Oświęcim

Poland heraldry portal

This page is part of the Poland heraldry portal	Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry: National Arms of Poland Arms of provinces Arms of counties Arms of municipalities Heraldic literature of Poland Total pages in the Poland section : 8,103 of which images : 5,036	Other heraldry: Ecclesiastical heraldry Military heraldry Educational heraldry Institutional heraldry Corporate heraldry Heraldic postcards Heraldic stamps Personal arms

OŚWIĘCIM

Province: Małopolska
County: Oświęcim

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

The town was founded by Prince Mieszko of Cieszyn (German-Teschen) in 1291. The arms date from the 15th century and bear the gold eagle of the Piast Princes of Cieszyn and a tower as an indication of city status.

On October 24, 1793 Emperor Franz II granted the city arms showing in blue a silver double-headed eagle, with a tower on its breast. These arms have been used until the end of the Austrian rule. The current arms only appear after 1920.

The arms as shown by Ströhl, 1900	The arms in the Abadie albums	The arms in the Kawa Hag album +/- 1932
The arms as shown around 1970	The arms as shown in 1994

Historical, 15th century, coins of the city showed on the one side an eagle and on the other a tower with the letters O S for Ossuacim, the Latinized name of the town.