Mönchengladbach

	MÖNCHENGLADBACH Country : Germany State : Nordrhein-Westfalen District (Kreis) : Free urban district (Kreisfreie Stadt) Additions: 1921 Gladbach-Land 1921 Neuwerk 1921 Rheindahlen 1929 Hardt (1933 Rheydt) 1929 Giesenkirchen (1933 Rheydt) 1929 Odenkirchen (1933 Rheydt) 1929-33 Rheydt (1st time) 1929 Schelsen (1933 Rheydt) 1974 Rheydt (2nd time) 1974 Wickrath Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"250px","height":"250px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":7,"defzoom":14,"layers":["OpenStreetMap"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":51.19330000000000069348971010185778141021728515625,"lon":6.437599999999999766941982670687139034271240234375,"icon":""}],"imageoverlays":null}

Official blazon
German	Unter rotem Schildhaupt, darin einen silbernen Wechselzinnenbalken, gespalten von Blau und Gold, vorne eine silberne Abtskrümme, hinten ein durchgehendes schwarzes Kreuz.
English	blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

Mönchengladbach got city rights in 1364 from Duke William V of Jülich. The lion of Jülich was the only symbol used on the seals until the 16^th century.
In the early 16^th century the image of St. Veit, the patron saint of the local Benedictine abbey is added. The abbey also gave the town part of its name. The saint is accompanied by 14 stars, the 14 'helpers' of which St. Veit is one.

The wavy bar, or brook (Bach) is a canting element. These arms were officially granted in 1903 and used until 1929 when the city merged with Rheydt and some other municipalities. The name of the new city was Gladbach-Rheydt.

Image gallery

The arms from 1903-1929 and 1933-1974
The arms from 1929-1933

In 1933 Rheydt bacame a separate city again and the city (now München-Gladbach) returned to the arms from 1903. In 1974 Rheydt and Wickrath merged with Mönchengladbach.

After the merger in 1974 the arms were changed and the name finally established as Mönchengladbach. The upper part of the new arms is taken from Wickrath, the saint is replaced by the crosier, to represent the abbey in Mönchengladbach and the cross is taken from the arms of Rheydt.

Image gallery

Seal from around 1900
The arms on a tax stamp (1920s ?)
Municipal tax stamp, 1950s.
The arms in the Wappen-Sammlung (1900)
The arms in the Abadie albums
The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925
The arms in a 1936 album
The arms in an album from 1968
The arms on a matchbox label (1960s)
Municipal stationery, 1960s
The arms on a special cancellation 1970
The arms on a medal, 1962

Literature: Stadler, K. : Deutsche Wappen - Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Angelsachsen Verlag, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; Nagel, R. : Rheinisches Wappenbuch, Köln, 1986.

This page is part of the German heraldry portal Deutsche Wappensammlung	Heraldry of the World
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