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Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen)
German Civic Heraldry
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GELNHAUSEN
State : Hessen
District (Kreis) : Main-Kinzig Kries (until 1974 Gelnhausen)
 Origin/meaning:
Gelnhausen was in early medieval times a free imperial city. The oldest known seal of the city, dating from 1248, thus shows the imperial eagle in a city gate. On the gate stand the Emperor and his wife. The imperial eagle appears on all later seals, sometimes under a gate, sometimes alone. In the 16th century the small breastshield appears. The small shield is the original arms of the city, which probably dates from the 15th century.
In the 18th and 19th century the arms of the city were shown in many variations; an eagle with a shield (both single- and double-headed eagles were used), the eagle without a shield, or the shield with the bar without eagle. The present arms were officially adopted in 1964 and are based on the 16th century images.
Literature : Stadler, K. : Deutsche Wappen - Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Angelsachsen Verlag, 1964-1971, 8 volumes.
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coats of arms on-line ! 
