FG-004 – Imperial Flag - Reichsdienstflagge c. 1905–1912

Full view of the Imperial Service Flag (Reichsdienstflagge) laid out flat, showing 3:5 proportions.

Flag ID: FG-004

Imperial Service Flag (Reichsdienstflagge) – c. 1905–1912

This is an original example of the Reichsdienstflagge (Imperial Service Flag), adopted in 1892 as the official state service flag of the German Empire. It combined the black–white–red tricolour with a crowned imperial eagle on a white disc. The same design was also referred to as the Reichskolonialflagge because of its prominent use in overseas possessions, and in Berlin it flew as the flag of the Reichskolonialamt (Imperial Colonial Office).

The flag was flown on embassies, consulates, courts and customs houses within Europe, and on government stations, harbors and barracks in the colonies. While sometimes confused with the proposed “colonial flags” (such as the Togo lion design), the Reichsdienstflagge was the only service flag actually adopted and used until 1918.

This example most likely dates from 1905–1912, based on the use of hand-sewn flax stitching, heavy wool bunting, reinforced canvas hoist and original brass grommets.

Technical observations

• Measured size: 134 × 234 cm (approx. 3:5 ratio)
• Depot size reference: Closely matches 150 × 250 cm standard size
• Materials: Wool bunting, reinforced natural-fiber hoist, stenciled emblem
• Mounting: Two brass grommets with original braided rope loop
• Markings: None visible (typical for service issue)
• Condition: Excellent overall; bright colours, intact hoist, no major repairs

Historical and rarity assessment

The Reichsdienstflagge represented the authority of the German Empire worldwide. Embassies and consulates in Europe flew it as a state symbol, while in Africa, China and the Pacific it marked sovereignty over colonial stations. Contemporary sources often used the term Reichskolonialflagge, reinforcing its association with overseas rule.

By contrast, the famous lion design for Togo and other proposed Kolonialflaggen never passed beyond prototype stage. The Service Flag thus remained the sole official banner of colonial administration until the fall of the Empire in 1918. After the Treaty of Versailles, most examples were destroyed, making preserved originals scarce.

Based on surviving archives and museum holdings, fewer than a few hundred original Reichsdienstflaggen are thought to exist today. Full-sized specimens in strong condition with original hardware, such as this example, are exceptionally rare.

The crowned imperial eagle motif at center, showing detailed coloration and intact stitching.

Detail of the personal shield with the Prussian eagle and Hohenzollern crown at the center of the larger eagle.

Lower fly end with original seam and clean red wool section, no modern reinforcement visible.

Original brass grommet mounted through thick hoist canvas. Stitching intact and historically accurate.

Braided cotton hoist rope with squared corner reinforcement – typical of early 20th-century German military standards.

Hand-stitched reinforcement at rope exit. Strong X-stitch in natural thread through the hoist fold.

Upper crown area with minor discoloration. The crown is correctly depicted as the Prussian royal crown used until 1918.

Comparison: Proposed Colonial Flag (Togoland)

Period drafts for separate Kolonialflaggen used the black–white–red tricolour with a central white disc bearing a colony symbol. For Togoland, the proposal featured palm trees. These designs were never officially adopted; the Reichsdienstflagge remained the actual service flag for embassies, consulates and government offices (including in the colonies) until 1918.

FOTW: Colonial Flags 1914 — Togoland proposal (palms)

Sources and References

• “Flaggenbuch des Kaiserlichen Reichsmarineamts,” Berlin, 1901 / 1907.
• Imperial German decrees on the Reichsdienstflagge, Bundesarchiv Koblenz.
• FOTW: Flags of the World – German Foreign Service Flags (de1871fo).
• Vergleichsstücke: DHM Berlin, MHM Dresden, private collections.

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