German Naval Jack (Gösch) 80 × 135 cm

Flag facts

• Type: Gösch (naval jack)
• Dimensions: 80 × 135 cm
• Material: Cotton bunting with heavy canvas hoist
• Maker (label): Textildruck Arlt, Schönheiderhammer (often marked “Inh. Oskar & Kurt Arlt”)
• Markings: Hoist printed “Gösch 80×135”; factory label on the hoist tape
• Construction: Multi-piece sewn bunting; printed roundel and swastika; multi-row reinforcement at fly; integral braided rope lanyard with spliced eye at head
• Condition: Good — light handling/age marks; localized red dye bleed into the white roundel; stitching and lanyard intact

Technical observations (print & dye)

The red dye bleed at the edge of the white roundel is a production/aging artifact — either incomplete fixation of the red pigment at manufacture or later moisture transfer while folded. On Kriegsmarine jacks this is uncommon versus party flags due to tighter naval QC, but it is seen on period cotton prints and is consistent with original manufacture and service.

Placement & usage

Flown at the bow on the jackstaff when in port or at anchor; struck when underway. Size 80 × 135 cm corresponds to smaller craft — typical for U-boats and light units (patrol boats, minesweepers, torpedo boats). Larger surface ships used progressively bigger jacks.

Maker context — Textildruck Arlt (Schönheiderhammer, Saxony)

Mid-sized textile-printing & flag concern active in the late 1930s–1940s in the Erzgebirge textile region. Period labels read “Textildruck Arlt” with locality “Schönheiderhammer” and an “Inh.” line — commonly Oskar & Kurt Arlt. Typography/ink on this piece match documented period examples. Output included screen/stencil-printed roundel flags and naval patterns for state/party clients. Arlt-marked naval flags are less common than products from larger houses (e.g., Bonner Fahnenfabrik), aligning with the relative scarcity of Arlt labels on Gösch patterns. The hoist size stamp (“Gösch 80×135”) and the label format align with verified Arlt-made flags from the period.

Detail images

Sources & References

• Kriegsmarine jack practice and sizing tables (1935–1945).
• Comparative examples of Gösch dimensions for U-boats and light units.
• Documented labels and stamps from Textildruck Arlt (Schönheiderhammer) in period collections.

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August 30th, 2025