Gevelsberg

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of Germany - Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen)

GEVELSBERG

State : Nordrhein-Westfalen
District (Kreis) : Ennepe-Ruhr Kreis
Additions : 1970 Amt Volmarstein (partly), Asbeck, Berge, Silschede

Origin/meaning

Gevelsberg received city rights in 1886. As no historical seals of arms were known the above arms were designed and granted in 1903.

Although the official description mentiones a golden shield, all images until the 1970s show the shield as silver. Presently the city uses the arms with a golden shield. The small shield was described as gold with a black wheel, but the image of the grant shows the small shield red. Later images (Meyer, Hupp) show the wheel blue (see below).

The arms on the original grant

The arms until the 1970s

The building symbolises the former Cistercian monastery, and was also used as a canting element (from Gewel=Giebel=front of a house). The red and silver colours are derived from the arms of the Counts of the Mark, who owned the area in medieval times.

The small shield with the hammer-wheel symbolises the industry in the area.