Au am Rhein

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

AU AM RHEIN

State : Baden-Württemberg
District (Kreis) : Rastatt

Official blazon

• (1901) In Silber ein menschliches Auge mit blauer Iris.
• (1978) In von Blau und Grün durch einen erniedrigten silbernen Wellenbalken geteiltem Schild ein silberner Reiher mit schwarzen Füßen.

Origin/meaning

The oldest known seal of Au dates from 1520 and shows an eye. The eye was a canting element (from Auge, eye). The two later seals also show the arms with the eye. In a seal from 1718 the eye appears above a duck's claw. In the 19^th century the eye completely disappears and the seal shows the duck's claw in a circle.

In November 1900 the State Archives proposed as arms the eye, as it had a longer history than the claw. The council approved the new arms in January 1901 (see image below). The council, however, was not very satisfied by the eye, or the claw. So finally in 1978 the present arms were granted, showing a heron. The heron is taken as a local symbol, as there is a large colony of these birds in the municipality. The base of the arms shows the river Rhine.

Seal from 1880

The arms from 1901-1978

Literature : Zier and Fütterer 1966; John et al., 1990.