Kreuzer Koeln - Patriotic Souvenir/Pillow Cover

[jwburchell]

Here is a private-purchase, patriotic souvenir of crew member "Hans Petersen" of the "Kreuzer Koeln" dated "1932 - 1933" entitled "Zur Erinnerung An Meine Welt Reise" (In Remembrance of My World Trip). These details are stitched onto a back piece of material which appears to be silk. Also embroidered onto this material are an eagle; swastika; sixteen national flags...and a dragon. A black & white photograph of the sailor and also of the ship are mounted into the overall design.

I am told that the dragon is an indication the item may well have been made for and purchased by the sailor as a souvenir at some port-of-call in the Orient where this ship made a stop during the voyage.

The cloth measures approximately 39 cm. x 48 cm. (approx. 15-1/2 inches x 19-1/2 inches). It may be what is generally considered to be a "pillow cover" but - while I have not removed it from the frame in which it is mounted (not period to the item) - it does not appear to be constructed for fitting over a pillow, and also the photos mounted in the material would not work for use as such.

I hope that members enjoy seeing this beautifully-made item. Sorry for the reflections in the glass of the frame.

All comments and feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks and regards,

John

[jwburchell]

More detail:

[paulj]

A beautiful example of a souvenir Trapunto banner. Here are a couple of sites with images of great collection and another with a discussion of the art: https://www.flagcollection.com/resou...ours_trapuntos

http://insidetheconservatorsstudio.b...orial-day.html

This is the first example I have seen with an eagle and swastika.

[Kondor]

This is also the first one that I have seen with the eagle and swastika! the Ship looks to be Panzerschiff Deutschland rather than the Kreuzer Koln. But a beautiful piece. This is my imperial version. The hand work on these is amazing and thanks very much for the links for more information on them!

[paulj]

This is also the first one that I have seen with the eagle and swastika! the Ship looks to be Panzerschiff Deutschland rather than the Kreuzer Koln.

Good eye. Perhaps the sailor or the maker didn't have an image of the Koln and used one on hand as a generic representation when the piece was made.

[Kondor]

Just another observation. the sailor in the picture is not sporting the Eagle and swastika on his hat. Still showing the Reichsmarine flag in the array of flags which is right for the 1933 time frame. The eagle and swastika motif is more like what the Party itself was using, so a very interesting piece

[jwburchell]

My sincere thanks to you both for the excellent and informative feedback on my "Trapunto" or "Memorial Textile". Much appreciated and most helpful.

Examination under close magnification reveals lettering (in part) on the cap tally of the sailor which reads, "Matrosen.Division II" and the flags in the ship picture, both midship and stern, appear to show a swastika at the center - either the NSDAP national flag or possibly the war flag (Kriegsflagge). This could be indicative of a later ship photo being inserted as the ship would not have been flying either of those flags in 1933. The period German flags appear at the top of those shown on the memorial textile.

[Frank K]

Very nice and interesting, thanks for showing!

Btw the ship is not Deutschland but Graf Spee.

Below are Graf Spee and Köln

[Valentino]

strange Piece.... in german it says " Weltreise " not " Welt Reise....

[JustinG]

Would you mind showing a close up of the sailor, speciffically on the hat Mützenband? Seems too long to be of the Kreuzer Köln, wanted to see if it is a school tally or different unit.

A very intricate piece indeed. Good catch with the photo of the ship being the Graf Spee and not the Kreuzer Köln.

Very interesting indeed.

Regards,
JustinG

[compressore]

Other one....

IMHO the picture started in this thread is not as it originally was.....the picture of the soldier should be the coat of arms of Cologne and the ship should be a painting on silk and not a photo...here is how it normally should look like
http://www.hermann-historica.de/aukt...artic_S_D&co=1

Those silk pictures were not "unique" as you can see.....but do not misunderstand me....the picture started this thread is still a great item !

[jwburchell]

Thanks to all for the interesting and informative responses.

Here, as requested by JustinG, are close-up pictures of the sailor and cap tally.

And "compressore", very nice that you added the link showing another of these - almost identical - "Trapunto". It is my assumption that when these were ordered by the sailor, there may have been possible options as to what could be added in the spaces in question, or that these were perhaps altered by the sailor at a later date.

All very interesting, indeed.

John

[Mike Swan]

That's a very attractive and interesting group of artefacts.

I found this related postcard locally some years ago. During its world cruise, the Koln visited Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and I think Fremantle.

The inscription reads: In memory of the unforgettable hours in Adelaide, dedicated from your friends Alexis Fleumann, Otto Knierim, Franz Bommerung.

Also note how the Weimar colours on the ensign have been inked out, no doubt to reflect the new Reich.

Mike

[Norm F]

Very nice items.

A puzzle though. Why would someone remove the silkscreen of the Kreuzer Köln with the gold cord border and put the photo of the Graf Spee there? You can see the perfect oval outline representing what was once there that matches that seen on the Hermann Historica example, and it was apparently removed long after the rest of the cloth had faded from light exposure, exposing a richer colour beneath.

Best regards,
---Norm

[compressore]

I am sure the coat of arms was removed too and the picture of the soldier added.
Explanation I can think about is that the soldier was killed during the war and the widow or someone else near to him had put his picture as a remembrance of him.