Last modified: 2005-09-17 by santiago dotor
Keywords: third reich | nationalsocialist | nsdap | swastika | cross: swastika (black) | eagle |
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The Nazi National Eagle was roughly the former eagle holding a swastika — the same eagle was officially on the German steel helmets.
Norman Martin, January 1998
I am a bit confused by references to the "National Eagle" described by Norman Martin. This is in fact the Wehrmacht eagle, which was somewhat similar to the eagle of the Weimar Arms except that it stands on a swastika. As he noted, this eagle was to be seen on the steel helmet as worn by the Army and Navy (though not by the Luftwaffe or the Waffen-SS). It was a shield-shaped badge (dark green background, white eagle) worn on the left side of the helmet; a shield with diagonal stripes of black-white-red was worn on the right side.
The "National Eagle" —or a version of it— was worn over the right pocket on Army and Navy uniforms and also as a cap badge. This was the more familiar style with spread wings, standing on a swastika within a wreath. The Waffen-SS wore a similar-but-not-matching eagle on the left sleeve, and the police had still another type.
Bottom line? There were quite a few different patterns of Nazi eagles. Some were Party badges, some were strictly military, while others were national symbols, e.g. the version used on the Government Authorities flag [Reichsdienstflagge]. But the one you refer to as the "National Eagle" was in fact reserved for the armed forces. It was applied to Hitler's Führer standard because he became the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces after the death of old President von Hindenburg in 1934 and his assumption of the powers of the presidency as Führer and Reich Chancellor.
Tom Gregg, 18 December 1997
There were three basic types of eagles used on Nazi era flags (there actually was a fourth: a modification of the Fridriacian type used in a few minor ones):
