Coat of arms of Germany
Encyclopedia
The coat of arms
of Germany
displays a black eagle
(the Bundesadler "Federal Eagle", formerly Reichsadler
"Imperial Eagle") on a yellow shield (Or, an eagle displayed sable).
It is a re-introduction of the coat of arms of the Weimar Republic
(in use 1919–1935) adopted by the Federal Republic of Germany
in 1950.
The current official design is due to Tobias Schwab (1887–1967) and was introduced in 1928.
The Weimar Republic had re-introduced the medieval coat of arms of the Holy Roman Emperor
s, in use during the 13th and 14th centuries, before the emperors adopted the double-headed eagle
, beginning with Sigismund of Luxemburg
in 1433. The single-headed Imperial Eagle (on a white background, Argent, an eagle displayed sable) had also been used by the German Empire
during 1889–1918, based on the earlier coat of arms of Prussia
.
(Imperial Eagle
) dates back to the time of Charlemagne
, the first Frankish ruler to be crowned emperor
by the pope (AD 800), ultimately derived from the eagle standard
of the Roman army
.
By the 13th century, the black eagle icon on a gold field was generally recognised as the imperial coat of arms. During the medieval period, the imperial eagle was mostly single-headed.
A double-headed eagle
is attributed to Frederick II
in the Chronica Majora
(ca. 1250).
In 1433 the double-headed eagle was adopted by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
. Since then the double-headed eagle came to be used as the symbol of the German emperor, and hence as the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
From the 12th century, the Emperors would have a personal coat of arms separate from the imperial one.
Starting with Albert II
(r. 1438–39), each Emperor
bore arms with an inescutcheon of his personal arms on the torso of a two-headed eagle.
Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire
(Bund) of 39 loosely-united German states was founded on the territory of the former German empire. Until 1848, the confederation did not have a coat of arms of its own. The Federal Diet (Bundestag) meeting at Frankfurt am Main used a seal which carried the emblem of the Austrian Empire
, since Austria had taken over the union's leadership. It showed a black, double-headed eagle, which Austria had adopted just before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
During the 1848 revolution, a new Reich coat of arms was adopted by the German National Assembly
that convened in St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt
. The black double-headed eagle was retained, but without the four symbols of the emperor: the sword, the imperial orb, the sceptre and the crown. The eagle rested on a golden shield; above was a five-pointed golden star. On both sides the shield was flanked by two flags with the colours black-red-gold. The emblem, however, never gained general acceptance.
The coat of arms itself was the result of a decision of the federal assembly:
had already been introduced at the Proclamation of Versailles, although the first version had been only a provisional one. The design of the eagle had been altered at least twice during the German Empire
(1871–1918). It shows the imperial eagle, a realistic black eagle, with the crown of the Holy Roman Empire. The eagle has a red head and claws, with open wings and feathers, but only one head, looking to the right.This is in contrast to its predecessor, the eagle of the German Confederation, because it symoblised that important parts of the old empire, Austria and Bohemia, were not part of this new empire. Its legal basis was an imperial rescript:
After the introduction of the republic also the coat of arms of Germany was altered accounting for the political changes. The Weimar Republic
(1918–1933), retained the Reichsadler without the symbols of the former Monarchy (Crown, Collar, Breast shield with the Prussian Arms). This left the black eagle with one head, facing to the right, with open wings but closed feathers, with a red beak, tongue and claws and white highlighting.
The republican Reichsadler is based on the Reichsadler introduced by the Paulskirche Constitution of 1849, which was decided by the German National Assembly in Frankfurt upon Main, at the peak of the German civic movement demanding parliamentary participation and the unification of the German states. The achievements and signs of this movement had been mostly done away after its downfall and the political reaction in the 1850s. Only the tiny German Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont upheld the tradition and continued to use the German colours
called Schwarz-Rot-Gold in German (Black
-Red
-Or
).
