Lübeck

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LÜBECK

State : Schleswig-Holstein
Urban District (Stadtkreis) : Lübeck
Additions : 1913 Genin, Gneversdorf, Gothmund, Herrenwyk; Israelsdorf (partly), Krempelsdorf, Kücknitz (partly), Moisling, Schlutup, Siems, Travemünde, Vorwerk; 1921 Schönböcken, Wesloe; 1927 Strecknitz; 1935 Beidendorf, Blankensee, Brodten, Dummersdorf, Ivendorf, Kronsforde, Krummesse, Moorgarten, Niederbüssau, Niendorf, Oberbüssau, Pöppendorf, Reecke, Rönnau, Teutendorf, Vorrade, Wulfsdorf

Official blazon

(1811) D'argent au vol ouvert de sable, chargé d'un écusson coupé d'argent et de gueules; au chef des bonnes villes.
(1937) In Gold ein rot bewehrter schwarzer Doppeladler mit einem von Silber und Rot geteilten Brustschild. Im großen Wappen halten zwei goldene Löwen den Schild; auf diesem ein Helm mit einköpfigem schwarzem Adler als Zier und silbern-roten Decken.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on January 26, 1937.

Lübeck was one of the main trading cities on the Baltic and in the whole North of Europe in the Middle Ages. It was one of the founders and the capital of the Hanseatic League, the main league of cities in those days.

The city used two different arms, often combined as double arms, one with the Imperial Eagle, as Lübeck was an imperial city (since 1226, the city was founded in 1143 by Adolph II, Duke of Holstein), and one with a divided shield of red and silver. The origin and meaning of the divided shield are unknown. It may be derived from the banner of the city, which can be seen on seals dating from the 13^th century.

The second seal from 1250	The fourth seal (13th century) in which the banner can be seen on the mast of the ship (Collection Bernd U. Budelmann)
The arms on a 1546 coin	The arms on a 1797 coin
The arms in the late 15th century	The arms in a manuscript from 1514
The arms in a manuscript from 1565
The arms in a 16th century manuscript	The arms in a 17th century manuscript

The colours were not only the colours of the city, but also of the whole Hanseatic League. The arms were combined in the present form in the second half of the 15^th century and haven't changed since. The only time the arms were changed was during the Napoleonic times, when the city used only the divided shield, on which were placed two wings. The shield also had a chief with three bees, the mark of a city of the first rank. These arms were granted on June 13, 1811.

The arms by Napoleon

The great arms of the city show two golden lions as supporters and a helmet with a single-headed eagle as a crest. The colours of the cloth are silver and red.

The great arms of Lübeck

Seal from around 1900

The arms in collector's items:

The arms in the Abdulla album, 1928	The arms on a trade stamp issued by Aecht Franck +/- 1910
The arms in the Continentale Verlags-Anstalt album	The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925
The arms on a Kohl postcard	The arms on a Notgeld bill from the Nordische Woche, 1920s
The arms on a trade stamp by the Reeser Margarinefabrik	The arms on a trade stamp, 1920s
The arms on a British tobacco card	Postal cancellation 1991 (with Wismar)
The arms on a special cancellation 1986

The arms in the city:

The arms on a gate in the city ([1])
The arms in a glass mosaic in the city ([2])	The arms on a private house (2017)
The arms on the city hall (2017)	The arms on a gate (2017)