| Coat of arms of Berlin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
 Escutcheon-only version | |
| Armiger | City of Berlin |
| Crest | A city coronet Or with five leaves and a gate |
| Shield | Argent a bear rampant Sable langued and armed Gules |
| Use | The state logo may be used by the general public while the coat of arms proper is only eligible for use with authorities. |
The coat of arms of Berlin is used by the German city state as well as the city itself. Introduced in 1954 for West Berlin, it shows a black bear on a white shield. On top of the shield is a special crown, created by the amalgamation of the mural crown of a city with the so-called people's crown (Volkskrone), used in Germany to denote a republic. Berlin's various boroughs use their own emblems.
The bear has been used as a charge in the Berlin coat of arms since 1709, formerly alongside the eagles of Brandenburg and Prussia.[1] A bear occurs on seals, coins and signet rings from as early as the late 12th century (but not as heraldic charge before 1709), presumably due to a canting association with the city's name.[2]
- ^ Senatsverwaltung für Inneres und Sport. "Der Bär im Berliner Wappen - ein geschichtlicher Abriss". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ Konrad Berlin, "Berliner Bär und Mäuseturm", Muttersprache 1958, pp. 271-273. The name Berlin is of Slavic origin and unrelated to the word bear, but the area was settled by German speakers from as early as the 12th century. Reinhard E. Fischer: Die Ortsnamen der Länder Brandenburg und Berlin. Alter – Herkunft – Bedeutung. be.bra wissenschaft verlag, Berlin-Brandenburg 2005, ISBN 3-937233-30-X, S. 25.