Geel

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GEEL

Province : Antwerpen

Official blazon

(1841) Eenen gulden schild met dry roode staecken, het eerste perk met bespikkeld hermelynvel van negen stukken, 3, 3 en 3, den schild omzet met zilveren beerenklauwbladeren en gedekt met eenen koekoek naar het leven.
(1996) In goud drie palen van keel en een vrijwartier van zilver beladen met negen hermelijnstaartjes 3,3, en 3 geplaats. Het schild getopt met een koekoek van natuurlijke kleur en geplaatst tussen twee onderaan gekruiste acanthustwijgen van zilver.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on September 15, 1841 and again on March 12, 1996.

The arms are based on the arms of the Berthout family, Lords of Geel from the early 12th century until 1366. The arms already appear on the seal of the city from 1311. The seal also already shows a bird on the shield, which has later been described as a cuckoo. The arms remained in use until the late 18th century and were again adopted after the Belgian independence.

All historical official images show the cuckoo on the shield, but on paintings and other non official documents the cuckoo often replaced the ermine in the free canton.

The differences between the arms of 1841 and 1996 is that the cuckoo is no longer standing on the leaves, but directly on the shield as in the historical seal.

The arms from 1841	The arms in the Koffie Hag/Café Hag albums +/- 1930
The arms on a police badge (source)	The arms on the former town hall (image by Derek Howard)
The arms on a street name sign (image by Derek Howard)