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Alsfeld City (Germany)

Stadt Alsfeld, Vogelsbergkreis, Gießen District, Hesse

Last modified: 2017-11-11 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: alsfeld | lion(red) | crest |
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[Alsfeld city banner] 5:2 image by Jörg Majewski, 26 Sep 2006
approved 1985 See also:

Alsfeld City

Banner:
It is a red-white-red vertical triband with ratio of stripes approx. 1:7:1. The greater coat of arms is shifted to the top within the central stripe.
inhabitants 17,553
Gießen District , state Hesse
banner approved 1985
details based on the presentations of Klaus Günther with kind permission
The municipality flags are shown mostly in banner form in Hesse.
Jörg Majewski, 26 Sep 2006

Coat of Arms

Shield Azure, a lion rampant Gules, crowned and armed Or, at dexter a sword Argent in pale hilted Or. In the greater arms the shield is crested by a helmet Argent (realised as grey) illuminated Gules, scarved Gules and Azure and topped by a pair of horns Argent (realised as grey).
Meaning:
The arms display the lion of Hessen with the sword as a symbol of a court of justice. The oldest seal of the city from around 1234, proven since 1257, displays the Count of Hessen as judge, with the sword in one hand and a shield with the arms of Hessen in the other. The seal from the late 14th century displayed a shield charged the lion of Hessen, crested with two horns and the sword outside the shield at dexter. In a sculpture in the city dating from 1565 the arms with the lion and crest appear, but the sword is placed just beside the shield, not as part of the arms itself. From the 17th century the colours are known, as three different 17th century sources all mention a red lion on blue. The armourials since 1605 display the lion without crown, omit the sword and created a lot of confusion. From 1720 onwards the sword is also placed on the shield; both versions co-exist beside each other for a long time.
Since 1861 the lion was displayed red, which had been acc. to Klemens Stadler erroneous. In the late 19th century Otto Hupp placed the sword onto the shield (as was more common practice by the city at the time), but displayed the lion as the lion barry of Hessen, not the red lion. In 1972 the arms with the red lion were restored, acc. to Klaus Günther they appear already in the city flag of 1962. Stadler however displays the lion barry in 1967.
Sources: Stadler 1967, p.15 and Ralf Hartemink's webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 May 2017

Alsfeld City Flag (1974 - 1985)

[Alsfeld 1974 - 1985 banner] 5:2 image by Jörg Majewski, 26 Sep 2006
approved 1974 and 1985

It is a red-white-red vertical triband with ratio of stripes approx. 3:7:3. The greater coat of arms is in top within the central stripe with an unserifed black inscription "ALSFELD" beneath the shield.
Jörg Majewski, 26 Sep 2006

Alsfeld City Flag (1962 - 1974)

[Alsfeld 1962 - 1974 banner] 5:2 image by Jörg Majewski, 26 Sep 2006
approved 1962

It is a red-white-red vertical triband with ratio of stripes approx. 3:7:3. The greater coat of arms is in top within the central stripe with an Gothic black inscription "Stadt" above and "Alsfeld" beneath the shield.
Jörg Majewski, 26 Sep 2006

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