NSDAP Schellenbaum Flag #11997

The German infatuation with parades and marching is well known and goes back many years. Upon the Assumption of Power, the Nazis, aware of the psychological boost that these traditions provided, brought them back to the forefront, capitalizing on the power of the parade as a source of pride for the community. It made for an overwhelming experience to see uniformed soldiers, the SA or SS, or proud Party members marching in unison with a band thru the streets. The shellenbaum, or 'jingling johnny' as it was casually called, is a percussion instrument consisting of a long pole with numerous bells connected to one end, and using crescent shaped crosspieces has traditionally been used for military bands and parades. In the Third Reich, the bands used banners attached to the schellenbaum to identify the unit or division it was attached to. This is just such a banner. The banner shown here is an extremely rare, unblemished example for the NSDAP marching band of Kreis Mannheim. Double-sided, the obverse displays an exquisitely hand-embroidered "NSDAP" and identification of the unit "Kreis Mannheim", the reverse has the brilliantly-executed omnipresent swastika. Still with the suspension hardware intact, it retains all of its original tassels and fringe without fraying or deterioration of any kind, except to one tassel (as shown).  (NSDAP Schellenbaum Flag)German Militaria