Kempen
KEMPEN
State : Nordrhein-Westfalen
District (Kreis) : Viersen (until 1929 Kempen, 1929-1974 Kempen-Krefeld)
Additions : 1970 Hüls (until 1975), Schmalbroich, Sankt Hubert, Tönisberg
| German | |
| English | No blazon/translation known. Please click here to send your (heraldic !) blazon or translation |
Origin/meaning
The arms were granted on April 8, 1971.
Kempen became a city in 1294 and the oldest seal dates from the same time. It shows besides a church two keys and the moon and star. The keys indicate the fact that the city belonged to the state of Köln, whose patron saint is St.Peter. The keys are the symbol of St. Peter. Moon and star probably symbolise the St. Mary. The present arms are based on a description from 1659. The keys and moon/star were now quarters in the new arms. The cross most likely is also the cross of the state of Köln.
In the early 20th century the arms below were shown in the Kaffee Hag albums. These arms show the same composition, but in different colours:
 Seal from around 1900 |
 Seal from around 1900 |
 The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925 |
 Postal cancellation 1981 (from Orsay and with East Cambridgeshire) |
 Postal cancellation 1990 |
Literature: Stadler, 1964-1971, 8 volumes; Kaffee Hag albums 1920s.