These signs had remained symbols of the Paulskirche movement and Weimar Germany wanted to express its view of being also originated in that political movement between 1848 and 1852. The republican coat of arms took up the idea of the German crest established by the Paulskirche movement, using the same charge animal, an eagle, in the same colours (black, red and or), but modernising its form, including a reduction of the heads from two to one. The artistic rendition of the eagle was very realistic. This eagle is mounted on a yellow (golden) shield. The coat of arms was announced in 1919 by the President Friedrich Ebert
and Interior Minister Erich Koch-Weser
:
However, in 1928 the Reichswappen (Reich's coat of arms) designed by Tobias Schwab (1887–1967) in 1926 [or 1924] for the German Olympic team became the official emblem. The Reichswehr adopted the new Reichswappen already in 1927. Emil Doepler
's earlier design then became the Reichsschild (Reich's escutcheon) with restricted use such as pennant
for government vehicles. The 1949 Federal Republic of Germany
adopted all three signs of Weimar Republic, Reichswappen, Reichsschild and Reichsflagge as Bundeswappen, Bundesschild and Bundesflagge in the 1950s.
came to power in 1933, but the Weimar eagle was retained until 1935. The Nazi Party used a rather aggressively styled black eagle above a highly stylised oak wreath, with a swastika
at its centre. When the eagle is looking to its left shoulder, it symbolises the Nazi party, and was therefore called the Parteiadler. After 1935 the Nazis introduced their party symbol as the national insignia (Hoheitszeichen) as well. This version symbolises the country (Reich
), and was therefore called the Reichsadler
. It can be distinguished from the Parteiadler because the eagle is looking to its right shoulder. The emblem was established by a regulation made by Adolf Hitler, November 1, 1935:
Hitler added on March 7, 1936, that:
(East Germany) used a socialist
insignia from 1950 until its reunification
with West Germany
in 1990. In 1959 the insigna was also added to the flag of East Germany.
eagle as its symbol in 1950. Since then it has been known as the Bundesadler ("federal eagle"). The legal basis of the use of this coat of arms is the announcement by President Theodor Heuss
, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer
and Interior Minister Gustav Heinemann
of January 20, 1950, which is word for word identical to the announcement by President Friedrich Ebert
and Interior Minister Erich Koch-Weser
by November 11, 1919:
Since the accession in 1990 of the states that used to form the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Eagle has been the state symbol of the reunified Germany.
Official depictions of the eagle can be found not only in the federal coat of arms but also on the federal institutions flag, the standard
of the President of Germany
and official seals. These are designs by various artists of the Weimar period and differ primarily in the shape and position of the wings. A large and rather plump version of the eagle decorates the chamber of the Bundestag
, the German parliament; it is sometimes called Fette Henne ("Fat Hen"), with a similar representation found on the German Euro coin.
In addition to the official depictions, artistic renderings of the federal eagle are permitted and have found their way onto coins, stamps and the letterhead of federal authorities. The eagle logo
now used by the federal institutions was designed by Rayan Abdullah.
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
displays a black eagle
Eagle (heraldry)
The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Parts of the eagle's body such as its head, wings or leg are also used as a charge or crest....
(the Bundesadler "Federal Eagle", formerly Reichsadler
Reichsadler
The Reichsadler was the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany...
"Imperial Eagle") on a yellow shield (Or, an eagle displayed sable).
It is a re-introduction of the coat of arms of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
(in use 1919–1935) adopted by the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in 1950.
The current official design is due to Tobias Schwab (1887–1967) and was introduced in 1928.
The Weimar Republic had re-introduced the medieval coat of arms of the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
s, in use during the 13th and 14th centuries, before the emperors adopted the double-headed eagle
Double-headed eagle
The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in heraldry and vexillology. It is most commonly associated with the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. In Byzantine heraldry, the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the Emperor and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and...
, beginning with Sigismund of Luxemburg
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
in 1433. The single-headed Imperial Eagle (on a white background, Argent, an eagle displayed sable) had also been used by the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
during 1889–1918, based on the earlier coat of arms of Prussia
Coat of arms of Prussia
The state of Prussia developed from the State of the Teutonic Order. The original flag of the Teutonic Knights had been a black cross on a white flag.Emperor Frederick II in 1229 granted them the right to use the black Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire....
.
