Last modified: 2019-12-09 by 
klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: seelow | boat hook | mitre | crescent(waxing) | cross(moline) | star(6-point) |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
![[Seelow city flag]](../images/d/de-mo-se.gif)
3:5 
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Dec 2019
See also:
Seelow is the seat of the Märkisch-Oderland County and Seelow-Land Subcounty.
Jens Pattke, 29 June 2002
It is a blue-white-blue horizontal triband with ratio of stripes 1:3:1. The coat of arms is in the middle of the white stripe.
Source: this online catalogue and §3(2) of Hauptsatzung of Seelow City, version 3 December 2003
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Dec 2019
![[Seelow city banner]](../images/d/de-mo-se_.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Dec 2019
It is a blue-white-blue vertical triband with ratio of stripes 1:3:1. The coat of arms is in the middle of the white stripe.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Dec 2019
![[Seelow old city banner]](../images/d/de-mo-se2_.gif)
image by Jens Pattke, 29 June 2002
It was a vertical blue-white-blue-white-blue 5-stripes flag. The coat of arms was in a white bannerhead.
Source: this online catalogue
Jens Pattke, 29 June 2002
Shield Azure, two boat hooks Or in saltire; surrounded by a mitre Or in chief, a waxing crescent Argent in dexter flanch, a cross moline Argent in sinsiter flanch and a facetted 6-point star Or in base
Meaning:
The arms are based on the oldest known city seal from 1429. The two boat-hooks are attributes of St. Adalbert of Prague, who acted as a missionary in the region and who was killed by fishermen using boat hooks. The moon and star are attributes of St. Mary; the cross probably is also alluding to St. Adalbert. The mitre in the upper part is alluding to the rule of the Bishops of Lebus since the 13th century. Mary and Adalbert had been the patron saints of the Bishopric of Lebus. The chapter of the cathedral in Lebus used a similar seal with the boat hooks. The oldest seal shows in the upper part an unknown figure (the seal got lost during WW2), but the second seal of the city, known since 1556, clearly showed a mitre. In the 19th century the design of the seal was changed; the hooks were replaced by scythes superimposed by a grindstone. The mitre became a coronet, representing the Kings of Prussia.
This design was used by Otto Hupp (1925) as arms of the city, and as colour of the shield blue was chosen. In the middle of the 20th century the colour was changed to red.
Sources: Bensing et alii 1984, pp.422-423, Ralf Hartemink's webpage and §3(1) of Hauptsatzung of Seelow City, version 3 December 2003
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Dec 2019
According to the municipality Seelow gained city rights in accordance with the Magdeburg version on 28 June 1252. On occasion of its 750 anniversary, the city adopted a new statute, which defines a new coat of arms and flag. The coat-of-arms is inspired by the historic one. Compared with the coat-of-arms from the German Democratic Republic era the colour red was changed to blue; the scythes became boat-hooks and the crown became a bishop's mitre. The whetting-stone was omitted. In 1996 the colours had already been changed; the change to the other figures has only now been executed.
The arms were approved with a red shield on 24 January 1992. In 2001 the city returned to the oldest known design, but with the colour as chosen by Otto Hupp. The old banner was adopted and hoisted on occasion of 750 years of city rights on 28 June 2002. It is nowadays only a decoration banner (Schmuckbanner) for special occasions.
Jens Pattke, 29 June 2002 and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Dec 2019
back to Märkisch-Oderland cities and municipalities click here