Last modified: 2003-09-06 by marcus schmöger
Keywords: eagle (black) | shackle | chain | sickle and hammer | crown: mural (yellow) | bindenschild |
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.gif)
by Zeljko Heimer |
b.gif)
by Peter Diem |
On the left, the detail of the coat of arms, modified from the CorelDraw 7 Clipart CD - the image there
follows very closely the image printed in source Bundesgesetz vom 28. März 1984 über das Wappen und andere
Hoheitszeichen der Republik Österreich (Wappengesetz), Bundesgesetzblatt für die Republik Österreich, 72. Stück,
25 April 1984.
Zeljko Heimer, 20 February 2001
On the right, the Austrian arms as used in practice since 1945. The triad
of hammer, sickle and mural crown is distinctive. The broken iron chains
have a bluish metallic hue.
Peter Diem, 16 August 2002
See also:
The Austrian arms were adopted in the 13th Parliament session of May 8, 1919.
The (official) drawing of the arms was by Ernst Krahl and showed the eagle in a
more "closed" or rounded position, with all attribute details (sickle and
hammer) contained within the circle of feathers. The Constitution of 1934
(published June 19, 1935, drawing by Karl E. Krahl) used an eagle similar to the
current, without the crown, sickle, and hammer attributes; however, the eagle
was double-headed, with each head being surrounded by a golden nimbus. The
current drawing (Karl E. Krahl, 1945) was adopted on May 1, 1945 [note that this
was *before* the capitulation of the occupying "Third Reich"!]. The symbol as
such is very popular in Austria, although in the past (e.g., in the late 1960s)
a few attempts were made been by right-wing parties to eliminate the "communist"
elements of hammer and sickle as well as (or, in fact, mainly) the broken
chains. None of these attempts, however, caused more than a discussion in the
papers.
Helmut P. Einfalt, 6 July 2002
Source: [gaf96]
Whilst the eagle may have derived from the the Habsburgs, it wasn't a Habsburg eagle. The Habsburg eagle had two heads, an imperial crown, and a sword and orb in its talons.
Paul Adams, 28 July 1995
The heraldic advisors to the first chancellor, Dr. Renner, in 1919, have
indeed, for reasons of continuity, transformed the double headed monarchial
eagle into a one-headed republican one with the common man's, not regal,
symbols.
Peter Diem, 16 August 2002
The crown on the Austrian eagle's head is a civic crown - it looks like battlements, and stands for the burghers of Austria, as the hammer and sickle in its talons stand for artisans and farmers. These arms, which were adopted in 1919, also include a shield on the eagle's breast bearing the arms of the House of Babenberg.
The broken shackles were added to the Austrian eagle's legs in 1945, and refer specifically to the liberation
from the Nazis.
Paul Adams, 28 July 1995