Violations of Flag Regulations

Among other things, an amendment to the Reich Flag Law of September 15, 1935 was adopted, according to which the swastika flag alone was to be displayed as the national flag from this time forward. Churches were also under the duty to display the flag. Pastors who refused to fly the swastika flag on their church tower had to expect to be denounced. From time to time, refusals to display the flag increased in certain areas.

A flag dispute flared up in the Bavarian regional church in 1937. As an expression of protest against anti-church propaganda at the NSDAP’s “Frankentag” on the Hesselberg in Franconia, numerous churches remained flagless, whereupon criminal charges were filed against sixteen clergymen. The regional church attempted to have the churches exempted from the order to display the flag for 1938 to no avail. Government officials made reference to the party representative’s wishes and the church’s resistance crumbled. The charges against the pastors were also dropped in the meantime.