Greifswald

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of Germany - Deutsche Wappen (Gemeindewappen/Kreiswappen)

GREIFSWALD

State : Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Disctrict (Kreis) : Vorpommern-Greifswald (until 2011 Hansestadt Greifswald)

Official blazon

In Silber ein aufrechter roter Greif mit goldener Bewehrung, mit der linken Hinterpranke auf einem gespaltenen, zweiästigen und vierblättrigen Eichenbaumstumpf in natürlichen Farben stehend.

Origin/meaning

The arms are canting, a griffin (Greif) and a tree (Wald=forest). These symbols already appear on the oldest known seal of Greifswald, dating from before 1255. The basic image never changed since.

The tree, or sometimes trees, changed regularly however, each seal and most older pictures showing different types and number of branches. Only some, small, seals only show the griffin. The griffin is also the arms of the province of Pommern, and probably derived therefrom.

Only in one reference from the 18^th century, larger and different arms are mentioned. The arms showed only a griffin, no tree, on the shield itself. On top of the helmet a griffin. On both side of the main shield, and covered by the cloth, are two smaller shields, one a bend sinister, on the other a stretcher.

In a book from 1755 it is stated that the stretcher is the original arms of the city, which thus have evolved separately from the tree and griffin on the seals. As no old images of the arms are known, this is not a very likely explanation.