SAARLAND
- Alex P
- Oct 15
- 4 min read
Saarland is proud of its dialect, traditions and blend of German and French cultures, which is reflected in the local cuisine, music and festivals.
SAARLAND: THE MOST INTERESTING
Saarland is Germany's smallest state. But don't let its size fool you: this region is a true crossroads of Europe, where German, French, and Luxembourgish traditions intertwine. The land is named after the Saar River, which meanders gently through these picturesque hills and forests.
Beyond the German rigor, French influence is evident at every turn: in the culture, language, and, of course, the cuisine. Even the Saarlanders' way of life is called "Saarvoir vivre"—a play on the French expression "savoir vivre," meaning "enjoyment."
To get a feel for the state capital of Saarbrücken, start your walk from the Old Bridge. This stone giant, built in 1546, not only connects the banks of the Saar River but also serves as the city's symbol. Next to the bridge is a pier from which small boats depart for France.
SAARLAND: HISTORY OF THE COAT OF ARMS
The Saarland lies on the border between Germany and France and has changed hands between the two countries numerous times over the course of a thousand years. The Saarland took its current form after World War II. Even then, however, there were nuances: the United States and Great Britain sought to incorporate the Saarland into France, while France itself advocated turning the Saarland into an independent border state, similar to Luxembourg. However, after a heated public debate in 1957, the residents themselves voted to incorporate the Saarland as a federal state into Germany.
The Saarland parliament adopted a coat of arms in 1956. The quartered shield features symbols of history: a silver lion on blue for the County of Saarbrücken, a red cross on silver for the Electorate of Trier, a golden lion on black for the Duchy of Palatinate, and a red diagonal stripe with three eagles for the Duchy of Lorraine. These four holdings were the most important in the region that is now Saarland.
Among the interesting aspects of that turbulent period, it is worth noting the participation of Saarland as an independent state in the Olympic Games and the official introduction of French as the first and main foreign language in Saarland schools.
The County of Saarbrücken was an imperial territory of the Holy Roman Empire in southwestern Germany, with its seat in the city of Saarbrücken. Its coat of arms derives from the seal of Count Simon III, known since 1220, which depicted a lion. Later, other regalia were added to the lion: a golden crown, red claws, and silver trefoil crosses.
The red cross of St. George on a silver background is the emblem of the Archbishopric and Electorate of Trier. It first appeared in 1273 on the seal of Archbishop Henry II and represented the Electorate until its confiscation in 1803.
Medieval Trier, which attracted pilgrims with the relics of the Apostle Matthias, was one of three archiepiscopal centers in Germany. Until 1794, the archbishop, also known as the Elector, oversaw all aspects of city life. After the Napoleonic Wars, the area became part of the Prussian Rhine Province.
Palatinate-Zweibrücken was a principality and duchy of the Holy Roman Empire with its seat in Zweibrücken that existed from 1444 to 1801. Due to the fact that its rulers held the titles of Counts Palatine of the Rhine and Dukes of Bavaria from the Wittelsbach line, the coat of arms depicts the Palatine Lion and the Bavarian blue and white diamonds.
But only the Palatine Lion, as the more impressive one, made it onto the Saarland coat of arms. The golden lion with a red crown on a black shield signified the special status of the Counts Palatine of the Rhine — their privilege of being among the princes who elect the German Emperor to the throne.
SAARLAND: THE FUN FACTS
There's a theory that the structure of the Saarland coat of arms contains a hidden message: a miniature France surrounded by German lands. This isn't accurate, but it does provide a reason to move on to the fourth part of the Saarland coat of arms.
Lorraine is one of the oldest medieval European states. Its coat of arms is a golden shield with a red band and three silver eagles. According to legend, during the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem in 1099, Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lower Lorraine, saw three eagles on the Tower of David and (for uncovered reason) killed them with a single spear throw. In memory of this event, he supposedly adopted the coat of arms, which remains the coat of arms of Lorraine to this day.
To be precise, these aren't eagles, but "alerions." In heraldry, an alerion is the figure of an eagle with outstretched wings, but without a beak or talons. In the Middle Ages, alerions were believed to live somewhere in India. They are larger than eagles, fiery in color, with razor-sharp feathers, and hatch from eggs only every sixty years. Thus, the Red Book was born.
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