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Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen) German Civic Heraldry

SPANDAU

State : Berlin
Incorporated into : 1920 Berlin

Origin/meaning:
The arms were for the last time granted on February 4th, 1957, but are much older. The arms are based on the oldest seal of the city that dates from the last part of the 13^th century. The arms show a city with in front of the gate the arms of the Counts of Brandenburg, a red eagle. In the base of the shield the Spree and Havel rivers that flow around Spandau are seen.

The present arms show the eagle of Brandenburg in the gate and above the gate the crest of the Brandenburger Counts used since 1306. The linden leaves on the black wings were added to the crest by the Counts of Brandenburg after the acquisition of Bohemia and are taken from the Kings of Bohemia.

In 1860 the arms were granted to the city in the wrong colours; the wing was granted in red instead of black with the linden leaves (see middle image below). In the 1920s the arms were corrected to the original historical colours.

All seals of the city show the same composition, although the shape and size of the different elements (castle, helmet, crest) differ widely between the different images.

Literature : Stadler, K. : Deutsche Wappen - Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Angelsachsen Verlag, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; Hupp, O : Königreich Preussen. Wappen der Städte, Flecken und Dörfer. Reprint von 1896 und 1898. Kulturstiftung der deutschen Vertriebenen, Bonn, 1993

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