Yes, I know and I agree Antonio!
However:
- It took some time to remove eagles and other marking - Blücher and the destroyers in Narvik, the Torpedoboats in Kristiansand that I remebmer right now, all had their eagles in place - at the stern or at the bridge. But, as you say, the eagles and the gothic names and shields gradually "disappered" during the first year of the war or so.
- Flags however, is much more confusing. I think you are right about the flagging - normally from a flagpost in the main mast, at the rear mast in destoyers or at the pole at the aft rangefinder in some vessels.
I have read somewhere (I think in a survivors notes from the Narvik detroyer battles) that in battle, the Kriegsmarine flag was hoisted in the "main mast", whatever that may implicate.
- And to Olaf - I'm absolutly sure that, as you say, normally the poles were up at anchor also in wartime, but only seldom you can spot flags in the poles, also at anchor, in wartime. In peacetime however, I think you are quite right!
Tirpitz is shown in the book "Tirpitz, Hitlers siste slagskip" in wartime hoisting a large Kriegsmarine flag at the stern post on the occation of the ship beeing put into service in 1941 (This post used only (?) for "special occations" such as visit from Admirals, Hitlers Birthday etc - my guess), at the main mast at anchor and under speed and at the rear rangefinder's pole under speed.
As I said: Confusing.
I would be nice to hear if anyone out there should have knowledge of any flagging regulation. Must surely be a German handbook covering this.