Original German Pre-WWII Der Stahlhelmbund Veteran’s Steel Helmet League Flag – 40″ x 61″ Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Der Stahlhelmbund der Frontsoldaten (The Steel-helmet-league of Front-line Soldiers) was conceived as a national veterans’ organization by Franz Seldte in November of 1918, and was officially founded on Christmas day of that year. It was mostly comprised of WWI veterans trying to assimilate back into what was then a devastated society. The Stahlhelm became the largest of the post-war veterans’ groups, incorporating many of the smaller “Freikorps” groups into it. It operated as both a mutual aid society and a political combat group, and was the largest nationalist organization in Germany by 1926, with 500,000 members.

Most of its members were assimilated by the SA in 1933, and it was disbanded in 1935, with its remaining members absorbed by the DRKB (Deutscher Reichskriegerbund), which, in turn, was absorbed by the NS-RKB (Nationalsozialistische – Reichskriegerbund) in 1938.

This is a totally original authentic German Pre-WWII Der Stahlhelmbund flag, of the style used from 1919 until 1933. It is very similar to the Reichskriegsflagge (Imperial War flag) of WWI, with a white body and large Nordic balkenkreuz (beam cross) dividing it into 4 parts. The upper left canton has the Imperial German Tri-color with an Iron Cross, and there is a large steel helmet (Stahlhelm) in a circle at the center of the flag.

The flag looks to be made from wool fabric, the standard material of the time, and has a white canvas header. It has a halyard rope installed, with a loop on the top, which extends about 43″ beyond the bottom of the flag.

Condition of the flag is quite good, with the colors well retained, and just a bit of age toning in the white components of the flag. It does show some wear close to the header, with some holes and tears apparent. There does not appear to be any major moth damage.

A hard to find flag from the Pre-WWII period, ready to display!