Holy Roman Empire
The German ReichsadlerReichsadler
The Reichsadler was the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany...
(Imperial Eagle
Imperial Eagle
An Imperial Eagle is a heraldic eagle used by an empire, notably:*the military standard of the Roman Empire, see Aquila .*the Byzantine imperial eagle*the German Reichsadler...
) dates back to the time of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, the first Frankish ruler to be crowned emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
by the pope (AD 800), ultimately derived from the eagle standard
Aquila (Roman)
The Aquila was the eagle standard of a Roman legion, carried by a special grade legionary known as an Aquilifer. One eagle standard was carried by each legion.-History:...
of the Roman army
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
.
By the 13th century, the black eagle icon on a gold field was generally recognised as the imperial coat of arms. During the medieval period, the imperial eagle was mostly single-headed.
A double-headed eagle
Double-headed eagle
The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in heraldry and vexillology. It is most commonly associated with the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. In Byzantine heraldry, the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the Emperor and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and...
is attributed to Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
in the Chronica Majora
Chronica Majora
The Chronica Majora is an important medieval illuminated manuscript chronicle by Matthew Paris, one of a number of redactions of his work on English history.It is currently in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. It covers the period 1240-53...
(ca. 1250).
In 1433 the double-headed eagle was adopted by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
. Since then the double-headed eagle came to be used as the symbol of the German emperor, and hence as the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
From the 12th century, the Emperors would have a personal coat of arms separate from the imperial one.
Starting with Albert II
Albert II of Germany
Albert the Magnanimous KG was King of Hungary from 1438 until his death. He was also King of Bohemia, elected King of Germany as Albert II, duke of Luxembourg and, as Albert V, archduke of Austria from 1404.-Biography:Albert was born in Vienna as the son of Albert IV, Duke of Austria, and Johanna...
(r. 1438–39), each Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
bore arms with an inescutcheon of his personal arms on the torso of a two-headed eagle.
Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire
German Confederation
In 1815, a German ConfederationGerman Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
(Bund) of 39 loosely-united German states was founded on the territory of the former German empire. Until 1848, the confederation did not have a coat of arms of its own. The Federal Diet (Bundestag) meeting at Frankfurt am Main used a seal which carried the emblem of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, since Austria had taken over the union's leadership. It showed a black, double-headed eagle, which Austria had adopted just before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
During the 1848 revolution, a new Reich coat of arms was adopted by the German National Assembly
Frankfurt Parliament
The Frankfurt Assembly was the first freely elected parliament for all of Germany. Session was held from May 18, 1848 to May 31, 1849 in the Paulskirche at Frankfurt am Main...
that convened in St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. The black double-headed eagle was retained, but without the four symbols of the emperor: the sword, the imperial orb, the sceptre and the crown. The eagle rested on a golden shield; above was a five-pointed golden star. On both sides the shield was flanked by two flags with the colours black-red-gold. The emblem, however, never gained general acceptance.
The coat of arms itself was the result of a decision of the federal assembly:
| Coats of arms in the times of the German Confederation | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
German Empire
The ReichsadlerReichsadler
The Reichsadler was the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany...
had already been introduced at the Proclamation of Versailles, although the first version had been only a provisional one. The design of the eagle had been altered at least twice during the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
(1871–1918). It shows the imperial eagle, a realistic black eagle, with the crown of the Holy Roman Empire. The eagle has a red head and claws, with open wings and feathers, but only one head, looking to the right.This is in contrast to its predecessor, the eagle of the German Confederation, because it symoblised that important parts of the old empire, Austria and Bohemia, were not part of this new empire. Its legal basis was an imperial rescript:
| The coats of arms of the German Empire (1871–1918). | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The greater coat of arms of the German Emperor: Imperial Coat of arms of His Majesty. | Provisional arms of the German Empire at the Proclamation of Versailles. 27. April 1871–3. August 1871 |
The coat of arms of the German Empire, 1871–1889. 3. August 1871–1888 |
The coat of arms of the German Empire, 1889–1918. 6. December 1888–1918 |
Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
(1918–1933), retained the Reichsadler without the symbols of the former Monarchy (Crown, Collar, Breast shield with the Prussian Arms). This left the black eagle with one head, facing to the right, with open wings but closed feathers, with a red beak, tongue and claws and white highlighting.
