Duisburg City (Germany)

Stadt Duisburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Last modified: 2020-05-30 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: duisburg | hamborn | homberg am niederrhein | meiderich | rheinhausen | rumeln-kaldenhausen | walsum | bend(wavy) | lion(red) | bucket | rose(silver) | cross(black) | cross(maltese) | st.dyonisius | chief | demi-escarbuncle |
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• Duisburg City
• Introduction
• Duisburg Flag
• Duisburg Flag with Coat of Arms
• Duisburg Banner with Coat of Arms
• Duisburg Historical Banners
• Duisburg Coat of Arms


• Hamborn Borough
• Hamborn Flag
• Hamborn Coat of Arms


• Homberg Borough
• Homberg plain Flag
• Homberg Flag with Coat of Arms
• Homberg Banner
• Homberg Coat of Arms


• Meiderich Borough
• Meiderich Flag


• Rheinhausen Borough
• Rheinhausen plain Flag
• Rheinhausen Flag with Coat of Arms
• Rheinhausen Banner
• Rheinhausen Coat of Arms


• Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Borough
• Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Flag
• Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Banner
• Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Coat of Arms


• Walsum Borough
• Walsum Flag
• Walsum Coat of Arms

• Northrhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen)
• Hanseatic League
• Germany

Duisburg City

Introduction

Duisburg, ca. 525,000 inhabitants, is a main river port located on the Rhine river and an industrial centre.
Ivan Sache, 7 May 2002

At the beginning of the 19th century the city of Duisburg (Wesel county) was the no.4 among the cities of the Prussian Duchy of Kleve (more important had been Kleve, Wesel and Xanten). It formed an administrative unit with Wanheim-Angershausen, a settlement within the Duchy of Berg (Düsseldorf county). Also some further minor settlements belonged to Duisburg and in 1801 Kasslerfeld was gained, which had belonged to Moers before.
After the withdrawal of French troops in 1815 Prussia regained the area. Duisburg became part of Dinslaken county (Kleve district (Regierungsbezirk); Jülich-Kleve-Berg-Province). In 1822/23 not only the two Rhineprovinces were united but also the subdivisions. Kleve district joined Düsseldorf district. The counties of Essen and Dinslaken merged, forming the new county of Duisburg.
In 1857 Duisburg quit the unit with Wanheim-Angershausen and finally became a county-free city in 1873. In 1902 Wanheim-Angershausen was reunited with Duisburg.
In following years several incorporations took place as follows:
-the cities of Meiderich and Ruhrort incl. Beeck municipality on 1 October 1905,
-the city of Hamborn together with 10 smaller villages on 1 August 1929
-the cities of Homberg am Niederrhein, Rheinhausen and Walsum, the municipality of Rumeln-Kaldenhausen and the village of Baerl, a part of Rheinkamp municipality, on 1 January 1975.
The city was renamed into Duisburg-Hamborn from 1929 to 1935.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 Aug 2011

Duisburg Flag

It is s white-red horizontal bicolour.
Sources: Staack 1997 and §1(6) of Hauptsatzung of Duisburg City, version 14 December 2005
Stefan Schwoon, 23 Feb 2001

Duisburg Flag with Coat of Arms

It is s white-red horizontal bicolour with centred arms.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider,

Duisburg Banner with Coat of Arms

It is s white-red vertical bicolour with centred arms.
Source: I spotted this flag on 25 September 2016 in Duisburg-Rheinhausen in front of Binnenschifffahrtsmuseum.
Klaus-Michael Schneider,

Duisburg Historical Banners

3:1 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

3:1 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

3:1 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

All banners had the pre-1977 version of the coat of arms. In 1916 there had been a red-white-red vertical triband with centred arms in the white stripe (see left image above), in 1966 a white-red vertical bicolour with arms in a white bannerhead (see central image above), in 1972 a white-red vertical bicolour with arms shifted to the top (see right image above).
Source: presentation of Klaus Günther on 25 September 2016 in Duisburg-Rheinhausen on occasion of 24th DGF-Meeting
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Duisburg Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess, above Or a double headed demi-eagle issuant Sable tongued Gules, beneath Gules a castle Argent with three round embattled towers, the central tower with port Argent connected with the other towers by rising embattled walls.
Meaning:
Duisburg became a city in the late 12th century. It had been a Free Imperial City (Freie Reichstadt) until 1290, was then pawned by the German king to Count Dietrich of Kleve and in 1314 to Count Adolf VI of Berg. The Counts of Kleve regained the city in 1392. In 1666 the city became a dominion of the Electorate of Brandenburg.
The upper half displays the Imperial Eagle and symbolising the status under direct imperial rule, whereas the lower half is stressing the character of a fortified city. The oldest known city seal with prints between 1209-1224 displayed Jesus Christ as Salvator mundi sitting on a throne blessing and holding a book. This pattern prevailed in the city's main and secret seals until the 17th century. The current pattern appeared first on a counterseal from the 15th century and was used as coat of arms since the 16th century. In counterseals from the 14th century the Imperial Eagle still had been single headed. The flag colours were those of the Holy Roman Empire and the Hanseatic League as well. According to Klemens Stadler flags exist without or with coat of arms, according to the local Hauptsatzung only the plain bicolour is the official city flag. The pattern of the arms changed frequently in details according to Ralf Hartemink's webpage but remained basically the same. The current version changed the castle according to Hauptsatzung to a "city wall with three towers".
Source:
1) German WIKIPEDIA
2) Stadler 1972, p.36 and
3) R. Nagel: "Rheinisches Wappenbuch"; Köln, 1986
3) §1(4) of Hauptsatzung of Duisburg City, version 14 December 2005
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Flag and arms are traditonal. The current version of the arms was approved on 31 January 1977.
Klaus-Michael Schneider,

