Early Nazi Flag

SUMMARY: This offering is an early Nazi flag from the DAF or German Labor Front (DAF)circa early 1930's. Pric

Nazi Gear Cog Flag (circa early 1930's). This offering is an early Nazi flag and the gear cog that encircles the swastika indicates that the flag was from the German Labor Front (German: Deutsche Arbeitsfront, DAF) **. The provenace on the flag tracks back to the the family of Adolf Wagner, Gautilier of Munich - Upper Bavaria. Wagner was with Hitler at the famous "Beer Hall Putsch", the failed coup d'etat on November 9, 1923 when Hitler and his supporters unsuccessfully tried to gain power in Munich, Bavaria, and Germany. He served as the master of ceremonies for the annual commemorations of the Beer Hall Putsch every November 9th in Munich. Wagner died in April of 1944 and the increasingly reclusive Fuhrer made a rare public appearance to attend his lavish funeral..The term Gau was revived in the 1920s as the name given to the administrative regions of the Nazi Party. The Gau was the main administrative region of the NSDAP (Nazi Party), created by a party statute dated May 22, 1926. Each Gau was headed by a Gauleiter. As was the custom of the time, the Gau or district that this flag was from or sometime just an area (Schwarzenberg) was customarily sewn onto such flags usually, but not always, in the upper outer corner away from the Nazi emblem.Schwarzenberg is in Saxony and, at the time, there was a heavy industrial complex near the town.It was not the name of one fo the Nazi Gaue (Gaus).

The flag is two sided and its dimensions are 48" high by 58 1/2" wide. The red ground is wool, the center swastika and cog pattern are black and white linen machine stitched onto the red ground. The town name in upper corners is in white stitching on brown wool felt with blue wool felt trim. It is hemmed along the right and left sides. The flag appears to have been hand tacked to a support along one of its hemmed edges at some point in history. There are a few stains as pictured and a several imperfections ( holes) also visible in the photos in the listing. Overall sound condition, not fragile and not fallling apart. The flag would make a historic presentation if archivally framed.

**The German Labour Front (German: Deutsche Arbeitsfront, DAF) was the amalgamated National Socialist (Nazi) trade union organization which replaced the free trade unions that Adolf Hitler outlawed on May 2, 1933, after his rise to power.DAF's leader was Robert Ley, who stated its aim as 'to create a true social and productive community' . Theoretically the DAF existed to act as a medium through which workers and owners could mutually represent their interests. However, in reality it was a means by which workers were controlled, ensuring wage demands were not made too often. Nevertheless, the employees were given relatively high set wages, security of work, dismissal was increasingly made difficult, social security programmes were started by the Arbeitsfront, leisure programmes were started, canteens, pauses and regular working times were established, and therefore generally the German workers were satisfied by what the DAF gave them in repaying for their absolute loyalty. The organisation, by its own definition, combated capitalism, liberalism, but also revolution against the factory owners and the national socialist state. The DAF however did openly prefer to have large companies nationalised by the German state, instead of privately owned companies.DAF membership was theoretically voluntary, but any workers in any area of German commerce or industry would have found it hard to get a job without being a member.

The appointmentwill be come with a letter of provenance as to its origin, history and authenticity.

SOLD

Needless to say, this listing is not to be misconstrued as an endorsement or glorification of Adolph Hitler or his policies. It is not. Hitler was a major leader of an important country and, at one time, he was one of the most powerful men on earth. He is now part of history and there is no going back on that. Items presented by The History Buff, Inc. represent part of the historical record of man and are placed for sale without prejudice. Hitler represents that part of human nature which the founders of our country, like James Madison, called "the depravity of man." It was not by accident that our founding documents were designed in part to restrain that very 'depravity'. Jefferson was particularly prescient when he warned, "Man must be bound by the chains of law."