Last modified: 2022-09-10 by 
klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: oberwiesenthal | trefoil | cross(patty) | bendy(4) | hammer and mallet |
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![[Kurort Oberwiesenthal city banner]](../images/d/de-ek-ow_.gif)
5:2
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Sep 2022
It is a red-white vertical bicolour. The coat of arms is shifted towards the top.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Sep 2022
Shield quartered, 1st quarter Argent a Latin cross patty Gules, flanked by two trefoils Vert in base, 2nd quarter bendy of four of Gules and Argent, 3rd quarter Gules a stem of clover Argent with five trefoils, 4th quarter Argent hammer and mallet Sable in saltire.
Meaning:
Oberwiesenthal nowadays is known as a location of winter sports and by its ski jump. In the past it belonged to the County of Hartenstein, which was ruled by the Lords of Schönburg. Due to founds of silver ore in 1527 the lords prompted the foundation of a town with a rectangular road system. They called it Neustadt Wiesenthal , i.e. Wiesenthal New Town, which gained city rights in 1530. Meanwhile renamed to Oberwiesenthal the city became a possession of the Electors of Sachsen in 1559. Mining declined already since the 16th century and was finished in the 19th century. The main business lines became trade (or smuggling) with the nearby Böhmen (Bohemia), the production of laces, needles and pins. In 1897 Oberwiesenthal was connected with the railway line and became a resort for wintersports since 1900. Oberwiesenthal gained the title of a spa in 1935. The oldest arms of Oberwiesenthal had been simply the 2nd quarter of the current arms, which displays the family arms of its former rulers. Their shield was supported by two miners. In base was an additional golden bendy inescutcheon, charged with black hammer and mallet as symbols of mining. The shield of the lords and hammer and mallet became the 2nd and 4th quarter of the current arms. The cross patty with trefoils and the stem of clover had been the old arms of the former village of Unterwiesenthal. Both charges had been in a shield parted per fess. The clover probably is referring to the name giving meadows. The first quarter is also known by a local court seal from 1530. The current arms variied in details. The basic tincture of the 1st and 4th quarter had been golden at least until 1989. The clover in the 3rd quarter sometimes was depicted as green. Otto Hupp (1925) placed the bendy inescutcheon of the first arms of Oberwiesenthal onto a triplemount Vert in base. Ober- and Unterwiesenthal merged on 1 September 1921. The "greater arms" of today have two miners as supporters, standing on a stone grey base.
Source: Ralf Hartemink´s webpage,
German WIKIPEDIA and Bensing et alii 1984, pp.329-331
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 Sep 2022
The arms were approved either in 1921 or 1922.
Klaus-Michael Schneider,
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