At the Moscow Victory Parade of 24 June 1945, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, there were a total of 200 captured German military standards and flags, majority being from the Wehrmacht. The standards (German: Standarten|links=no) were rectangular and swallowtailed, while flags (German: Fahnen|links=no) were larger and square. Carried by a battalion of the Separate Operational Purpose Division of the NKVD, they were thrown to the steps of Lenin's Mausoleum under drumroll. Most standards were made in 1935.[1] There was also the banner staff of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" (LSSAH); its banner had been found separately and was not brought to the parade.[2] The staff was carried in a prominent place on the right of the front rank of the first column of soldiers.[3] It has been incorrectly called Adolf Hitler's personal standard.
The standards were selected from a pool of about 900 standards and banners shipped to Moscow from Berlin and Dresden. Some of them were collected by SMERSH trophy teams in May 1945 and some were taken from German museums[4] (in 1944 Adolf Hitler ordered all military standards to be moved to museums, possibly to prevent their capture in battle[5]). The LSSAH banner staff was captured in the Battle of Berlin.[6]
After the parade additional colour shots were made showing the flags of various Nazi organisations and other veteran organisations being thrown to the ground. The shots were added to the official video of the parade. The idea to have German standards at the parade and throw them to the ground was suggested by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in May 1945. The show of contempt stemmed from the old custom of "disdain not for the enemy, but for his defied military colours" in the troops of Russian general Alexander Suvorov.
The following list is based on the list of standards approved by Colonel Peredelsky on 21 June 1945. It is divided into battalion, Abteilung, and regimental standards and flags[7] (although during the war the Soviets captured standards of larger German units, such as the XLVII Panzer Corps[8]). Peredelsky's list includes older Imperial German standards (mostly cavalry) and Nazi police flags. The banner staff of LSSAH was approved separately from the list. Most standards are now housed in the Central Armed Forces Museum of Moscow, while some are kept in museums of other countries.
| Flag / standard | Unit | Service branch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Battalion of the 1st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 1st Panzer Brigade | Panzer | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 2nd Panzer Regiment | Panzer | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 6th Cavalry Rifle Regiment | Cavalry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry Rifle Regiment | Cavalry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 7th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 10th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 13th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 14th unknown unit | |||
| 1st Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 15th Panzer Regiment | Panzer | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 21st Reconnaissance Regiment | Reconnaissance | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 27th Panzer Regiment | Panzer | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 31st Panzer Regiment | Panzer | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 36th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 38th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 43rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 45th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 49th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 51st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 57th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 59th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 68th Combat Engineer Regiment | |||
| 1st Battalion of the 71st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 81st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 83rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 84th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 88th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 106th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Battalion of the 116th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Bicycle Infantry Battalion | Infantry | ||
| 1st Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 1st Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 1st Jäger Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 1st Police Unit | Police | ||
| 1st Rifle Motorcycle Battalion | Motorised Rifles | ||
| 1st Vehicle Transport Battalion | Transport troops | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 1st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 1st Panzer Regiment | Panzer | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Panzer Regiment | Panzer | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 6th Rifle Cavalry Regiment | Cavalry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 7th Cavalry Rifle Regiment | Cavalry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 7th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 7th Reserve Regiment | |||
| 2nd Battalion of the 13th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 15th Combat Engineer Regiment | Combat engineers | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 15th Reconnaissance Regiment | Reconnaissance | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment | |||
| 2nd Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 36th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 38th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 43rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 44th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 45th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 49th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 51st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 57th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 59th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 68th Combat Engineer Regiment | Combat engineers | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 71st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 81st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 83th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 84th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 88th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 116th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 2nd Battalion of the 116th Reserve Regiment | |||
| 2nd Battalion of the unnumbered infantry regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 1st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 7th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 11th Reserve Regiment | |||
| 3rd Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 33rd Fusilier Regiment | |||
| 3rd Battalion of the 43rd Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 44th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 45th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 49th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 51st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 57th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 71st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 84th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 88th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 106th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Battalion of the 116th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 3rd Jäger Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 4th Battalion of the 61st Infantry Regiment | Infantry | ||
| 4th Police Unit | Police | ||
| 8th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 8th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 8th Vehicle Transport Battalion | Transport troops | ||
| 9th Machine Gun Battalion | |||
| 9th Panzer Battalion | Panzer | ||
| 9th Police Unit | Police | ||
| 9th Vehicle Transport Battalion | Transport troops | ||
| 11th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 11th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 15th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 15th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 15th Machine Gun Battalion | |||
| 18th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 18th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 21st Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 21st Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 28th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 28th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 29th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 29th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 29th Police Unit | Police | ||
| 31st Machine Gun Battalion | |||
| 37th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 38th Machine Gun Battalion | |||
| 41st Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 41st Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 48th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 48th Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| 58th Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | ||
| 59th Machine Gun Battalion | |||
| 67th Panzer Battalion | Panzer | ||
| 77th Panzer Communication Battalion | Signal Corps | ||
| Unnumbered Jäger Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment | Infantry |
| Standard | Military unit | Service branch |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Abteilung | ||
| 1st Abteilung of the 8th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 9th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 15th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 28th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 44th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 45th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 54th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 57th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Abteilung of the 116th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 1st Battalion of the 13th Motor Rifle Regiment | Motor Rifles | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 8th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 9th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 18th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 21st Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 28th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 37th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 44th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 47th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 64th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 2nd Abteilung of the 78th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 3rd Abteilung of the 1st Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 3rd Abteilung of the 8th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 3rd Abteilung of the 9th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 3rd Abteilung of the 21st Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 3rd Abteilung of the 65th Artillery Regiment | Artillery | |
| 3rd Jäger Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment | ||
| 9th Anti-Tank Abteilung | Panzerjäger | |
| 11th Anti-Tank Abteilung | Panzerjäger | |
| 15th Anti-Tank Abteilung | Panzerjäger | |
| 18th Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Abteilung | ||
| 21st Anti-Tank Abteilung | Panzerjäger | |
| 28th Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Abteilung | ||
| 37th Anti-Tank Abteilung | Panzerjäger | |
| 41st Combat Engineer Battalion | Combat engineers | |
| 42nd Anti-Tank Abteilung | Panzerjäger | |
| Standard | Military unit | Service branch |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 1st Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 1st Cuirassier Regiment | ||
| 1st Dragoon Regiment | ||
| 1st Uhlan Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 2nd Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 2nd Uhlan Regiment | ||
| 3rd Cavalry Regiment | ||
| III Group of Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" | Luftwaffe | |
| 4th Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 4th Cavalry Regiment | ||
| Standard of 1813 | 4th Hussar Regiment | |
| Standard of 1888 | 4th Hussar Regiment | |
| 4th Uhlan Regiment | ||
| 5th Cuirassier Regiment | ||
| 6th Hussar Regiment | ||
| 8th Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 8th Heavy Dragoon Regiment | ||
| 8th Uhlan Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 9th Infantry Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 10th Dragoon Regiment | ||
| 10th Infantry Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 10th Uhlan Regiment | ||
| 11th Infantry Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 12th Light Cavalry Regiment | ||
| 17th Artillery Regiment | ||