Last modified: 2022-09-10 by 
klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: annaberg-buchholz | hammer and mallet | st.anne | st.catherine | beech |
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![[Annaberg-Buchholz city banner]](../images/d/de-ek-ab_.gif)
5:2
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
In 1492 silver ore was discovered in the Lordship of Pöhlberg at the base of the Schreckenberg, a mountain. Thus a new town at the Schreckenberg (German: Neustadt bei dem Schreckenberg) developed. The town gained city rights in 1497 and had the name St. Annaberg since 1499. Between 1503 and 1540 the city was fortified by a wall. In 1501 a Franciscan Monastery was founded. In 1533 a city council was established. In 1509 a Law of Mining was proclaimed. Quickly there had been 600 pits and silver mining made the city rich, as also smelters, ore washers, stamp mills and all kinds of metal processing were established shortly after. The boom continued until 1537. Since 1531 textiles industries flourished. The depletion of metallic cobalt and white arsenic followed the depletion of silver and remained in Annaberg until 1850.
In 1497 silver ore was also found on the area of the Cistercian Grünhain Monastery, which belonged to the Electorate of Sachsen. A settlement developed, known as St. Katharinenberg im Buchholz, i.e. in the beech grove. The name was derived from the local church, dedicated to St. Catherine. The settlement was denoted as a market town in 1515, as a city in 1539. It had a proper mining authority until 1552. Mining declined since around 1550 and St. Katharinenberg im Buchholz, shortly Buchholz was over powered by the neighbouring Annaberg.
Annaberg and Buchholz were united in 1945 and since then bismuth and uranium were depleted. In 1958 the biggest industrial plant of Eastern Germany was established, having the name "Proposa". Annaberg-Buchholz is the seat of Erzgebirge County.
Source:
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
It is a blue-yellow vertical bicolour. The coats of arms of Annaberg and Bucholz are shifted towards the top, that one of Annaberg in the blue stripe, that one of Buchholz in the yellow stripe.
Source: presentation of Klaus Günther given in Hamburg on 16 October 2021
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
![[Annaberg-Buchholz city flag]](../images/d/de-ek-ab.gif)
3:5 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
It is a blue-yellow horizontal bicolour with centred coat of arms of Annaberg and Buchholz ordered per fess.
Source:presentation of Klaus Günther given in Hamburg on 16 October 2021
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
![[Annaberg borough flag]](../images/d/de-ek-ab-an.gif)
3:5 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
It is a blue-yellow horizontal bicolour with centred coat of arms.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
![[Buchholz borough flag]](../images/d/de-ek-ab-bu.gif)
3:5 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
It is a blue-yellow horizontal bicolour with centred coat of arms.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
The city has a double coat of arms, precisely the arms of the former cities of Annaberg and Buchholz side by side.
Shield Or, sitting on a throne Gules held by two pitmen dressed Argent with lamps Sable on their heads with flames Gules, St. Anne dressed Azure having Jesus Christ naked on her right knee and St. Mary dressed Gules on her left knee, in base an inescutcheon Argent charged with hammer and mallet Sable.
Meaning:
St. Anne, mother of St. Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ, is name giver and patron saint of the former city. The pitmen and the inescutcheon are referring to mining as most important business line.
Source: Bensing et alii 1984, pp.20-22
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
Shield Or, a saint nimbed Or, dressed Gules and coated Azure, holding a bladed wheel Sable by her left hand and a sword Argent hilted Or by her right hand standing on base Vert charged with an inescutcheon Argent charged with hammer and mallet Sable, in flanches issuant from base two mounts Gules a beech Vert on either side and an additional hut Sable on dexter mount.
Meaning:
The nimbed woman is St. Catherine, the local patron saint. The mounts are referring to the local geography, as Buchholz is located in a gorge between two mountains, the hut, in fact the administration of a mine, and the inescutcheon are referring to mining as most important business line. The beeches (German: Buchen) are canting elements.
Source: Bensing et alii 1984, pp.20-22
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Aug 2022
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