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Belgische Gemeentewapens - Armories communales de Belgique Belgian Civic Heraldry

GALMAARDEN

Province : Vlaams-Brabant
Additions : 1976 Tollembeek, Vollezele

Origin/meaning :

The arms were granted after the merger with the other municipalities. The new arms show the arms of the Lords of Enghien/Edingen with an escutcheon with a leopard. The latter is derived from the historical arms of Galmaarden. The arms of Enghien were used by Vollezele. The oldest known arms of a Lord of Galmaarden dates from 1280, for Walter de Braine, showed also the Enghien arms, as he was a descendant of the latter family.

The previous arms were granted on July 27, 1908.
The oldest known seal of the local council dates from the late 14^th century and shows a leopard. The later seals also show the leopard. Why the leopard was changed into a lion in 1908 is not known. The origin of the arms is not clear. Of the families that ruled the town from the late 14^th century and later, many used a lion, but none a leopard. It is therefore likely that the arms are derived from the arms of the oldest Lords of Galmaarden, whose arms, unfortunately are no longer known.

Literature : Servais, 1955

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