Brakel (Westfalen)

	BRAKEL (WESTFALEN) Country : Germany State : Nordrhein-Westfalen District (Kreis) : Höxter Additions: (to see click on expand) 1970 Beller 1970 Bellersen 1970 Bökendorf 1970 Erkeln 1970 Gehrden 1970 Hembsen 1970 Hinnenburg 1970 Istrup 1970 Rheder 1970 Riesel 1970 Schmechten Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"250px","height":"250px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":7,"defzoom":14,"layers":["OpenStreetMap"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":51.71249999999999857891452847979962825775146484375,"lon":9.1809999999999991615595718030817806720733642578125,"icon":""}],"imageoverlays":null}

Official blazon
German	In Rot zwischen zwei silbernen oben durch einen Ziergiebel verbundenen, spitzbedachten Türmen ein grüner Schild mit drei silbernen Pfählen, im Schildhaupt überdeckt von einem roten Balken, der mit drei goldenen Kugeln belegt ist.
English	blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The arms of Brakel were granted on March 18, 1908.

The arms are based on the oldest known seal from the city, dating from 1285. The arms in the city gate are those of the Lords of Brakel, who ruled the town until the mid 14^th century.
In the 17th and 18^th century the city used the small shield as its arms, without the city gate. Only in 1908 the whole composition of the seals was taken as arms for the city.

The colours of the arms of the Lords of Brakel were not known and chosen arbitrarily in 1908. The balls on the bar most likely are not historical, but a misinterpretation of the decoration on the seal. As the number of balls on the seals has changed during the years, it was decided to have only three balls.

Image gallery

Seal of Brakel from 1316 (Meyer, 1940)
The arms in the Paderborner Wappensammlung (around 1780)
The arms in an album from around 1910
The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925

Heraldic Bibliography:Hupp, O:Kaffee Hag albums, 1920s

This page is part of the German heraldry portal Deutsche Wappensammlung	Heraldry of the World
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