Bamberg

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BAMBERG

State : Bayern
Urban District (Kreisfreie Stadt) : Bamberg
Additions : 1970 Hallstadt (partly); 1972 Bug, Gaustadt, Wildensorg

Official blazon

In Rot ein stehender Ritter in silberner Rüstung mit einem roten Kreuz auf der Brust und einem silbernen Langschwert am Gurt; in der Rechten eine Lanze mit silbernem Fähnlein, darauf ein rotes Kreuz, die Linke gestützt auf einen blauen Schild mit silbernem Adler.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted in 1953 and are based on the oldest known seal, known since 1211, see below.

The seal of Bamberg from 1211.

The knight is St. George, the patron saint of the city, the small shield shows the arms of the Counts of Andechs-Meranien, who ruled the city in the 13^th century. In the 15th and 16^th century the seal sometimes showed Emperor Heinrich II instead of St. George. From the late 15^th century the composition was also used as arms of the city. Previously the city used the lion of the Abbey and State of Bamberg (see below) as city arms. Even though the composition of the arms thus did not change since the 15^th century, the colours of the eagle changed regularly.

Seal from around 1900	Seal from around 1900	The arms in the Continentale Verlags-Anstalt album, +/- 1910
The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925	The arms on emergency money (1917)	The composition of the arms on emergency money (1923)
The arms in the Abadie albums	The arms on a 1960s matchox label

The former independent State of Bamberg, ruled by the Archbishops of Bamberg, was a small, but quite powerful part of the German Empire. The bishops owned many towns and villages, and the arms of the State of Bamberg can be found in many arms in Bayern.

The arms of the State are shown below: