Jaunjelgava (town)

Region : Zemgale
Municipality : Jaunjelgava

Official blazon

Sudraba laukā sarkans grifs ar zelta nagiem un mēli.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted in 1925.

Jaunjelgava, called then Serene, was founded in 1590 by the duke of Kurzeme Friedrich. But the young city was destroyed during the Swedish-Pollish war (1617-1629). The citizens asked for financial support to rebuild the city. The duchess of Jelgava, Elisabeth Magdalene, agreed to help them, but citizens should do homage to the memory of her husband Friedrich, duke of Jelgava. It was thus decided to rename the city to Friedrichstadt, and the support was given.

In 1648 the duchess Elisabeth Magdalene officially granted to the city more land and her own arms: a griffin. It was the arms of her native Stettin in Pomerania (now Szczecin in Poland). The favour of the ducal home was great, and city started to grow large and rich so rapidly, that people called it Jauna Jelgava (New Jelgava) in Latvian and Neu-Mitau (the same meaning) in German. The name Jelgavina (diminutive of Jelgava) was also in use.