Last modified: 2006-09-23 by jarig bakker
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![[U-Boat Versenkungswimpel]](../images/d/de~sink1.jpg)
<>![[U-427 mit zwei Versenkungswimpeln]](../images/d/de~sink2.jpg)
images sent by Jörg M. Karaschewski, 8 Nov 2003
A friend of mine is writing a novel about a U Boat commander in the
First World War. She is having difficulty finding information about the
victory pennants flown by the U Boats when they returned from war patrols
She knows that some of them indicated the tonnage of the ships sunk, but
she doesn't have much more information than that.
If it would be better to ask for one specific thing, then what pennant
or arrangement of pennants would the submarine fly if it had sunk a French
battleship? She is basing her hero's naval career on that of Kapitänleutnant
Robert Moraht of the U 64, who sank the *Danton* in the Mediterranean.
Patricia Winship, 7 Nov 2003
The victory pennant, in German "Heimatwimpel" (home pennant),
was a traditional flag (not codified by regulation) which was a prolonged
version (flown from the highest mast, long enough to touch the water behind
the ship, carrying small bras balls at the tips, c 70 cm broad and 80-95
m long) of the commission pennant, in German "Kommandowimpel" (command
pennant, which, other than in England or America, is not a sign for the
ship being in commission but for the captain being an officer), flown by
the crew when returning from more than half year's journeys or by a ship
having rounded the whole earth. This is true, at least, for the German
Navy of today.
Winfried Schroedter, 8 Nov 2003
As far as I know the Heimatwimpel was (and is!) only shown on ships
wich traveled around the world or travled on sea for more than 6 months.
You can find a picture of a Heimatwimpel on a picture of Willi Dietrich,
last commander of U-286, at this
webpage.
Or see an (even short) actual Heimatwimpel on the frigate Emden at
the return to Wilhelmshaven after her return from an "Enduring freedom"
patrol at:
http://64.35.53.122/kd-fregatte-emden/e_5-5/einlaufen_14.07.2002/leiste_5_gross.jpg
(link doesn't work anymore).
A picture of the cruiser Emden in 1938 with a Heimatwimpel is at: http://www.richardstokowski.de/122emd.jpg
(link doesn't work).
I've also heared about victory pennants who showed the tonnage of the
ships sunk. As far as I know they were selfmade flags in differend designs
and colors.
Jörg M. Karaschewski, 8 Nov 2003
The Germany word for such a victory pennant is "Versenkungswimpel".
Unfortunately I don't have realy detailed informations. The only pictures
I have show Versenkungswimpel of WWII. The submarines showed these
pennants when they come back to their harbor. One pennant for each sunk
ship. As you can see on the pictures the pennants had different designs.
They showed the tons of a sunk ship or a picture of a sinking ship or also
the type of the sunk ship (sailship or tanker). The U-Boot men made them
by themselves.
Jörg M. Karaschewski, 8 Nov 2003
Since World War I German submarines were only about 60 m long, a Heimatwimpel
of this length would quickly get wrapped around the rudder and propeller,
ensuring that the submarine never got to its Heimat. Presumably
there are smaller versions.
Joseph McMillan, 18 Nov 2003
