The ''Bund Reichskriegsflagge'' (Imperial War Flag Society) or the ''Verband Reichskriegsflagge'' (Imperial War Flag Union) was a
paramilitary
A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...
organization founded by
Ernst Röhm
Ernst Julius Günther Röhm (; 28 November 1887 – 1 July 1934) was a German military officer and an early member of the Nazi Party. As one of the members of its predecessor, the German Workers' Party, he was a close friend and early ally ...
in 1923.
The ''Bund Reichskriegsflagge'' was formed from the local groups of Memmingen, Schleißheim, Augsburg and Munich of the ''Wehrverband Reichsflagge'' (Imperial Flag Combat League), which had previously been expelled for insubordination. The official leader was
Joseph Seydel
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the m ...
but Ernst Röhm was really in control. Political leadership was transferred to
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and the ...
on September 25, 1923. It was part of the '' Kampfbund''. The ''Bund Reichskriegsflagge'' under Ernst Röhm was instrumental in the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
(NSDAP) to seize power in Munich in November 1923. Both it and the NSDAP were banned afterwards. The ''Bund Reichskriegsflagge'' was briefly resurrected in 1925, then merged with the ''
Tannenbergbund
The ''Tannenbergbund'' (, Tannenberg Union, TB) was a nationalist German political society formed in September 1925 at the instigation of Konstantin Hierl under the patronage of the former German Army general Erich Ludendorff. Part of the Völkis ...
''.
Notable members
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Ernst Röhm
Ernst Julius Günther Röhm (; 28 November 1887 – 1 July 1934) was a German military officer and an early member of the Nazi Party. As one of the members of its predecessor, the German Workers' Party, he was a close friend and early ally ...
*
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
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Adolf Hühnlein
Adolf Hühnlein (12 September 1881 – 18 June 1942) was a German soldier and Nazi Party (NSDAP) official. He was the '' Korpsführer'' (Corps Leader) of the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) from 1933 until his death in 1942.
Early years
HÃ ...
References
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Ernst Röhm
Ernst Julius Günther Röhm (; 28 November 1887 – 1 July 1934) was a German military officer and an early member of the Nazi Party. As one of the members of its predecessor, the German Workers' Party, he was a close friend and early ally ...
: ''Die Geschichte eines Hochverräters''. Eher, München 1928 (Nachdruck der 6. Auflage, Eher, München 1934: Faksimile-Verlag, Bremen 1982 (''Historische Faksimiles'')).
* Harold J. Gordon: ''Hitlerputsch 1923. Machtkampf in Bayern 1923–1924''. Bernard & Graefe, Frankfurt am Main 1971, .
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