Last modified: 2017-11-11 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: militia | buergerwache | st. peter | grenade | trinity eye | rocaille | hammonia | hamburg greater arms | crane | acanthus | arm(armed) |
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St.Peter was the parish of the citizens of the oldest settlement core. The church of St.Peter stood side by side with the dome of St.Mary, a property of the bishops of Bremen. It was the oldest church mentioned first in 811, 20 years earlier than neighboured St.Mary. The parish was mentioned first in 1195. The attributes of St. Peter are a book and a key (or two keys). The flags of the regiment had been red. The regiment had 10 companies.
I chose RGB (137/12/31) as background colour.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 May 2012
![[St. Peter company flag 1700]](../images/d/de-hh^p_700.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 8 Jun 2012
Description of flag:
According to source the ratio is approx 9:11. In the centre of the dark red flag is a grey crane, armed golden and holding a golden ball in his left claw. He is the symbol of vigilance. The crane is standing on a green basement. Above the crane is a golden, radiant eye of God.
The ensemble is surrounded by two golden wreaths of laurel twice connected. At the top is an embowed golden inscription "VIGILANTIA TE". From the following word just a single "I" is left. Between inscription and wreath is a coat of arms of an unknown civic captain. The shield is divided per pale with crucified St.Andrew on the dexter side and three horizontal chamfers in a blue field on the sinister side. The shield is crested by a cross and flanked by the initials "APC".
On the middle of hoist and fly are golden vertical inscriptions "Anno" (hoist) and "1700" (fly). In each corner are acanthus ornaments. About 1/3 of the sheet is destroyed.
Source: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card AB III 56 based on a photo of Gudrun Hildebrandt
Klaus-Michael Schneider,8 Jun 2012
![[St. Peter company flag 1707]](../images/d/de-hh^p_707.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Dec 2011
Description of flag:
It is a squarish dark red flag. In the centre is a black oval shield showing a golden sun with face. The shield has a golden bordure. A naked arm coming out of a greyish blue cloud holds the shield from above by a blue ribbon. The shield is nearly surrounded by two golden wreaths of laurel tied together by a golden ribbon at the bottom. In each corner is a black ball with golden inflamed fire, i.e. a grenade. At the bottom of the sheet is a golden inscription "Anno 1707". The flag is made of silk and has golden paintings. The upper third has been completely destroyed.
Source: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card AB II 1319, based on a photo of Gudrun Hildebrandt
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Dec 2011
![[St. Peter company flag 1712]](../images/d/de-hh^p_712.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 3 Jul 2013
Description of flag:
The flag's ratio according to source is approx. 1:1. It is a red flag. In the centre is an arm holding a rapier and coming out of a couple of clouds. The ensemble is surrounded by a golden wreath of laurel. Within the wreath are also golden initials "RBM". Ouside the upper half of the wreath is flanked by "JDD". On both sides of the wreath is the date "171?". The last numeral has disappeared. According to source "RBM" may be an allusion to civic captain Rudolf Brinckmann, who was appointed in 1712. "JDD" here might be a substitute of the protestant symbol, meaning "Jesus Dominus et Deus" (i.e. Jesus Lord and God). The whole is surrounded by a golden, embowed inscription: "Aus Liebe vor das Vater Landt" (above) "Führ ich den Dügen in der Hand"" (below), which is corresponding with the main motive. Translation: "In love of the fatherland/ I use the rapier in my hand". In the corners are golden spine acanthi. The flag has narrow, golden fringes at three sides.
In Stadler 1966 another red flag, displaying an arm holding a sword, is mentioned. On p.90 Stadler denotes it as "soldiers' flag (warflag)", having been in use since 1637 and having disappeared in the 18th century, probably in 1751, when it was replaced by the flag displaying the castle. Unfortunately he gives us no source to proof his claims.
Sources: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card filing card AB 72 and B/W photo showing the military hall of Museum für hamburgische Geschichte in 1928
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 3 Jul 2013
![[St. Peter company flag 1763]](../images/d/de-hh^p_763.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Oct 2009
Description of flag:
According to source the ratio is approx. 14:15. It is a red flag. A woman. perhaps Hammonia, is sitting in the centre on a pedestal, surrounded by military equipment. In her right hand she is holding an upright sword, balancing a black hat at its top. The other hand is placed upon a silver oval shield, showing a golden head crowned with laurel. A hand coming out of a pair of grey clouds is holding a crown upon Hammonia’s head, the crown topped by an eye of God within a triangle of golden rays, the symbol of Holy Trinity but also of God’s omniscience and symbolizing his vigilance over the city. At both sides are rococo style golden socles. That one at the hoist side is supported by a rampant guardant lion, holding a shield with the coat of arms of the city. On top of the other one stands St.Peter holding a golden key.
At the front side of the pedestal is a golden inscription "Anno" (hoist) and "1763" (fly). Rocaille floral ornaments are surrounding the ensemble. At the centre top and bottom are two cartouches containing the motto of Hamburg’s citizens in Latin in golden capitals: "LIBERTATEM QUAM PEPERERE MAIORES" (top) and "DIGNE STUDEAT SERVARE POSTERITAS" (bottom) (my translation: the freedom, which had been obtained by the elders, should be kept in dignity by the descendants). It is the same motto that can be seen above the main entrance of the current town hall. In the centre of the hoist side is the coat of arms of civic captain Andreas Krogmann, appointed in 1748 (see also Lorenz-Meyer: "Hamburgische Wappenrolle", p.70, chart 76). It shows a savage in natural colour in a silver field. The shield is crested by the Goddess Justitia with sword and scales dressed in a blue robe. The coat of arms in the centre of the fly side is probably that one of civic captain Henrich Andreas Reissig, appointed in 1755, showing two green trees in a blue field, crested the same way.
The parts depicted in lighter shades have been destroyed. It is sure, that there are Rocaille ornaments at the fly side, surrounding the coat of arms of Reissig. This side was later used to fix the flag on a new pole, and the flag there is unfurled and fixed with that pole. You can see that on the photo but you can’t see the single shapes. At the upper hoist side of course I can’t know any details without further information, which might be unavailable in the end. So please note that any ornaments within the pale parts of the image are doubtful..
Source: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card AB III 37 AD 2519, based on a photo of Gudrun Hildebrandt
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 18 Oct 2009
![[St. Peter company flag 1797]](../images/d/de-hh^p_797.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Mar 2012
Description of flag:
It is a red flag. The ratio is approx 15:17. In the centre is a brownish altar with the Greater Arms of Hamburg above, as usual in 18th century with a red castle in a silver shield. On the front of the altar is a golden inscription "PRO DEO PATRIA LIBERTATE" (for God, homeland and freedom), below the date "1797". At the base of the altar is some military equipment (weapons, flags and drums).
The flag has a narrow golden bordure at three sides. Furthermore a rectangle made of sticks wrapped by a creeper of oak leaves is surrounding the central element. In the middle of the top and bottom there are two golden roses. In the middle of the other sides are beigy ovals. That one on the flyend shows St.Peter with his attributes key and book. That one at the hoist side shows a shield with initials "GCP", probably a captain, which couldn't be identified however. Above is a tiny inscription to be translated as "to honour the company", below the abbreviation of "captain". Above the shield is a helmet crested by St.Peter.
Source: own photo, based on Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card nr.AB III 45
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Mar 2012
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