Helmlingen

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

HELMLINGEN

State : Baden-Württemberg
District (Kreis) : Ortenaukreis (until 1973 Kehl)
Incorporated into : 1971 Freistett (1975 Rheinau)

Official blazon

In Blau ein frontal gestellter goldener Hirschkopf mit silbernem Geweih von zehn Enden.

Origin/meaning

The arms were adopted in 1903.

The oldest known symbol for the village is a goose-foot, used on the borderstones of the village in 1760. In the 19^th century the foot was placed on the local seal. In 1902 the village council applied at the State Archives for a different symbol to be used on its arms. The Archives thus proposed a swan's foot instead, for a swan was used by the Counts of Hanau-Lichtenberg as crest on their arms. The village belonged to the family for a long time. The local council did not approve of the new design and finally the above arms were adopted. Their meaning is not known, but most likely the arms are derived from the arms of the Gayling von Altheim family, who acquired the village in 1751.