Pennant found by a US soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 4.625 inches (11.748 cm) | Width: 3.625 inches (9.208 cm)
Archival History
The pennant was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015 by Edwin Fierer.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Edwin Fierer
Scope and Content
German military issue, poison gas warning pennant retrieved by Leon Fierer during his military service with the 79th Infantry Division in Europe during WWII. The pennants were attached to a thin, iron rod and staked into the ground. They were used to mark off areas contaminated with dangerous gas, and later repurposed to warn against hidden landmines. The pennants were part of a set that included 20 flags, each attached to a 60-cm-long iron rod, painted with red anti-rust paint, a roll of yellow tape, and a carrying pouch.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Small, yellow cloth with an inverted triangle, displaying a black ink skull and crossbones printed on the front and back, and hemmed edges. The top edge is folded over and sewn to form a tunnel hoist. There is a knotted loop of white thread in the upper left corner. The cloth is stained.
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Jewish.
- Germany.
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- Soldiers--United States--Biography.
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Western Front.
- World War, 1939-1945-Gases, Asphyxiating and poisonous.
- Souvenirs (Keepsakes)--Soldiers--United States--Biography.
Genre
- Object
- Signs (Notices)
- Information Forms