Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and its coat of arms

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - the large and small state coat of arms

• The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MV) uses two national emblems, the large and small coat of arms. The large national emblem is used by the state parliament and the upper state authorities, including the ministries and the state offices for agriculture and health. The small symbol is used by the lower state authorities, these include, for example, the police headquarters, the road construction authorities and the tax authorities.
• The large sign consists of a heraldic shield that is divided into four. A bull's head on a gold background can be seen in the upper right and lower left fields. In the upper right field there is the red griffin on a silver background, in the lower left field a red eagle can be seen. The small state coat of arms is a two-part shield, on the left the bull's head is shown on a golden background, on the right is the griffin.
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• The three figures bull, griffin and eagle can not only be seen here, but also on the national flag, which appears in the national colors red, blue and white. These colors are intended to illustrate the country's Hanseatic tradition. The bull's head also appears on the city arms of Wismar, here on a cog. The griffin is Rostock's protection animal and can be found in many parts of the city.
• Other figures are historically documented, but they no longer appear today. The sign of the duchy and later Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin also shows Hanseatic cross, on the sign of another former Free State there was also a silver tower to see.

Explanation for the animals on the coat of arms

The current appearance of the national emblem is explained in the history of the state, which was very changeable.

• Before reunification in 1990, there were two separate states: Mecklenburg and Pomerania, which have now been merged into one federal state. By 1945, both territories developed independently. This year there was a merger, which was later disbanded. In 1952, as part of the administrative reform, the area was divided into the districts of Schwerin, Rostock and Neubrandenburg.
• Originally there were several grand duchies, later free states, including Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The bull's head, which appears twice in the large sign, is reminiscent of these two areas. It is tongued in red, which is probably related to the strict heraldic rules. Why does the bull - which looks like an aurochs - even show its tongue? Heraldists have still not found a plausible explanation for this fact.
• The red griffin is particularly widespread in the southern Baltic region, it is on the national emblem for Western Pomerania. Since the 13th In the 19th century the griffin was led as a figure by the Mecklenburg princes, and since 1880 it has been the symbol of the Prussian province of Pomerania. The mythical creature with the body of a lion and the wings of a bird expresses power and strength on the coat of arms.
• The eagle is also a reminder of the historical connections between Pomerania and Brandenburg. It can still be found today on the state symbol of Brandenburg, the eagle also stands for parts of the Uckermark region, which belonged to the Prussian province of Brandenburg for a long time.