BADEN-WURTTEMBERG
- Alex P
- Oct 20
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Baden-Württemberg is a German cocktail of the fairytale Black Forest Schwarzwald, ancient castles, cozy towns and automotive engineering magic.
BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG: THE MOST INTERESTING
Baden-Württemberg is a German cocktail of Black Forest, ancient castles, cozy towns, and engineering wizardry. Imagine strolling through the narrow streets of Heidelberg, with a romantic castle looming above you, as if straight out of a fairy tale. A sip of coffee, and you're in Stuttgart , where the latest Mercedes and Porsche models gleam provocatively.
If you're craving nature, welcome to Black Forest Schwarzwald! Dark pine woods, villages with half-timbered houses, and whispering waterfalls — it's easy to believe in gnomes and spirits. You can also climb the Feldberg, the highest point on earth, and breathe in the alpine air with its special taste of freedom.
Baden-Württemberg is a country with many facets: from the university quiet of Tübingen to the sunny comfort of Lake Constance , from medieval Ulm to the futuristic flair of its many museums. This land doesn't shout about itself, but speaks directly to the heart.
BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG: HISTORY OF THE COAT OF ARMS
In fact, this region has a fairly stable old name: Swabia . This region on the upper reaches of the Rhine and Danube is named after the Swabians, a people who speak a distinct Swabian dialect. The term derives from the name of the ancient Germanic tribe, the Suevi.
Despite its rich heritage, the word "Swabia" doesn't appear in modern official names, but it modestly and somewhat reproachfully looks down on its contemporaries from the coat of arms of three black lions on a golden shield. But why did they change the name? It's most likely because almost half of Swabia, as a cultural, historical, and linguistic region, is located in Bavaria, while outside Germany, Swabians are found in France, Austria, Switzerland, and even Transcarpathia, Ukraine.
The coat of arms with three lions refers to the traditions of the ancient Duchy of Swabia, whose last dukes, the Hohenstaufen, used this coat of arms. The name "Swabia" was long discussed for the new federal state, but was not adopted due to opposition from part of Baden. Intrigues.
Thus, the historical name was retained on the coat of arms only visually, while the proper name came from the historical regions. Following a referendum, these regions were united in 1952 to form the state of Baden-Württemberg. It seems they simply decided to more clearly define the modern geographic boundaries and combine them.
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a state in southwestern Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. It actively participated in German politics, constantly joining various German state unions and formations.
Baden was renowned for its progressiveness: it was here that Germany adopted its first liberal constitution, allowed freedom of religion, and abolished the death penalty. However, the abolition of the death penalty was a bit of a curiosity – the abolition law was set to take effect the day after the scheduled execution, but the Duke refused to postpone it. As a result, the criminal was executed just hours before the law was scheduled to take effect.
The Kingdom of Württemberg existed from 1806 to 1918 and became so thanks to Napoleon, who generously distributed royal crowns to his allies. What made Württemberg distinctive? A developed bureaucracy, iron discipline, and the uncontrollable stubbornness of its rulers: kings were slow to implement reforms, and local laws were so meticulous that Württemberg was often called the "state of notaries."
History loves irony, and in World War I, they had to fight on the side of Germany against France, whose support the kingdom owed its birth to. And returning to heraldry, these seemingly unobvious figures represent deer antlers.
BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG: THE FUN FACTS
Baden-Württemberg also has a "great coat of arms." This isn't just a symbol, but a veritable heraldic dossier for the state. It's held by a charming griffin and a deer: characters from the coats of arms of the old states of Baden and Württemberg.
The shield holders stand on a pedestal in black and gold — the colors of this federal state. Interestingly, the deer was once gold, and the griffin silver. Today, everything has been simplified somewhat, but the symbolism remains: each element echoes former principalities, duchies, and imperial ties.
The shield bears six minor coats of arms: from the red-and-white Franconian rake and the Hohenzollern black-and-white checkerboard to the gold-on-black Palatine lion (the part of Bavaria that became part of our federal state) and a red-and-white shield, a reminder of Austria — a series of small Habsburg holdings on the upper Danube. The coats of arms of Baden and Württemberg are somewhat larger than the other coats of arms, which is understandable.
BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG: ALPINE SKIING
Feldberg is often called the "Schwarzwald in miniature." And the Schwarzwald is the very same "Black Forest," where mysticism abounds. Forested slopes, shaggy snowdrifts, a clean environment, quiet hotels, and excellent conditions for family skiing. An excellent option for those who want neither Olympic walls nor noisy stages.
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