German Red Cross (Germany)

Deutsches Rotes Kreuz e.V. / DRK

Last modified: 2021-02-20 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: deutsches rotes kreuz | drk | cross(red) | wasserwacht | bergwacht | edelweiss | life belt |
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• Introduction of DRK
• DRK Flags
• Ordinary DRK-Flag without Inscription
• DRK-Flags with Inscription
• Old DRK-Flag with Circumscription
• DRK Bay Watch Service - Wasserwacht
• DRK Bay Watch Service Flag
• BRK Bay Watch Service Flag
• DRK Mountain Watch Service - Bergwacht

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• German Red Cross 1936 - 1945
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• International Committee of the Red Cross
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• International Life Saving Federation
• Germany

The German branch of the International Red Cross has its seat in Berlin and was established on 25 January 1921 in Bamberg. In 2019 the organisation had more than 180,000 employees, nearly 450,000 volunteers and some 2.8 million members. Similar organisations were established first in Baden (1859) and Sachsen (1865). In 1921 the German Red Cross was established officially. The organisation is subdivided in to 19 state organisations (all German federal states with additional organisations in Baden and Oldenburg, NRW is divided into Nordrhein and Westfalen-Lippe). Besides that there are the communities (Gemeinschaften). They run readiness units (Bereitschaften) of volunteers in the following fields of work:
Readiness Units (Bereitschaften) for medical aid incl. DRK-Nurse-Corps (DRK-Schwesternschaft)
Mountain Watch (Bergwacht)
Bay Watch (Wasserwacht)
Youth (Deutsches Jugendortkreuz)
Welfare and Social Services (Wohlfahrt und Sozialarbeit).
Important is also the tracing service (Suchdienst) of missing or displaced persons.
Source: German WIKIPEDIA
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

The flag is white with centred Greek red cross, but usually in German proportiones 3:5. I guess, it is the one used by most branches.
Sources: Armin A.Hospes: "Die Fahnen der BRK-Gemeinschaften - Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Bayerischen Roten Kreuzes"; front cover and DRK donations webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

3:5 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

3:5 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

The 1st flag (see left image above) is white, the red cross shifted to the hoist and in three lines is a black inscription "Deutsches/Rotes/Kreuz". This is the pattern given in the style guide of DRK. The 2nd flag (see right image above) is white with centred red cross, surrounded by a black embowed inscription "DEUTSCHES" (above) "ROTES KREUZ" (below) in a black circle.
Sources: here, here and here
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

The flag was white with centred red cross, surrounded by a black embowed Gothic inscription "Deutsches" (above) "Rotes Kreuz" (below) and two black separators in centre.
Source: here
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

The flag is white with centred red cross in a blue life belt, surrounded by a grey rope garnished black, fixed four times at the grey ribbons on the life belt. The belt has an inscription in white initials on its lower half "WASSERWACHT".
Source: based on own photo spotted in Heringsdorf (Usedom) on 7 September 2016
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

The bay watch service originally started in Bayern as a community of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK). Older flags had an additional white inscription in the upper half, either "BRK" or "BAYERISCHES ROTES KREUZ".
Source: here
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

The flag is white with an green disc cotised orange-green with white inscription "BERGWACHT" in base of the orange annulet, charged with an edelweiss blossom proper, over all the red cross. Subdivisions are sometimes written on the upper half of the orange annulet.
Source: here
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Feb 2021

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