Straß in Steiermark

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of Austria - Österreichische Gemeindewappen

STRASS IN STEIERMARK

State : Steiermark
District : Leibnitz

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on September 4, 1625.

The arms were not granted by the Emperor, but by the landlord of the market borough of Straß, Johann Ulrich von Eggenberg, Fürst von Krumau. Straß was a "Patrimonialmarkt", a market borough not under the jurisdiction of the Emperor and Duke of Styria, but under that of some other nobleman. The Eggenberg family was very rich and very powerful. They made sort of a model career. The Eggenbergs constantly granted loans to the monarchs of their time and in due course rose from the status of burgess or citizen to gentry and finally to princely rank. Their possessions were immense. They gave their name to Schloß Eggenberg, a beautiful Baroque castle at Graz. The family died out in the early 18^th century.

The raven in chief is taken from the Eggenberg arms. Straß castle (now a barracks of the Bundesheer, the Austrian army) forms the main charge of the arms.