Bad Berleburg

BAD BERLEBURG

State : Nordrhein-Westfalen
District (Kreis) : Siegen-Wittgenstein (until 1974 Wittgenstein)
Additions: 1975 Amt Berleburg (partly, 1932 Amt Arfeld, Amt Berghausen, Amt Girkhausen), Alerthausen, Arfeld, Aue, Beddelhausen, Berghausen, Diedenshausen, Dotzlar, Elsoff, Girkhausen, Hemschlar, Raumland, Richstein, Rinthe, Sassenhausen, Schüllar, Schwarzenau, Stünzel, Weidenhausen, Wemlighausen, Wingeshausen, Wunderthausen

Official blazon

German

Geteilt und oben gespalten; vorne in Rot ein linksgewendeter, doppelschwänziger, herschauender, blau bewehrter, goldener Löwe, hinten in Silber zwei schwarze Pfähle; unten in Silber ein nach links laufender, rot bewehrter, schwarzer Bär

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on July 10, 1911 and again on June 25, 1976. The prefix Bad was granted in 1971.

The town became a city in 1330 and soon after the first seal was made. The seal showed the arms of the Counts of Wittgenstein, who owned the city. Since 1570 the present arms are used. The lion is the lion of the Von Sayn family, the pales come from the arms of the Wittgenstein family. The family Sayn-Wittgenstein-Vallender inherited Berleburg in 1339 and made it their capital. The bear is a canting symbol.

Seal from around 1900	The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925
The arms in the town (source)

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