Oettingen in Bayern

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

OETTINGEN IN BAYERN

State : Bayern
District (Kreis) : Donau-Ries (until 1973 Nördlingen)
Additions : 1972 Erlbach, Heuberg, Lehmingen, Niederhofen, Nittingen

Official blazon

In Rot ein silberner Schragen.

Origin/meaning

The St. Andrew's cross already appears on the oldest seal of the city, known from the late 13^th century. The cross is derived from the arms of the Counts of Oettingen, who ruled the city in the 13^th century. All later seals show the cross as the arms of the city.

The original colour is red, but in the early 19^th century a blue field was used. This change of colour has two origins. First, on a 17^th century seal the field was shown striped horizontally, probably just as a decoration. However, this is also the heraldic black and white code for blue, and thus in the early 19^th century the field was made blue. It was an appropriate colour, as silver and blue are also the colours of Bayern. Later during the 19^th century the original red colour was restored.