Last modified: 2006-11-11 by jarig bakker
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The KWC in Friedrichshafen received by order of the cabinet, 6 Jul 1913, the national flag with the arms of the house of W�rttemberg as their club flag. How much value was attached to such outward symbols, is shown by the speech of thanks by the chairman: "With pride and joy we have received it from the hand of the king as a guarantee of the warm interest of our highest commander in the fate of our club, as a jewel, which we will always honour, which should bring us to manly action, to serious work, to faithfull fulfillment of duty." To these members the flag and the sailing sport were much more than just a pass the time. Regarding sailing and especially their club, the sailors spoke of 'manly action', 'serious work' and 'faithfull fulfillment of duty', as they would regarding a nation.
The symbols in the burgees were at the time often symbolic. For example,
in the [nineteen]-twenties the burgee of the BSC had two golden laurel
branches, as a symbol for glory and honour. The "Flag with the emblem of
our club" was seen by the sailors of the time as a symbol little different
from the national flag. A burgee could therefore only be flown if one had
a burgee certificate. This, in turn, is to this day only received when
the craft is entered in the clubs yacht registry. For this a burgee fee
or entry fee is required. Before the first world war, in Konstanz a burgee
certificate cost 5 Mark. The exclusivity within the club was well paid
for. The certificates furthermore have just personal validity and expire
at the sale of the boat. -Finding of the right symbols proved to be a lengthy
procedure for a lot of sailing clubs. How important these concerns were
even after the second world war, can been e.g. at the 'St. Gallischen Yacht-Club'.
Here the name change of 1957 required the design of a new burgee. 78 designs
were discussed before one design was agreed upon in 1958. How political
many flags were, is shown among others at the Bodensee-Segler-Verband,
who before the first world war apparently picked themselves a black-red-golden
one."
Source: German
Yachting Association.
Translated by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 9 Oct 2005