The republican Reichsadler is based on the Reichsadler introduced by the Paulskirche Constitution of 1849, which was decided by the German National Assembly in Frankfurt upon Main, at the peak of the German civic movement demanding parliamentary participation and the unification of the German states. The achievements and signs of this movement had been mostly done away after its downfall and the political reaction in the 1850s. Only the tiny German Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont upheld the tradition and continued to use the German colours
National colours of Germany
The national colors of Germany are officially Black, Red and Gold as seen on the flag of Germany of 1849-1852, 1919–1933, and again since 1949. The colors were used by democratic revolutionaries in the early 19th century, and had been used by the Holy Roman Empire since the Middle Ages...
called Schwarz-Rot-Gold in German (Black
Sable (heraldry)
In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
-Red
Gules
In heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
-Or
Or (heraldry)
In heraldry, Or is the tincture of gold and, together with argent , belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a field of evenly spaced dots...
).
These signs had remained symbols of the Paulskirche movement and Weimar Germany wanted to express its view of being also originated in that political movement between 1848 and 1852. The republican coat of arms took up the idea of the German crest established by the Paulskirche movement, using the same charge animal, an eagle, in the same colours (black, red and or), but modernising its form, including a reduction of the heads from two to one. The artistic rendition of the eagle was very realistic. This eagle is mounted on a yellow (golden) shield. The coat of arms was announced in 1919 by the President Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany .When Ebert was elected as the leader of the SPD after the death of August Bebel, the party members of the SPD were deeply divided because of the party's support for World War I. Ebert supported the Burgfrieden and...
and Interior Minister Erich Koch-Weser
Erich Koch-Weser
Erich Koch-Weser was a German lawyer and liberal politician...
:
However, in 1928 the Reichswappen (Reich's coat of arms) designed by Tobias Schwab (1887–1967) in 1926 [or 1924] for the German Olympic team became the official emblem. The Reichswehr adopted the new Reichswappen already in 1927. Emil Doepler
Emil Doepler
Emil Doepler "the Younger" was a German Art Nouveau illustrator, decorative artist, and art teacher...
's earlier design then became the Reichsschild (Reich's escutcheon) with restricted use such as pennant
Pennant
Pennant may refer to:* Pennon , a narrow, tapering flag commonly flown by ships at sea:** Pennant , the traditional sign of a warship, flown from its masthead while the ship is in commission...
for government vehicles. The 1949 Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
adopted all three signs of Weimar Republic, Reichswappen, Reichsschild and Reichsflagge as Bundeswappen, Bundesschild and Bundesflagge in the 1950s.
| The coats of arms of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) | ||
|---|---|---|
.svg.png) |
.svg.png) |
 |
| Coat of arms in the earlier days of the Weimar Republic. | Coat of arms used on governmental flags of the Weimar Republic. | Official German coat of arms (Reichswappen) with Reichsadler since 1928. |
Nazi Germany
Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
came to power in 1933, but the Weimar eagle was retained until 1935. The Nazi Party used a rather aggressively styled black eagle above a highly stylised oak wreath, with a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
at its centre. When the eagle is looking to its left shoulder, it symbolises the Nazi party, and was therefore called the Parteiadler. After 1935 the Nazis introduced their party symbol as the national insignia (Hoheitszeichen) as well. This version symbolises the country (Reich
Reich
Reich is a German word cognate with the English rich, but also used to designate an empire, realm, or nation. The qualitative connotation from the German is " sovereign state." It is the word traditionally used for a variety of sovereign entities, including Germany in many periods of its history...
), and was therefore called the Reichsadler
Reichsadler
The Reichsadler was the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany...
