Gräfenberg

This page is part of the German heraldry portal Deutsche Wappensammlung	Heraldry of the World
German heraldry: National arms Arms of States Arms of historical territories and states Districts (Kreiswappen) Cities and municipalities German Colonies Ecclesiastical heraldry Military heraldry Corporate heraldry Studentika Other civic heraldry Total pages in the German section : 61,373 Of which images : 41,286	Selected collector's items from Germany: Heraldic postcards Heraldic stamps Heraldic albums Kaffee Hag albums Wappen-Sammlung Heraldic trade cards Arms, Flags and Types of Nations Heraldic coasters Heraldic cigar bands Heraldic artists Otto Hupp Münchener Kalender German heraldic literature

GRÄFENBERG

State : Bayern
District (Kreis) : Forchheim
Additions : 1959 Guttenburg; 1976 Walkersbrunn; 1978 Lilling, Thuisbrunn

Official blazon

In Rot über grünem Dreiberg eine silberne Zinnenmauer, die mit einem gespaltenen Schild belegt ist; darin vorne in Gold ein halber, rot gezungter schwarzer Adler am Spalt, hinten fünfmal schräg geteilt von Rot und Silber; darüber ein wachsender, doppelschwänziger, golden gekrönter und blau bewehrter silberner Löwe.

Origin/meaning

Gräfenberg belonged in the 14^th century to the Kings of Bohemia. They granted the city rights in 1371. The arms thus show the Bohemian lion behind city walls. The same combination was already seen on the oldest seals of the city, which are known from 1437 and 1463.

As vassals a rich family from Nürnberg ruled the city. In the middle of the 16^th century the city of Nürnberg acquires the city from the Bohemian Kings. The arms were then augmented with the small arms of Nürnberg and the canting mountain (Berg) in the base of the shield. The new combination appears on seals in 1561 and as arms in 1609.

The third seal of the city, from 1560.

The arms have thus not changed since, except that in the early part of the last century, when the city became part of Bayern, the Nürnberg arms were temporarily removed.