| The Prussian Landwehr regiments adopted and carried in the field many unofficial designs of flags prior to the issuing of the order of 30th September 1813 which prohibited their further use. From October that year until 1816 when a new official Landwehrfahne was introduced it seems that these units were without flags. The designs shown here are based on written descriptions as there are no surviving relics. The exception being the flag of the Bataillon Sagan (3rd Bataillon 1st Schlesisches Landwehr Regiment) which has been preserved (flag at top). Silesian units are described as carrying sky-blue flags with either a yellow or red and white checkered Silesian eagle on it, with various slogans and sometimes with the unit designation. It has been pointed out to me by Jim Seery that the Silesian emblem was actually a black eagle on a yellow shield. The eagle wore a crown and carried a crescent and cross device on its chest. Perhaps this should be the interpretation of the yellow eagle description. The red/white checkered eagle was the emblem of Moravia (south of Silesia), perhaps the southern Silesian units used this design. The East Prussians apparently used a white flag with the red eagle of the Elector of Brandenburg, this eagle design was quite different to the Silesian model. The most common design in use appeared with either a white or black field with opposite coloured cross, I have assumed that the cross filled the entire width and depth of the flag, but this might not have been the case. The usual slogan on the cross was that of the Landwehrkreuz- "Mit Gott - für König und Vaterland - 1813" with the first two words on the top arm of the cross, the middle four along the horizontal arms and the date on the lower arm. I have included two variations on the form of the common black/white Landwehr cross and three possiblities for the Silesian designs. As very little hard information is available for these flags, these designs are pure speculation on my part and I offer them only as possibilities! I have produced the images at a scale 165 cm square, but the originals could have been any size, so please bear this in mind when resizing to print. Once again - let the wargamer decide ;-) | |
