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Austria: Coat of Arms

�sterreich

by Zeljko Heimer

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. M�rz 1984 �ber das Wappen und andere Hoheitszeichen der Republik �sterreich (Wappengesetz), Bundesgesetzblatt f�r die Republik �sterreich, 72. St�ck, 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

Evolution of the Austrian Arms
Coat of Arms 1934-1938

Evolution of the Austrian Arms

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

Reference: Franz Gall, Oesterreichische Wappenkunde. Handbuch der Wappenwissenschaft; B�hlau Verlag, Wien - K�ln - Weimar 1992
ISBN 3-205-05352-4

Coat of Arms 1934-1938

by Peter Diem

The 1934 coat of arms was introduced by Article 3-2 of the Constitution of the 24 April 1934, which was published on 3 July 1934. It was explained in the law of the 19 June 1934 that the "federal government publishes the representation of the state coat of arms in an ordinance in the Bundesgesetzblatt [official bulletin]. The state coat of arms shall only be used as it is depicted in that ordinance and when it is in colour, in the colours mentioned in the Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution of 1934". It is also mentioned that the people who were granted the use of the former coat of arms can still use it but only one year from the date of this law. The differences in the two sources above may concern a 3D representation, as a photo in this book shows it, but not the flags.

Sources: - Bundesgesetzblatt f�r die Republik �sterreich, 30.April 1934
- Bundesgesetzblatt f�r den Bundesstaat �sterreich, 1 May 1934, 23 June 1934, 3 July 1934
- Diem, Peter: "Die Symbole �sterreischs", Verlag Kremayr und Scheriau, Wien, 1995. ISBN 3-218-00594-9
Pascal Vagnat 9 November 1997