. It can be distinguished from the Parteiadler because the eagle is looking to its right shoulder. The emblem was established by a regulation made by Adolf Hitler, November 1, 1935:
Hitler added on March 7, 1936, that:
| Insignia during Nazi-rule (1935–1945) |
|---|
 |
| The Reichsadler during the time of Nazi rule, representing Nazi Germany Nazi Germany Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by... as a national insignia (Hoheitszeichen) since 1935. |
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic RepublicGerman Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(East Germany) used a socialist
Socialist heraldry
Socialist heraldry, also called communist heraldry, consists of emblems in a style typically adopted by communist states. Although commonly called coats of arms, most such devices are not actually coats of arms in the traditional heraldic sense...
insignia from 1950 until its reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
with West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in 1990. In 1959 the insigna was also added to the flag of East Germany.
| Insignia of the German Democratic Republic | ||
|---|---|---|
.svg.png) |
 |
|
| Coat of arms of East Germany 1950–1953. |
Coat of arms of East Germany 1953–1955. |
Coat of arms of East Germany 1955–1990. |
Federal Republic of Germany
The Federal Republic of Germany adopted the WeimarWeimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
eagle as its symbol in 1950. Since then it has been known as the Bundesadler ("federal eagle"). The legal basis of the use of this coat of arms is the announcement by President Theodor Heuss
Theodor Heuss
Theodor Heuss was a liberal German politician who served as the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany after World War II from 1949 to 1959...
, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
and Interior Minister Gustav Heinemann
Gustav Heinemann
Gustav Walter Heinemann, GCB was a German politician. He was Mayor of the city of Essen from 1946 to 1949, West German Minister of the Interior from 1949 to 1950, Minister of Justice from 1966 to 1969 and President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1969 to 1974.-Early years and professional...
of January 20, 1950, which is word for word identical to the announcement by President Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany .When Ebert was elected as the leader of the SPD after the death of August Bebel, the party members of the SPD were deeply divided because of the party's support for World War I. Ebert supported the Burgfrieden and...
and Interior Minister Erich Koch-Weser
Erich Koch-Weser
Erich Koch-Weser was a German lawyer and liberal politician...
by November 11, 1919:
Since the accession in 1990 of the states that used to form the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Eagle has been the state symbol of the reunified Germany.
Official depictions of the eagle can be found not only in the federal coat of arms but also on the federal institutions flag, the standard
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
of the President of Germany
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
and official seals. These are designs by various artists of the Weimar period and differ primarily in the shape and position of the wings. A large and rather plump version of the eagle decorates the chamber of the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
, the German parliament; it is sometimes called Fette Henne ("Fat Hen"), with a similar representation found on the German Euro coin.
In addition to the official depictions, artistic renderings of the federal eagle are permitted and have found their way onto coins, stamps and the letterhead of federal authorities. The eagle logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
now used by the federal institutions was designed by Rayan Abdullah.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The federal coat of arms (Bundeswappen) of the Federal Republic of Germany. | The federal escutcheon (Bundesschild) used on the German State Flag and on military standards. | The standard of the Federal President. | The hexagonally shaped eagle used by federal governmental institutions and on German passports. | The eagle on the German Mark coin German mark The Deutsche Mark |mark]], abbreviated "DM") was the official currency of West Germany and Germany until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say "Mark" or "D-Mark"... (until 2002). |
The eagle on the German 1 euro coin German euro coins German euro coins have three separate designs for the three series of coins. The 1, 2 and 5 cent coins were designed by Rolf Lederbogen, the design for the 10, 20 and 50 cent coins is by Reinhard Heinsdorff and the 1 and 2 euro coins were done by Heinz Hoyer and Sneschana Russewa-Hoyer... . |
See also
- Armorial of the Holy Roman EmpireArmorial of the Holy Roman EmpireOver its long history, the Holy Roman Empire used many different heraldic forms, representing its numerous internal divisions.- Holy Roman Emperors:...
- Coats of arms of German coloniesCoats of arms of German coloniesThe coats of arms of the German Empire's colonies and protectorates all follow a similar style. A shield with in the top the single headed eagle known as the Reichsadler. On the lower part of the shield a colony specific symbol, such as an elephant for the colony of Kamerun. A banner on top of the...
- List of coats of arms of Germany
- Origin of the coats of arms of German federal states