BRANDENBURG
- Alex P
- Oct 9
- 2 min read
Brandenburg is located in the north-east of the country and seems to embrace and protect the capital Berlin and the outrageous Potsdam.
BRANDENBURG: THE MOST INTERESTING
Brandenburg is located in the north-east of the country, keeping the capital of Germany, Berlin, at its very heart.
The region is known not only for its lakes and forests, ideal for outdoor recreation, but also for its many historic castles and palaces — the capital region. The crown jewel is the former Berlin suburb of Potsdam, with its luxurious palace and park complexes and fountains.
For those seeking a more exotic experience, we recommend visiting the ancient monastery in Zauch, founded by and where the first Count of Brandenburg is buried. Among other relics, the monastery bears the resonant name of Lenin.
BRANDENBURG: HISTORY OF THE COAT OF ARMS
The eagle of the Margraviate of Brandenburg first appears on a statuette of Count Otto I, dating from 1170. This valiant man accomplished many feats and was descended from the Ascanian line. This line subsequently divided into many noble lines. Our hero became the founder of the Brandenburg line.
Some believe this symbol is related to the coat of arms of his ancestors' castle, lost in the Austrian mountains. Of course, an observant reader can make a connection between "Brandenburg Eagle" and "Tyrolean Eagle." They're not identical, but very similar.
Another version of the coat of arms' origin is more prosaic: the highest German nobility in the Middle Ages used the black imperial eagle as their coat of arms and their seal – to clearly demonstrate their connection to the highest power.
But after further governmental upheavals, this nobility quickly separated from the sovereign. Feudal fragmentation, whatever you want. The eagle was often retained, however, for the sake of authority: thus, the Brandenburg eagle changed its colors and became red.
On the eagle's breast, on the shield, was the so-called "Elector's Scepter." The title of "Elector," literally "Prince-Elector," signified the vested right to elect the emperor to the throne. Among the Prince-Electors, the presence of the scepter likely gave the Brandenburgs a sense of special importance and the decisiveness of their votes.
One of the earliest images of a scepter has been preserved in a 15th-century heraldic book.
BRANDENBURG: THE FUN FACTS
As part of the GDR, the provocative eagle was replaced by a coat of arms intended to symbolize the anti-fascist, democratic spirit of optimism: an oak tree against a rising sun and the year "1945." As a nod to history, a small coat of arms with the blue, white, and green colors of the city of Brandenburg was placed in the upper corner.
Then the land was dissolved as part of the administrative reform and there was no coat of arms at all.
After the reunification of Germany, in 1990 the historic red eagle was ceremoniously returned to the state of Brandenburg, but without the Prince-Elector's cap, sword, scepter and breastplate.
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