Last modified: 2021-10-09 by 
klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: zella-mehlis | benshausen | bishop | crossbow | saint(female) | hammer and mallet | towers(3) | hen |
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5:2
image by Stefan Schwoon and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
It is a blue-white vertical bicolour. The coat of arms is shifted towards the top.
Sources: this online catalogue and §2(2) of local Hauptsatzung, version 18 October 1994
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
![[Zella-Mehlis city flag]](../images/d/de-sc-zm.gif)
3:5 image by Stefan Schwoon and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
It is a blue-white horizontal bicolour with centred arms.
Sources: this online catalogue and §2(2) of local Hauptsatzung, version 18 October 1994
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
Shield quartered; 1st quarter Argent a bishop issuant, dressed Gules with mitre of the same, holding a crozier by his right hand a two candles by his left hand; 2nd quarter Azure a crossbow Argent in bend; 3rd quarter Azure hammer and mallet Argent in saltire; 4th quarter Argent a woman issuant, nimbed Or, dressed Gules and holding a chalice Or by her hands.
Meaning:
Gebhard of Nordeck established the hermitage Cella St. Blasii, which means cell of St. Blaise, in 1122 as an annex of the Benedictine Reinhardsbrunn Monastery. The existence of the village of Mehlis is proven since around 1050. Between 1357 and 1360 different sovereign rights in the village were gained by the Wettin kin, the Counts of Henneberg and the Landgraves of Hessen. In 1617 the Wettin kin gained complete control. Since 1661 it belonged to the Duchy of Sachsen-Gotha, together with Zella. In 1654 Zella gained the rights of a market town. In 1892 Mehlis gained the rights of a city. Both entites were united in 1919. The bishop is St. Blaise, local patron saint of the former municipality of Zella St. Blasii. The woman is St. Mary Magdalene, local patron saint of Mehlis, recognisable by her attribute, the chalice. The crossbow is representing the local production of weapons. Hammer and mallet are symbolising the local ore mining. In times of the GDR the tinctures had been slightly different and the shield was quartered of red and blue. Due to heraldic rules the basic tinctures were changed to white and blue.
Sources: Bensing et alii 1984, pp.510-511 and §2(1) of local Hauptsatzung, version 18 October 1994
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
The arms were adopted in 1919 on occasion of the merger of Zella and Mehlis and confirmed in 1990.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
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5:2 
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
It was a white-red vertical bicolour. The coat of arms was shifted towards the top.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
Shield Gules, three towers issuant Argent with windows Sable, roofs Vert, the central tower with port Azure charged with a hen statant Sable, central tower topped by a weathercock Sable, sinister tower by a 6-point-star Sable. Above the shield in a black bordered white rectangle is a black inscription "BENSHAUSEN".
Meaning:
Although Elector Johann Georg I of Sachsen granted the rights of a market town in 1621, Benshausen never became a city. The towers probably are referring to local buildings, such as church, town hall and clock tower. The hen in base is referring to the Counts of Henneberg, former local rulers. The colours of the banner are those of Thüringen. The arms are based on a town seal from the 17th century. They changed a few times in detail.
Source: Hartmut Ulle: "Neues Thüringer Wappenbuch", 2nd edition, Langensalza, 2011
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
Banner and arms probably were never approved officially.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 2 Oct 2021
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