The Blood Flag

[magnusmilitaria]

Yes Todd you re correct! Parade in München.
BR
Mark

[ErichS]

Yes Todd you re correct! Parade in München.
BR
Mark

Not just a parade but a 9th of November anniversary march.

[magnusmilitaria]

not just a parade but a 9th of november anniversary march.

1933

[Darrell English]

[QUOTE=ErichS;4876926]A great photo Skipper! Here's an original photo from my collection of the BF at the 1929 RP I have the pic and a few other in a photo album that I have from the 1st SA Sturma 1925-28

[Br. James]

Dear Darrell,

May we see the photo? Thanks,

Br. James

[Hoss]

Braunschweig Oct18 1931

Blutfahne showing damage.

Eric

[Tora_Tora_Tora!]

Thread of great interest! Maybe one day will appear.....

[Forseti]

Allways I think about such myths I try not to say: "I believe" or just say something because I wish so.

I try to think while using FACTS.

Again, there is no clue the flag survived the war. The rumors of the flag in hands of an german collector in northern germany, is just misinterpratation. It was another flag (I think some ss Flag on LAH).

But back to facts:

If any of the early Party flags held in the Flaggenhalle would have survived, it could be a clue the Blutfahne did also.

But as far as I have seen so far, none of all these flags (showing several times here in the thread) appeared after 1945.

However, its is possible that the bloodflag (with all the other flags and relics of early NS History) had been removed from the Braunes Haus, because of Safety reasons.

The Braunes Haus was first damaged by RAF raid on march 10th 1943 when a big fire broke out there due to Phosphor-bombs.

The next damage was in the night of October 2/3 1943, when again a big fire broke out in the house.

Another Airraid destroyed the Braunes Haus in January 7th 1945. The damage was significant and classified as "total".*

However the Blutfahne (or bloodflag) had been seen in 1944 so it still existed in 1944. So it is more than possible that the flag (most likely togehter with the other relic flags mentioned above) had been kept somewhere else. But where seems to be unknown. On the other hand in all books etc. it is allways mentiond the Flag had been kept in Braunes Haus. But how realistic is that after all those bombings?

On the other hand, as mentioned, as long as no of the other flags of the Fahnenhalle appears, it is highly possible that it had been destroyed. Wherever that was.

best regards
Forseti

----------------------------------------------------------
* Here a picture of the BRAUNES HAUS in 1945:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...nen_Hauses.png

[Br. James]

Your logic in this quest is solid, Forseti, and I thank you for drawing this story into a timeline. The one variable piece has to do with the Blood Banner being seen in public in 1944, assumedly being carried by Jakob Grimminger. Unlike the other historical banners and flags that were initially on display in the foyer of the Brown House, the Blood Banner was unique in that it was occasionally brought out of the building for public events in Munich or elsewhere in Germany; the original Munich SA Standards kept there were also taken out on occasion, I believe, but probably far less often that the Blood Banner. So my thought is that, when the Brown House was secured against air raids and the Hall of Banners was dismantled and removed to the cellar tunnels connecting the Party buildings on the Königsplatz for preservation, the Blood Banner came up for use occasionally thereafter. Since Grimminger provided no details as to where the Blood Banner was stored, it seems at least possible that it may have been kept separately from the other historical banners in storage, providing somewhat easier access to the one piece that would be needed to be retrieved from time to time.

In the end, I don't think we have yet arrived at the conclusion that the Blood Banner was destroyed at war's end, even though that is indeed possible. The existence of the rumor that someone owns this relic today, either in Germany or elsewhere, is only that: a rumor, possibly based in the fact that the banner has never been seen and documented since 1944. 'Wishful thinking' from both sides, perhaps...? Indeed, we may never know the final truth in this quest, but the story continues to fascinate down through the decades!

Br. James

[ErichS]

Another interesting piece survived the carnage at the Braunes Haus which was the large bust of Dietrich Eckart which is now in a collection in the UK. I think it's very possible the BF survived but like James has said we'll never know for sure.

[der-hase-fee]

I think it's very possible the BF survived but like James has said we'll never know for sure.

... until it surfaces again !

[jerry c.]

if i'm not mistaken, the eckart bust was recovered above the ruins of the berghof.

wasnt the bust in the braunhaus foyer of frederick the great?

in any case, the legend of the blutfahne is endlessly fascinating.

[ErichS]

Jerry,

The Eckart bust was commissioned for the Braunes Haus and was located in the main hall in the corner near the Martyrs tablet according to Ulrics DE book.

[oldflagswanted]

Brown House flag display ...

...wasnt the bust in the braunhaus foyer of frederick the great?
in any case, the legend of the blutfahne is endlessly fascinating.

Hello jc:
Period photos seem to show the flag
hall display did change over time.
OFW
(below) My DE banner in the BH display.
München II later reused on Fritz Todt DE.

[Br. James]

It's nice to see that dramatic and colorful photo of the Hall of Flags in the entranceway of the Brown House as provided by OFW below. The statue that forms the centerpiece of this display is of Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor. The location of the larger-than-life head of Dietrich Eckart was at the top of the sweeping central staircase which led up from the main entrance hallway to the second floor, where a small seating arrangement stood just outside of the Senate Hall entrance. This entrance was flanked by the two bronze tablets bearing the names of the 'Putsch Martyrs,' the SA Standards 'Munich I' and 'II,' and was accompanied by the stark and imposing Eckart statue.

It's very interesting to note that the Eckart head was found near the Berghof and not in the tunnels beneath the Königsplatz; this would indicate that at least some of the 'priceless contents' of the Brown House and perhaps other buildings there were distributed to other locations outside of Munich, possibly to secure them against air raid damage. It does make sense that Hitler would have wanted the Eckart statue near him at the Berghof, especially because Eckart and he were such close personal friends and Eckart died less than two months after the Putsch and therefore well before all but the most senior Altekämpfers had even joined the NSDAP.

Br. James