Münster City (Germany)

Stadt Münster, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Last modified: 2020-05-23 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: muenster | amelsbueren | handorf | hiltrup | st.mauritz | tricolour | schirmbrett | lion(golden) | reguardant | supporter | arrow | stake dam | millwheel | fretty |
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• City Flag
• Coat of Arms
• Great Banner
• City Boroughs
• Amelsbüren Borough
• Amelsbüren Coat of Arms
• Handorf Borough
• Handorf Coat of Arms
• Hiltrup Borough
• Hiltrup Coat of Arms
• St. Mauritz Borough
• St. Mauritz Coat of Arms
• Münster County
• Münster County Flag
• Münster County Banner
• Münster County Coat of Arms

• North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany)
• Germany

City Flag

It is a yellow-red-white horizontal tricolour (banner of arms).
Sources: Staack 1997 and Stadler 1972, p.71
Stefan Schwoon, 25 Feb 2001

Coat of Arms

Münster became a city in the early 13th century. (...) The arms do not appear in official seals before 1535, although in a seal of the Antonius hospital from 1368 it is shown. The origin of the colours is not known.
Sources: Stadler 1972, p.71 and Veddeler 2003, pp.183-184

Santiago Dotor, 20 Dec 2001

Great Banner

The banner is hoisted only at special opportunities. My image is based upon the image given in Veddeler 2003.
The banner is vertically divided into yellow-red-white-red-yellow the stripes having nearly equal width according to source, but the yellow stripes have a lower width according to the image. In the centre is a modified version of the greater coat of arms of the city as follows:
The shield is divided twice per fess into golden(=yellow) over red over silver(=white). topped by a silver helmet having a red and golden(=yellow) visor, and a crest being also golden over red over white. The crest was erroneously denoted as "fan" by the people. The correct word in German is "Schirmbrett". The helmet is flanked by scarves, in red and yellow. The shield is supported by two golden(=yellow) rampant reguardant lions tongued red.
The greater arms of the city have rampant lions, armed and tongued red. The helmet there is blue.
Meaning:
The sovereigns, the Bishops of Münster, used a golden shield divided by a red fess. These arms are probably the base of the city arms. The lower golden field had been simply replaced by a silver one. The arms were used on seals at least since 1368. Helmet, crest and scarves had been added probably before 1540. Finally the supporters had been added perhaps in the middle of the 16th century.
Source: Veddeler 2003, p.467
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 May 2010

City Boroughs

Amelsbüren Borough

It is a green over white over green horizontal triband with ratio of stripes approx. 1:3:1. The coat of arms is in the middle of the central stripe.
Source: this online catalogue

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

Amelsbüren Coat of Arms

The arrow is an attribute of St. Sebastian, the local patron saint. The green colour and the two acorns are referring to the Davert Forest area in the municipality. The arms were approved on 28 October 1965.
Source: Ralf Hartemink's webpage

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

Handorf Borough

It is a yellow over red over white horizontal tricolour with centred arms.
Source: this online catalogue

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

Handorf Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess wavy, above Gules a Greek cross Or in sinister chief, beneath Or a throughout stake dam Gules.
Meaning:
The colours red and yellow are those of the Bishopric of Münster. The line of partition is symbolizing little Werse River. The flag colours are those of the city flag of Münster.
Source: this online catalogue

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

Hiltrup Borough

It is a red over yellow over red horizontal triband with ratio of stripes approx. 1:3:1. The coat of arms is in the middle of the central stripe.
Source: this online catalogue

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

Hiltrup Coat of Arms

Shield Or, an anchor Gules in bend, in dexter chief a solar wheel Gules garnished Argent.
Meaning:
The colours red and yellow are those of the Bishopric of Münster. The solar wheel was a canting element, taken from the arms of the medieval Sonnborn kin, which had its estate near Hiltrup. The anchor is an attribute of Pope St. Clement, patron saint of the village. Furthermore it is representing the local harbour at the Dortmund-Ems-Kanal.
The arms were approved in 1965 by Minister of Interior of Northrhine-Westphalia.
Source: Stadler 1972, p.53

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

St. Mauritz Borough

It is a yellow over blue horizontal bicolour with centred arms.
Source: this online catalogue

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

St. Mauritz Coat of Arms

Shield parted per pale wavy, at dexter Azure three wheat ears Or ordered triangular, at sinister a demi-millwheel Azure couped per pale, having seven paddles Sable.
Meaning:
The St.Mauritz Subcounty (German: Amt) had a blue shield charged with five wheat ears Or ordered 3:2, representing the former municipalities: Amelsbüren, Handorf, Hiltrup, St. Mauritz proper and Überwasser. There is no information, which parts are represented by the remaining ears. Pale wavy, watermill wheel and the blue colour are symbolising little Werse River with its (former) watermills.
The arms were approved in 1965.
Source: Ralf Hartemink's webpage

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 June 2017

Münster County

The county in the end consisted of two cities and 21 municipalities, 18 of them being parts of five subcounties. The county was dissolved on 1 January 1975. The city of Münster became its legal successor. Nine municipalities were incorporated into the city, six were switched to Warendorf County including Telgte City, five to Coesfeld County, three including Greven City to Steinfurt County.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2020

Münster County Flag

It was a yellow-red horizontal bicolour with centred arms.
Source:
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2020

Münster County Banner

It was a yellow-red vertical bicolour with arms shifted to the top and fimbriated white.
Source:
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2020

Münster County Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess, above Or a fess Gules, beneath Azure fretty Or.
Meaning:
The upper part displays the arms of the Bishopric of Münster, which was abolished in 1803 as sovereign. The lower part displays the family arms of the Lords of Merveldt, who gained the title of Imperial Counts (German: Reichsgrafen) in 1726. They had also been the bishop's reeves in Wolbeck.
Source: Stadler 1964, p.65
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2020

The arms were approved on 1 July 1936 by Prussian Minister of State. Flag and banner were approved on 21 May 1963 by Minister of Interior of Nordrhein-Westfalen. The symbols were abolished on 31 December 1974.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2020

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