Leutkirch im Allgäu

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

LEUTKIRCH IM ALLGAU

State : Baden-Württemberg
District (Kreis) : Ravensburg (until 1973 Wangen)
Additions : 1972 Diepoldshofen, Friesenhofen, Gebrazhofen, Herlazhofen, Hofs, Reichenhofen, Winterstetten, Wuchzenhofen

Official blazon

In Blau eine rot gedeckte silberne Kirche (Basilika) mit rechtsstehendem großem Turm mit Giebeldach und goldenem Kreuz sowie mit zwei linksstehenden kleinen Türmen mit Kegeldächern; über dem Kirchendach in goldenem Schildchen ein doppelköpfiger schwarzer Adler (Reichsadler).

Origin/meaning

The church in the arms is a canting element (Kirche=church). The small shield shows the imperial eagle, and is a symbol for the status as free imperial estate, which was held by Leutkirch.
Leutkirch developed from the 12^th century as an important village. In the early 13^th century Leutkirch was already a fortified town and in the 14^th century the free imperial status was acquired.

The combination of church and small shield first appeared on the two known seals from the late 14^th century. Most later seals show the same combination of church and eagle, but the actual composition differed widely.

On a seal from 1500 the church is facing the opposite direction, on a seal from 1454 as well as some later seals the eagle is shown without a shield. Similarly, the oldest seals only showed the older one-headed eagle, later shields showed the double-eagle.

In the 18^th century the seals started to show different compositions; on a seal from 1763 the church is shown on a shield in front of the eagle, which thus acts as supporter. When Leutkirch became part of Bayern, the eagle was replaced by the letter L in 1805, which was again removed on a seal from 1818. On another seal from the same time (1810), Leutkirch was by then part of Württemberg, the arms showed a divided shield with the church on the right half, and the three antlers of Württemberg on the left half. In the late 19^th century the old composition was restored, which has not changed since.

Seals of Leutkirch from 1500, 1601, 1763, 1805, 1820 and 1818.

The arms in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925

The colours of the arms are used since the mid 19^th century, but the origins are not clear. Only the colours of the small shield are clearly identical to the Imperial colours.

The merger with the different municipalities in the 1970s did not change the old arms.

Literature : Stadler, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; Gönner and Bardua, 1972