederation of North Germany, Norddeutscher Bund, 1867-1871)

(Flag above: German Empire, Deutsches Reich, 1871-1918)

The site www.rbvex.it, edited by Dr. Roberto Breschi (the other managed site is www.cisv.it), contains the following historical explanation: "Flag of the navy issued for the first time the 1 October 1867 by the Confederation of the North and confirmed by the federal constitution of the 20 1871 March. The 8 November 1892 was updated the appearance of the eagle, while in the 1903 the entire design underwent a revision, of which the most evident aspect was the reinforcement of the size and the fimbriatura of the big cross. With the abdication of William II and the various principles (9 November 1918) the second Reich ends and the flag disappears. Prussian symbolism prevails (white field, eagle, iron cross)".

The Minister of Defense Roberta Pinotti wasted no time and asked the general commander of the Army, General Tullio Del Sette, clarifications and measures: "Because the Republic and the Constitution are founded on the values ​​of the Resistance and on the fight against fascism and Nazi fascism - explained the minister - Anyone who swears to be military does so by declaring loyalty to the Republic, its laws and the Constitution. Whoever exhibits a flag of the Reich can not be worthy of being part of the armed forces and therefore of the Carabinieri having failed in that oath"(v.articolo).

It is a real shame that there has been some confusion between Reich, Second Reich and Third Reich with their flags and their aesthetic tastes, because by doing so we have shown the world that we are not very knowledgeable on the subject.