Last modified: 2015-08-13 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: militia | buergerwache | st. michael | woman in arms | crane | warrior | jehova sun |
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St.Michael was the parish of the citizens of the extension west of the new city walls, the so called "newer new town". St. Michael was part of St.Nicolas parish at the beginning of the 17th century. Due to a strongly increasing population the district was separated by pressure of the civic captains of the sentinels in 1644. But the district gained full emancipation as the 5th parish not before 1677.The attributes of St. Michael are a sword and scales. On the flags of the sentinels he usually is posing as slayer of the dragon. The flags of the regiment had been green. The regiment had up to 15 companies, but later on the companies nos. 11 up to 15 had been handed as 11th company to all the five parishes.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 May 2012
![[St. Michael company flag of 1708]](../images/d/de-hh^m_708.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Jul 2013
Description of flag:
The flags ratio is approx. 8:9. It is a green flag. In the centre is a golden inscription, probably "JDWB" together with its mirror image. The inscription is flanked by two golden branches of palm tree and topped by a coronet of the same colour. Above is a motto, embowed in golden letters "Libertas est inaestimabilis" (Engl.: "Freedom is invaluable"), Beneath is another golden inscription is "AN" (hoist) "NO" (fly) and "1708" (beneath). In every corner are golden flames.
Source: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card AB III 57
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Jul 2013
![[St. Michael company flag of 1739]](../images/d/de-hh^m_739.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Sep 2013
Description of flag:
It is a green flag. In the centre on a brownish pedestal stands a warrior, dressed like a Roman legionaire. The plumes on top of his helmet are red and white, the colours of Hamburg. The warrior holds a wreath, probably of laurel, in his right hand and a wreath of oak leaves in his left hand. His feet are surrounded by military equipment. There are golden Rocaille and Baroque strap work ornaments on all edges. In the upper fly corner, within the ornaments, is St. Michael slaying the dragon. Coats of arms, probably of civic captains, are in the lower fly corner within the Rocaille ornaments and in the centre of the front of the pedestal. The central group is flanked by a golden inscription "Anno" (hoist) and "1739" (fly). Above the warrior is a golden, embowed inscription in initials "amor patriae" (i.e. love for the fatherland), topped by a Jehova sun. Alongside the hoist a stripe of 30 cm width is lost.
Source: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card T 612
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Sep 2013
![[St. Michael company flag of 1741]](../images/d/de-hh^m_741.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 Mar 2012
Description of flag:
The ratio of the rest of this flag is approx 13:17. Great parts of the hoist side and the upper half are completely destroyed. It is a green flag. In the centre a woman is seated upon a base. The woman has black hair, is dressed in a pinkish blouse and a wide blue skirt. Around her feet is military equipment. She holds a branch of palmtree in her right hand and a wreath of laurel in her left one. In the middle of the front of the base is a golden inscription, probably "JWP" together with its mirror image. The ensemble is surrounded by a golden ornament of leaves and polygons. Within the ornaments is a date: "Anno" (lower hoist corner) and "1741" (lower fly corner). Above the woman is the rest of an embowed inscription in golden capitals: "TE PO…US OMNES"
Source: I spotted this flag in the textiles restauration studio of Hamburgmuseum on 2 March 2009
Details: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card AB III 30
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 Mar 2012
![[St. Michael company flag of 1786]](../images/d/de-hh^m_786.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider,
Description of flag:
The ratio is approx 7:8. It is a blueish green flag. In the centre stands a grey basement at its base surrounded by military equipment. In front of the base is a white crane holding a ball in his claw. At the lowest stair is a golden inscription "ANNO 1786". On top of the basement is a baroco shield with golden frame showing the arms of Hamburg (red castle in silver field). It is held by an angel holding a golden chaplet in her uprisen right hand and blowing a trombone. Near the edges are golden staffs surrounded by wreaths of laurel (leaves and berries). In a golden oval in the middle of the hoist is St.Michael slaying the dragon, in a slightly smaller oval in the middle of the flyend is a crested coat of arms, showing a man - perhaps an angler. The coat of arms is flanked by scarves and a golden inscription "J.H.M. Capit.". The identity of the civic captain is not known.
Source: photo provided by Gudrun Hildebrandt, description based on filing card no. ABIII 41 of Museum für hamburgische Geschichte
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 May 2012
![[St. Michael 7th company flag of 1802]](../images/d/de-hh^m7_802.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 Oct 2009
Description of flag:
The flag's ratio is approx. 14:15. It is a dark green flag. Hammonia, who wears a golden helmet, is sitting in the centre on a pedestal, surrounded by military equipment and holding at one arm a shield with the coat of arms of Hamburg. Behind her is a greyish stump of a pyramid, masoned black with a small crane, a symbol of vigilance at its top. Neubecker does not show that tiny crane. In front of the pedestal is a small image of St. Michael in a blue oval, flanked by garlands of laurel, who is killing the dragon. A golden inscription "Anno" at the hoist side, a golden "1802" on the opposite side, a golden inscription "VII. Comp" in the middle of the bottom edge, the initials of the civic captain in the middle of the top edge, probably "H.N.St.", referring to civic captain Hans Nicolaus Struck, who was appointed in 1794 (see also Lorenz-Meyer "Hamburgische Wappenrolle", p.132, chart 141) The flag has a golden bordure and two wavy lines made of oak leaves on all edges.
Source: Museum für hamburgische Geschichte, filing card AB II 486
Note: Neubecker Neubecker 1939 denotes the flag as one the Nikolai-Regiment. But as the basic colour is green, he must be mistaken. Ratio and part of the golden ornaments are adapted from Mrs. Gudrun Hildebrandt’s photos.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 Oct 2009
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