Gössendorf

Heraldry of the World Civic heraldry of Austria - Österreichische Gemeindewappen

GÖSSENDORF

State : Steiermark
District : Graz-Umgebung

Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on July 12th, 1993.

These arms are inspired by local history. In the Middle Ages, the lands around today's Gössendorf were the property of the Landesfürst, the Duke of Styria. In 1286, Volkmar von Graz, Judge at Graz, gave a homestead in the municipality to a hospital. For his seal, Volkmar used a unicorn rampant.

Around 1600, Michael Müller was made miller at a local water mill. Later he also got a knighthood and was now Michael Müller von und zu Müllegg. In 1597, his daughter Barbara had married a young mathematician, Johannes Kepler, who was destined to become a famous astronomer. At his time, only six planets were known - so six stars were put into the shield (one behind the unicorn).

Literature : Image provided by Karl Palfrader (k.palfrader@aon.at), MStLA Folge 44/45 (1995), p. 52