Last modified: 2026-02-28 by martin karner
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image located by William Garrison
A black-field flag with white "NACHTIGALL" (German for nightingale) inscription over a white
eagle with Ukrainian shield.
The Nachtigall Battalion, also known as the Ukrainian Nightingale Battalion Group, or officially as
Special Group Nachtigall was a subunit under command of the German Abwehr special-operations unit
Lehrregiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800 in 1941.
The unit was disbanded by the Germans in the same year (not because of their killings of Jewish citizens,
but because of their participation in the proclamation of Ukrainian independence). (source)
located by William Garrison, 8 May 2023
image located by William Garrison, Zachary Harden, Esteban Rivera
I believe this is a Ukrainian Volunteer Corps related flag,
judging from the color pattern. I found the following image
(source),
whose caption reads (original in Polish):
"Ukrainian soldiers in liberated Kherson/IVAN ANTYPENKO/PAP/EPA." So this indicates that the
picture is dated November, 2022 after the Liberation of Kherson and if
you zoom in on the image you can clearly see the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps flag in the background
in what appears to be the City Council (Hall).
Esteban Rivera, 20/21 June 2023
The flag can be seen at twitter.com.
Red and black are not specifically the colors of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps,
but those of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. The colors
themselves have been used as a symbol of resistance as other army
units would use red over black flags as part of morale banners.
Zachary Harden, 21 June 2023
The flag's inscription is "Furtwängler", a German name. This seems to be another one of those
"rememberance" or "morale" flags alluding with a positive attitude to the Nazi-German
occupation of the Ukraine in WW2. Another example we have on this page with the
"Nachtigall" Battalion.
It seems that some Ukrainian troops are introducing a new kind of propaganda flags which support the
cause of the enemy, instead of their own. Although the hatred of the invaders is understandable,
it provides a welcome template for Russian propaganda. A very special flag-related aspect of this war.
(Besides this I think both Esteban and Zachary are right. On the one hand those colors are typically for
the UVC, on the other hand they are used also on other flags as a general symbol of resistance.)
Martin Karner, 21 June 2023
