Straß in Steiermark

STRASS IN STEIERMARK

State : Steiermark
District : Leibnitz
Incorporated into : 2015 Straß-Spielfeld

Wappen von Straß in Steiermark/Arms (crest) of Straß in Steiermark

Official blazon

Ainen Schild in zway thail abgethailt, den Vndern thail des Schiidts schwartz, darauf zween gelbe Thurn mit ainer Portten auff ainem grüenen Feld, durch die Portten ain weisse Strassen, den Obern thail des Schildts weiß darinnen ain Schwartzer Rab, mit außgestreckhten Fligeln stehendt, das Haubt des Raben mit ainer guldnen Cron gezieret.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on September 4, 1625.

The arms were not granted by the Emperor, but by the landlord of the market borough of Straß, Johann Ulrich von Eggenberg, Fürst von Krumau. Straß was a "Patrimonialmarkt", a market borough not under the jurisdiction of the Emperor and Duke of Styria, but under that of some other nobleman. The Eggenberg family was very rich and very powerful. They made sort of a model career. The Eggenbergs constantly granted loans to the monarchs of their time and in due course rose from the status of burgess or citizen to gentry and finally to princely rank. Their possessions were immense. They gave their name to Schloß Eggenberg, a beautiful Baroque castle at Graz. The family died out in the early 18^th century.

The raven in chief is taken from the Eggenberg arms. Straß castle (now a barracks of the Bundesheer, the Austrian army) forms the main charge of the arms.