Birkenfeld

Heraldry of the World Civic heraldry of Germany - Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen)

BIRKENFELD

State : Rheinland-Pfalz
District (Kreis) : Birkenfeld
Verbandsgemeinde : Verbandsgemeinde Birkenfeld

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted October 23, 1923 and are based on the oldest known seal of the city, dating from 1577.

The arms show a birch tree as a canting symbol (Birke). The chequered shield is the arms of the Counts of Sponheim, who ruled the village and city (city rights were granted in 1332) from the 13^th century until 1437. The number of fields in the small shield varies as it is not officially described.

Hupp showed a variant with much less fields :

Literature : Stadler,1964-1971