Gandersheim (kreis)

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GANDERSHEIM (GAN)

State : Niedersachsen
Incorporated into : 1973 Goslar, Northeim

Official blazon

(de)

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on January 11, 1960.

The arms show the lions of the Welfen family, who for a long time ruled over the area. The colours are taken from the arms of the Convent in Gandersheim, which was a free imperial convent until 1802. The colours are the imperial colours and were used by the convent to emphasise the free imperial character of the convent.

From 1946-1960 the district used arms with the legendary arms of the founders of the Convent in the 9^th century; Duke Ludolf of Sachsen (died 866) and his wife Oda (died 913). As they died before heraldry existed their arms are legendary. The arms can be found in the church of the convent, but when these were devised is not known. For Ludolf the horse of Sachsen (see Niedersachsen) was chosen, for Oda the bars of Sachsen, but shown as bends.

These two arms were combined in the first arms of the district, granted in 1946 (see below).