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Czechoslovakian Coats of Arms

Last modified: 2017-11-11 by andrew weeks
Keywords: czechoslovakia | czech republic | slovakia |
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Small Coat of Arms of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)

[Small CoA of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)] image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001

On the silver Czech lion there is the Slovakian Coat of Arms (the double cross on the blue triplicate hill)
István Molnár, 8 May 2001

Why does the lion on the Czechoslovakian coat of arms have two tails?
Robert Mullins, 9 Sep 2002

It is the lion of the arms of Bohemia. As far as I know, there is no specific reason for the double-tail. More information here:
"Bohemia was a Duchy, which became a Kingdom in 1196. The Kingdom is now mainly in the Czech Republic, but historically also parts of Poland, Italy and Germany belonged to Bohemia. On October 24, 1526, the Dukes of Austria acquired the Kingdom of Bohemia, which remained part of Austria-Hungary until 1919. The oldest arms of the Kings of Bohemia showed in silver a black eagle, covered with golden tears (still used by the Italian region Trient). The silver double-tailed lion was introduced by King Ottokar II in 1249. Ever since the double-tailed lion remained on the arms of Bohemia. The lion now forms part of the national arms of the Czech Republic, as well as many towns in the Czech Republic (such as Bečov nad Teplou, Chotebor, Peruc and Zinkovy and Germany (such as Dudeldorf, Gräfenberg and Plech)."
Santiago Dotor, 9 Sep 2002

From: "Czech State and Military Symbols", Praha 1996:
"A first appearance of the lion is evident from the riding seal of Přemysl Otakar I's brother Margrave of Moravia Vladislav Jindřich, from 1213, but the number of tails is not discernible. The Dalimil Chronicles state that the second tail was approved by Emperor Otto IV in gratitude for the military aid granted by Czechs during the conquest of rebellious Saxons in 1204. This is not confirmed by any other historical source. The first historically documented depiction of the two-tailed lion appears on the seal of Prince Přemysl, later King Přemysl Otakar II. At first this was the emblem of the Přemysl dynasty."
Jarig Bakker, 9 Sep 2002


Middle Coat of Arms of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)

[Middle CoA of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)] image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001

On the center on the heart shield there is the silver Czech lion. On the top left side there is the Coat of Arms of the Rusinsko (now Transcarpathia, Ukraine), On the top right side there is the Slovakian Coat of Arms. On the bottom right side there is the Moravian eagle. And on the bottom left side there is the Silesian eagle.
István Molnár, 8 May 2001


Great Coat of Arms of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)

[Great Coat of Arms of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)] image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001

On the bottom: left: Ratiborsko, Opavska, Tesínsko (Ratibor, Opava, Tesín regions).
István Molnár, 8 May 2001


Coat of Arms of the Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic (1960)

[Coat of Arms of the Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic (1960)] image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001

On the silver Czech lion there is the (communist) Slovakian Coat of Arms /In the red field there is the blue silhouette of the Mount Krivan (Tatras).
István Molnár, 8 May 2001

There was an golden bordered red star above the lion in the Czechoslovakian arms as a socialist symbol. The Slovak shield on the lion's shoulder also carried a Communist image, although admittedly an unusual one. The fire on the flag is supposed to represent the campfires of the partisan (i.e. Communist) resistance to the Nazis.
Stuart Notholt 8 Dec 1995


Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Republic (1990)

[Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Republic (1990)] image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001

The Coat of Arms is the union of the Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (CSFR) (1990).
István Molnár, 8 May 2001