Hamburg's Coat of Arms

The red and white, so-called small coat of arms, originally appeared on a city seal around 1215. The colors were reversed in 1752 upon a decision by the Hamburg Senate. The two towers and the city wall represent the citizens’ determination to defend themselves. The middle tower with its dome and cross represents a cathedral which was torn down the beginning of the 19th century. The two six-pointed stars symbolize Maria, the patron saint of that cathedral. The closed gates show that Hamburg was a fortified city, although, until 1834, the gates were depicted sometimes open, sometimes closed and sometimes with a grid.

In the 16th century, the rest was added to make up the Great Coat of Arms. The two lions have no real relation to Hamburg, but represent strength. The armor symbolizes strength and invincibility. The three peacock feathers and banners projecting from the helmet were probably copied from the insignia of the duchy formerly known as Holstein.

In 1952, the Hamburg Senate called for a simplified version. This presented the lions with long, menacing tongues. Also, the position of the lions’ hind legs were reversed, making them appear to fall off the base. This escaped notice until 1988 when the local Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper made an issue of the change in stance and searched for an explanation. Two months later, after active reader participation, the acceptable explanation came from Mr. Walter Davids, who knew the designer of the 1952 version, Bruno Karberg. Mr. Karberg was hired to adapt the design to modern specifications. In order to avoid making a decision as to whether the lions were males or neuters, crucial parts of the anatomy were hidden by reversing the position of the hind legs, thus preserving the secret forever.

New interest in the Great Hamburg Coat of Arms arose during preparations for the 800th harbor birthday celebration in 1989. By special permission from the Senate, the Hamburg coat of arms could be used for commercial purposes during the celebrations. Firms as well as individuals could apply for permission to incorporate the Hamburg insignia into their own logos.

The AWC Hamburg incorporated the Great Hamburg Coat of Arms into its own logo from 1979-1992, probably without permission, but the club was non-commercial, so perhaps there was no need for permission. In 1979, under the presidency of Carole Gerber (now residing in Vancouver) the Board planned to print official stationery with an impressive letterhead. Karin Boye, a German friend of Carole’s, created the club logo by placing the American government seal into the Hamburg coat of arms to symbolize our dual life here.

On a Rathaus tour, you will see many versions of the Hamburg coat of arms. Each is unique according to the interpretation of the designing artist.