Schwerin

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

SCHWERIN

State : Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Urban district (Kreisfreie Stadt) : Schwerin
Additions: 1917 Görries; 1928 Lankow, Ostorf; 1936 Friedrichsthal, Groß Medewege, Klein Medewege, Krebsförden, Mueß, Warnitz, Wickendorf-Seehof-Carlshöhe-Paulsdamm; 1970 Wüstmark

Official blazon

In Blau das goldene Reiterbildnis Herzog Heinrichs des Löwen: ein Ritter mit Topfhelm auf einem gezäumten, schreitenden Ross, in der Rechten eine dreilatzige Fahne und in der Linken einen Dreiecksschild mit einem leopardierten Löwen haltend.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on April 10, 1858, changed on September 30, 1939 and again on February 11, 1991.

Schwerin probably already received city rights as early as 1177 and became the most important city in the region. The arms show a medieval knight holding a shield with a lion, probably showing the founder of the city, Duke Heinchich der Löwen (Henry the lion) of Sachsen and Bayern. The leopard is the lion of the Welfen family, to which the duke belonged. The image already appeared on the historical seals of the city, as shown below from a seal of 1298.

The seal of 1298

The arms of 1858 are nearly identical to the present arms, there are some differences in the shape and armour of the knight, and the lion is shown as a normal lion, not as a leopard as in the present arms. In 1939 the small shield was changed into the original colours of the Welfen family, see below. In 1991 the historical arms (in two colours) were restored again.