Third Reich SS Scharnhorst Service Banner – Item 90791

Magnificent silk embroidered framed panel. Made to commemorate a member of the crew of the famous German cruise ship The Scharnhorst on its visit to Japan. Silk finely embroidered with silver wire early Political style eagle and swastika above gilt anchor which is surrounded by various embroidered flags of the nations led by the German swastika flag and German battle flag. Silk panel below with embroidered ship SS Sharnhorst and dates 1939 and the original sailer it was made for “Erich Kuhler”. Contained in its period glass frame. Measures 48cm x 60cm. One small age crack to glass in lower corner but does not distract. Lovely historical item to this famous German ship.

Note:  SS Scharnhorst was a Norddeutscher Lloyd ocean liner, launched in 1934, completed in 1935 and made her maiden voyage on 8 May 1935. She was the first big passenger liner built by the Third Reich. Under the German merchant flag, she was the second liner named after General Gerhard J. D. von Scharnhorst.In September 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe, SS Scharnhorst was trapped in Japan. Being a belligerent nation’s ship in a neutral nation, the Scharnhorst was seized by the Imperial Japanese Government and held until ships of the German Navy arrived to escort her back to Europe.

In July 1942 SS Scharnhorst was sold to the Japanese government. Subsequently, the Imperial Japanese Navy acquired her and had her converted into the escort carrier Shin’yō. Her conversion began in September 1942, using steel from the cancelled fourth Yamato-class battleship, and she was commissioned in December 1943 after a month of trials. She was sunk in the Yellow Sea on 17 November 1944 by the United States Navy submarine Spadefish.