The largest heraldry site on the net, with presently coats of arms on-line !

Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen) German Civic Heraldry

KEVELAER

District (Kreis) : Kleve (until 1974 Geldern)
Additions : 1969 Kervendonk, Kervenheim, Kleinkevelaer, Twisteden, Wetten, Winnekendonk
State : Nordrhein-Westfalen

Origin/meaning:
Kevelaer belonged until the 17^th century to Wetten. In the 17^th century the pilgimage to Kevelaer started and the town was separated from Wetten. The first and only known seal of Kevelaer (1687) shows St. Anthony, the patron saint of the town. To the left of the saint the medlar flower (Mispel) of Geldern. The medlar was also the arms of Wetten.

In the 19^th century the town started to use arms, which have not officially been granted. The arms show in the right part the cross of St. Anthony and in the left a trefoil. It is likely that the trefoil originally is the medlar. The arms were based on an inscription in a stone in the shrine in the town.

The new arms were granted on November 19, 1973 and are a combination of the medlar of Geldern and Wetten and the fleur-de-lis of the arms of Kervenheim.

In the early 20^th century the arms below were shown in the Kaffee Hag albums. These arms show the same composition as the old arms, but in different colours.

The arms as shown in the Kaffee Hag albums.

Literature : Stadler, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; Frankewitz, S. en G. Fenner : De zegels der steden en dorpen in het overkwartier van Gelre/Die Siegel der Städte und Dörfer im geldrischen Oberquartier. Venlo, z.j. 291 blz.(bilingual); Nagel, R. : Rheinisches Wappenbuch, Köln, 1986; Kaffee Hag albums 1920s.

Home © Ralf Hartemink 1996, ->

See also my other sites Food-Info.net and Food Dictionary