Giessen (Hessen)

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GIESSEN

State : Hessen
District (Kreis) : Giessen
Incorporated into : 1977-1979 Lahn
Additions : 1939 Klein-Linden, Wieseck; 1971 Allendorf/Lahn, Rödgen; 1979 Lützellinden

Official blazon
German	In Silber ein schwarz geflügelter, blaubewehrter und blaugezungter roter Löwe.
English	(Hessen) No blazon/translation known. Please click here to send your (heraldic !) blazon or translation

Origin/meaning

The oldest seal of the city dates from 1248 and shows Count Wilhelm von Tübingen, Prince of the Palatine (Pfalz) as a knight on a horse. The city at the time belonged to the Pfalz. After the transfer to Hessen, the next seal (from 1264) shows the Count of Hessen as a mounted knight. In the 14^th century the arms of Hessen appeared on the seal, supported by two dragons or two tree branches. Later seals show the lion of Hessen with a letter G. These seals were in use until the 19^th century. At the same time the winged lion appeared as arms for the city. They were first registered in 1605 in the works of Siebmacher, and have not changed since.

The arms in a manuscript from +/- 1730	The municipal stamp shown in 1892
The arms around 1900	Seal from around 1900
The arms in the Continentale Verlags-Anstalt album, +/- 1910	The arms in the Wappen-Sammlung (1900)
Local emergency money with the arms from 1920	Municipal stationery, 1960s
The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925	The arms in the Abadie albums