Flagpole accessories in Germany – every part explained

A flagpole consists of more than a tube. The pulley, line, cleat and anchoring decide whether the flag is easy to hoist, whether it hangs calmly in the wind and whether the pole still stands safely after years. The terms are not entirely uniform in the trade; the following overview gives the most common ones.

Overview of the parts

Pole head and pulley

At the top of the pole sits the pole head. It protects the open tube from water and carries the pulley over which the line runs. Many pole heads are mounted on bearings so that the flag can turn with the wind without wrapping around the pole. The pole head is the part that is hardest to reach without laying the pole down. How damage there can be fixed is described in the guide to flagpole repair.

Line, snap hooks and clamps

The halyard, also called the “Heißseil” by Protokoll Inland, is usually made of plastic such as polyester or polypropylene and runs as a loop over the pulley. The flag is attached to the line with snap hooks or flag clamps, at the top and bottom of the hoist, the edge of the flag nearest the pole. According to Protokoll Inland, all hooks of the flag are attached to the line in a ceremonial raising. Plastic or coated snap hooks strike the pole more quietly than bare metal ones.

Cleat and halyard hatch

With an external halyard, the line is made fast on a cleat. With an internal halyard, it sits behind a lockable hatch; a counterweight inside the pole keeps it taut. This makes it harder for unauthorised persons to take down or steal the flag.

Outrigger

For outrigger flags there are arms at the top of the pole that keep the flag spread out even in still air. Rotating arms follow the wind. Some arms can be hoisted together with the flag; only then can an outrigger flag be set at half-mast at all.

Anchoring: ground sleeve, tilting device, foundation

The pole stands in a foundation, usually of concrete. In it sits either a ground sleeve into which the pole is inserted, or a tilting device that allows the pole to be laid down. A tilting pole makes maintenance and repair at the pole head easier, because nobody has to work at height. The manufacturer states the size and reinforcement of the foundation, depending on pole height, flag size and wind zone. More in the guide to flagpole installation.

Mourning ribbon and storm flag

For flags that cannot be lowered to half-mast, a mourning ribbon is part of the accessories. Protokoll Inland gives dimensions to match the flag size, such as 300 × 10 cm for a flag of 150 × 250 cm. More in the guide to half-mast. A smaller flag for stormy weather catches less wind and relieves the pole.

Lighting

Floodlights at the foot of the pole or on the ground light the flag at night. Under the flag decree, floodlit flags may stay up after sunset. For permanently connected lights, section 13 of the Low Voltage Connection Ordinance applies: apart from the network operator, only an installation company listed in a register of installers may install, extend or alter the electrical installation behind the house connection fuse. More in the guide to flag lighting.