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Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen) German Civic Heraldry

SCHWELM

State : Nordrhein-Westfalen
District (Kreis) : Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis

Origin/meaning:
The arms were granted on August 3, 1938.

Schwelm received city rights in the late 16^th century and the oldest know seal dates from 1582. The seal showed already the above composition. The two towers and the wall symbolise the city itself, the wavy bar probably the canal around the city. The chequered bar is derived from the arms of the Counts of the Mark, who ruled the town for several centuries since 1375. 18^th century seals showed the same composition, but with three crescents in the base. The origin of these moons is not known. It has been speculated that they are basically derived from some decorations in the base of the shield on older seals, and were misinterpreted as moons. It has also been mentioned that they are misinterpreted tools used in the steel industry. But in the 18^th century there was no such industry in the town. Again later seals only showed the historical arms. On April 16, 1910 the arms were granted with the crescents, as shown by Hupp (below), in 1938 the city returned to the oldest arms.

Literature : Stadler, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; Hupp, O: Kaffee Hag albums, 1920s; Meyer, 1940

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