Oberkirch (Baden)

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

OBERKIRCH

State : Baden-Württemberg
District (Kreis) : Ortenaukreis (until 1973 Offenburg)
Additions : 1971 Butschbach, Haslach; 1972 Ringelbach; 1974 Nussbach, Stadelhofen, Tiergarten, Zusenhofen; 1975 Bottenau, Ödsbach

Origin/meaning

The present arms were granted in 1969, but differ only slightly from the original arms, which were granted to the city in 1570 by Johann IV Count of Manderscheid-Blankenheim, Bishop of Strasbourg.

Oberkirch received city rights in 1326 from the bishops of Strasbourg (now in France). The oldest, 14^th century seals, only show a church on a hill, a canting image (the name means upper-church).

The arms show the church now in the lower right half, under the arms of the bishops of Strasbourg, which differ from the arms of the city only in colour. The lion is the arms of the Blankenheim family and is also used by the city of Blankenheim (Ahr).