City of Darmstadt (Germany)

Kreisfreie Stadt Darmstadt, district Darmstadt, Hesse

Last modified: 2017-11-11 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: darmstadt | demi-lion | fleur de lis | coronet |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

• Darmstadt Plain City Flag
• Darmstadt City Flag with Coat of Arms
• Darmstadt City Banner
• Darmstadt City Coat of Arms
• Wixhausen Borough

• County and Municipal Flags (Hesse / Hessen)
• Hesse (Hessen)
• Germany

Darmstadt Plain City Flag

Stadler says that the colours of the city (Stadtfarben) are blue-white. Other than that I have no information. A flag of this town might use these colours with or without the arms, but I cannot be sure.
Source: Stadler 1967, p.26
Stefan Schwoon, 19 Feb 2001

Darmstadt City Flag with Coat of Arms

I found a copy online of the flag for the city of Darmstadt, Germany, with an explanation of how the coat of arms came about. It was located at this city subpage
Christopher Southworth, 11 Jun 2008

The first documentation on the Darmstadter flag was in 1568; however it is surmised that there was already a flag previously. Only in 1884 the present colors blue and white were first used. Those may be derived from the base of the shield.
Nowadays these are not the only flags which are used for festive occasions, but the other flags are called "Flaggen" not the "Stadtfahne". At official occasions (declared official by city officials) the "Flaggen" are used with arms; at other occasions no arms are used. The city of Darmstadt uses "Hängeflaggen", left blue, right white, with the city arms in the top half.
In the 16th century shooting matches were held inside the city walls. It seems that the city made a great occasion of it. All shooters received yellow-white silk sashes - yellow-white were apparently the Darmstädter city colours in those days.
(translated from the .pdf file mentioned above).
Jarig Bakker, 12 Jun 2008

Darmstadt City Banner

The flag differs from the one shown at kommunalflaggen.de, defined as:
"The flag of the city of Darmstadt displays the city's colours blue/white. It is a banner with the arms on a separate (white) field".
Source: Schreiben des Stadtarchivs des Magistrats der Stadt Darmstadt an Gunnar Staack, dated: 29 July 1996
Stefan Schwoon, 12 Jun 2008

Darmstadt City Coat of Arms

Info from Ralf Hartemink:
DARMSTADT
State : Hessen
Urban District (Kreisfreie Stadt) : Darmstadt
Additions : 1888 Bessungen; 1937 Eberstadt; 1938 Arheilgen

Origin/meaning: The arms of Darmstadt are based on the old seals of the city, which already showed a lion and a fleur-de-lis. The lion is the lion of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. The fleur-de-lis is a very common symbol for towns and villages in this former county. On top of the shield the Grand-Ducal coronet of Hessen may be placed.
In former times the partition line was covered by a fess, on which were placed silver balls. This was supposedly derived from the arms of the oldest Lords of Darmstadt (13-15th century). In 1479 the town and surrounding area, being part of Katzenelnbogen, became part of Hessen.
The present arms were granted in 1917 and the colours were based on those on a stone dating from the 15th century.
Source: Stadler 1967, p.26
(editorial note: image of CoA without coronet within source; kms 29 Dec 2011)
Jarig Bakker, 12 Jun 2008

Wixhausen borough

Wixhausen, borough of Darmstadt
incorporated on 1st January 1977
district Darmstadt, state Hesse
banner inofficial, used for traditional purposes only (Brauchtumsflagge)
Jörg Majewski, 5 Oct 2006

back to Hesse counties and municipalities click here