Gelsenkirchen

This page is part of the German heraldry portal Deutsche Wappensammlung	Heraldry of the World
German heraldry: National arms Arms of States Arms of historical territories and states Districts (Kreiswappen) Cities and municipalities German Colonies Ecclesiastical heraldry Military heraldry Corporate heraldry Studentika Other civic heraldry Total pages in the German section : 61,373 Of which images : 41,286	Selected collector's items from Germany: Heraldic postcards Heraldic stamps Heraldic albums Kaffee Hag albums Wappen-Sammlung Heraldic trade cards Arms, Flags and Types of Nations Heraldic coasters Heraldic cigar bands Heraldic artists Otto Hupp Münchener Kalender German heraldic literature

GELSENKIRCHEN

State : Nordrhein-Westfalen
Urban district (Kreisfreie Stadt) : Gelsenkirchen
Additions : 1903 Bismarck, Bulmke, Hessler, Hüllen, Schalke, Ückendorf; 1924 Rotthausen, 1928 Horst, Buer

Official blazon
German
English	No blazon/translation known. Please click here to send your (heraldic !) blazon or translation

Origin/meaning

The arms shown above were granted in 1954 and show the church and tools from the old arms, see below as well as a lion for Horst and a linden tree for Buer.

The arms are slightly different from the previous arms, granted in 1932:

The oldest arms of Gelsenkirchen date from 1877, after the town had become a city in 1875.

The arms were rather complicated; the arms showed a church, with in the gate the miner's tools, and on each side of the tower a small shield, one with the Prussian eagle, and one with the arms of the Counts of the Mark (in gold a bar, chequered of red and silver). The town developed rapidly the last century due to the mining. The church is canting (Kirche=church), the two shields represent the oldest rulers (Mark) and the rulers in 1875 (Prussia).