Altena (kreis)

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ALTENA (AL)

State : Nordrhein-Westfalen
Incorporated into : 1968 Lüdenscheid (1975 Märkischer Kreis)

Official blazon

(de)

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on May 3rd, 1935.

The arms show the arms of the Counts of Altena-Mark. The district belonged in the Middle Ages to the Counts of Mark, who named themselves after their largest possession, Altena. In 1511 the counts acquired the duchies Berg and Jülich. The lion in the arms has the colours of the lion of Jülich, which was the largest possession of this family.