Hilden

HILDEN

State: Nordrhein-Westfalen
District (Kreis): Mettmann

Official blazon

German	Unter silbernem Schildhaupt, darin ein roter Wechselzinnenbalken, in Grün ein silberner Schrägwellenbalken, begleitet oben von einem silbernen Kammrad unten von einer silbernen Sichel. Im Oberwappen eine dreitürmige silberne Mauerkrone mit geschlossenem schwarzen Tor.
English	blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on April 2, 1900.

The city does not have old historical arms. It belonged to Haan and the only seal of Haan and Hilden shows the patron saint. The upper part of the arms show the oldest arms of the counts of Berg, which was later replaced by the, more often used, lion (see the county arms). The lower part is based on the arms of the Prussian Rhine Province, but the river here is the Itter. The sickle and wheel symbolise agriculture and industry.

The history of the arms of Hilden is rather complex. Hilden was declared a town in 1861. Thirtyfour years later, on October 2, 1895, the municipal council decided to apply for coat of arms.

On January 24, 1896, Frauberger, general manager of a Düsseldorf industry association presented his first designs to Hilden's municipal administration:

1st design by Frauberger

This was the official design. The shield is divided into two parts. The upper part shows the lion of the Counts of Berg, backed by two blue bars, representing the Knights of Horst. The lower part shows the cross of the State of Köln, as Hilden was the property of the Archbishop of Köln in the 13^th century.

2nd design by Frauberger

This was an inofficial design, only to please council member Lieven, who had contacted Frauberger. But this is the first design to show the River Itter.
Dr. Woldemar Harless, Düsseldorf Privy Counseller of Archives, however had the opinion, that the River Itter could be mixed up with the River Rhine.

The Hilden municipal council, headed by the just appointed mayor Karl Wilhelm Heitland on January 28, 1896 had its first meeting on the coat of arms, but no decision was taken. On April 7, 1896, council member Karl Bergmann handed six new designs to the mayor. These designs had been painted by an employee of a Hilden cotton company, Peter Wymar. Wymar's designs do not exist in the Hilden archives, but the following reconstructions may give an idea, how Wymar's designs may have looked.

1st design by Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows the colors of the Hohenzollern, hinting to Prussion rule. The lower part shows the river Itter. The three flowers represent trade, industry and agriculture.

2nd design by Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows three flowers, standing for trade, industry and agriculture. The lower part shows the colours of the German national flag at that time.

3rd design by Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows the lion of the Counts of Berg, backed by a blue bar, representing the Knights of Horst. The lower part shows the colours of the Hohenzollern.

4th design by Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows a winged genius. The lower part shows two towers standing for the Catholic and Protestant faith and in between three flowers for trade, industry and agriculture.

5th design by Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows the colours of the Hohenzollern. The lower part shows the lion of the Counts of Berg, backed by a blue bar, representing the Knights of Horst.

6th design by Wymar

The blue star, divided into three segments represents the river Itter. The red flowers in its angles stay for trade, industry and agriculture.

Until 1899 there had been long discussions between the mayor, the council members and the local government in Düsseldorf about the arms. As a result Wymar painted two new designs as a compromise. The ultimate arrangement of symbols was proposed by the Royal Herald's Office in Berlin.

1st compromise design Harless/Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows the lion of the Counts of Berg and the cross of Köln. The lower part shows the river Itter and three flowers for trade, industry and agriculture.

2nd compromise design Harless/Wymar

The upper part of the shield shows a bar taken from the oldest arms of the Counts of Berg. The lower part shows the river Itter. The three flowers represent trade, industry and agriculture.

Proposal by the Royal Herald of Arms Office in Berlin, dated October 9, 1899

Finally in 1900 again a new design was finally approved (present arms, see above).

Seal from around 1900	The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925
The arms used after the second world war until the 1980s (the mural crown was omitted)	Abstract design by Hans-Karl Rodenkirchen (HAKARO), around 1985
The arms on a special cancellation 1985	The arms on a special cancellation 1986

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© since 1995, Heraldry of the World, Ralf Hartemink
Index of the site

Literature: Stadler, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; designs and info taken from http://www.isis.de/members/~ksieger/stadtwap/stadtwgb