Hamborn Borough

Hamborn Flag

It was a white-green horizontal bicolour with centred arms.
Source: here
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Hamborn Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess of Argent and Vert, a lion rampant double-queued Gules, crownwd and armed Or, shield crested by a mural crown Gules with three towers.
Meaning:
The arms display a modification of the family arms of the Lords of Horst. Alexander of Horst had been a local abbot between 1782 and 1790. Variants of the arms showed the lion with a red crown or holding hammer and mallet as symbols of mining.
Source: German WIKIPEDIA
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

The arms were in use between 1911 and 1929. But the former city never applied for an approval by the district governor (Regierungspräsident) due to the incorporation into Duisburg.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Homberg Borough

Homberg plain Flag

It was a black-yellow horizontal bicolour.
Source: Stadler 1972, p. 54
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 July 2011

Homberg Flag with Coat of Arms

It was a black-yellow horizontal bicolour, the colours of the Counts of Moers, with centred arms.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 July 2011

Homberg Banner

It was a black-yellow vertical bicolour with arms shifted to the top.
Source: presentation of Klaus Günther on 25 September 2016 in Duisburg-Rheinhausen on occasion of 24th DGF-Meeting
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Homberg Coat of Arms

Shield Or a fess Sable with sinister canton Vert charged with a bend wavy Argent.
Meaning:
The coat of arms of the former city of Homberg am Niederrhein was that of the Counts of Moers added by green field divided by a silver wavy bend, alluding to Prussian Rhineprovince. It is in the centre of the flag.
Sources: Stadler 1972, p. 54 and this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 July 2011

The arms were approved in 1924.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 July 2011

Meiderich Borough

Meiderich Flag

It was a blue-yellow-red horizontal tricolour.
Source: here
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

The flag was in use since 1896.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Rheinhausen Borough

Rheinhausen plain Flag

It was a blue over yellow horizontal bicolour.
Source: Stadler 1972, p.82

Rheinhausen Flag with Coat of Arms

It was a blue-yellow horizontal bicolour with centred arms of the former city of Rheinhausen.
Source: this online catalogue

Rheinhausen Banner

It was a blue-yellow vertical bicolour with arms of the former city of Rheinhausen shifted to the top.
Source: presentation of Klaus Günther on 25 September 2016 in Duisburg-Rheinhausen on occasion of 24th DGF-Meeting
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 May 2020

Rheinhausen Coat of Arms

The shield is divided per fess. Above in a golden field is a red, statant lion holding a red, wooden bucket with a handle in his left fore paw. Below are three silver (=white) roses in a triangular order two above one.
Meaning:
The arms are those of the family Friemersheim (or Vrymersheim). The bucket is canting for former municipality of Oberemmerich.
Source: Stadler 1972, p.82
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 July 2011

The arms were approved by Prussian Minister of State on 20 February 1935, after Rheinhausen had gained city rights in 1934. The flag was approved in 1954.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 July 2011

Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Borough

Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Flag

It was an armourial flag (banner of arms).
Source: this online catalogue

Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Banner

It was a banner of arms.
Source: presentation of Klaus Günther on 25 September 2016 in Duisburg-Rheinhausen on occasion of 24th DGF-Meeting
Klaus-Michael Schneider,

Rumeln-Kaldenhausen Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess, above Argent parted by a cross Sable, beneath Azure three roses Argent in bend sinister.
Meaning:
The cross is representing the Archbishopric and Electorate of Köln. The roses are taken from the arms of Friemersheim family.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 July 2011

The arms were approved on 28 January 1958, flag and banner in 1956.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 25 July 2011

Walsum Borough

Walsum Flag

In the centre of a plain blue flag is a white Maltese cross superimposed by the coat of arms.

Walsum Coat of Arms

Shield Gules, issuant from chief a demi-escarbuncle Or, having eight beams in full, superimposing an inescutcheon Argent, chief Argent the bust of a beheaded saint coated Azure, having risen his right hand in order to give a blessing and holding in his left hand his head nimbed Or and crowned by a mitre Argent.
Meaning:
The shield with demi-escarbuncle and inescutcheon, also known as Glevenrad is representing the Dukes of Kleve, the former rulers. The chief is alluding to St.Dionisius, the patron saint of the parish church of Alt-Walsum. The Maltese cross is symbolising that there existed a commandery of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, which had been established in 1281.
Source: Stadler 1972, p. 96
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 July 2011

The arms were approved in 1928 and the flag in 1950.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 July 2011

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