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Česká Třebová (Czech Republic)

Ústí nad Orlicí okres, Pardubice region

From the Česká Třebová website.
adopted 23 Nov 1995

Česká Třebová flag
Česká Třebová Coat of Arms

See also:

Česká Třebová flag

Česká Třebová is one of the oldest towns in the East of Bohemia. It is in Ústí nad Orlicí okres, Pardubice region with 15.000 inhabitants. The flag was adopted 23 Nov 1995.
Jarig Bakker. 4 May 1999

I have a stamp of Czechoslovakia issued in 1971 and labelled Česká Třebová which shows exactly the same image but as a COA.
Pascal Gross, 5 May 1999.

In Jiri Carek's "Mestske Znaky Ceskych Zemich", the Coat of Arms is shown too. It is a cock with the head of a Jew.
Ole Andersen, 5 May 1999.

It seems to me that the yellow headgear is the "funny" cap that was required to be worn by Jews in the Middle Ages in Central Europe. The beard on the face only seems to suggest the "Jewish connection" more. Czech lands had a rather large population of Jews in the Middle Ages, especially in towns, so this might have been a Jewish town. An other thought: it might be that this emblem was given to the town as a sign of disrespect. I would not not be surprised to leard that it was so.
Željko Heimer, 6 May 1999

I think that the "other thought" is the right one. This emblem resembles the emblem of another former Habsburg Empire town, Judenburg in Austria. The emblem of Judenburg was granted in disrespect (as an understatement) to the name of the town. I hardly think that any Jews will describe themselves as in the emblem, and when a Jewish community had the rare opportunity to choose a symbol for themselves, they always chose the Magen David (Prague, Vienna and Amsterdam).
Dov Gutterman, 6 May 1999.

Česká Třebová Coat of Arms

from this website.

Česká Třebová used to be a fortified town where mostly potters, weavers and peasants lived. The story about gaining its town emblem is this:
Once the town scribe lost the town sealing-stick. All people looked for it, but it was not found. The poor scribe was put into jail and sentenced to death as it was usual in those gone years. The gallows were ready for him, he was already led onto it when a cock found the sealing-stick in the scrap heap and brought it in his beak. The scribe was set free and the picture of the cock, with a human head, was put into the town emblem to remember his deed. (Info from this site)
Jarig Bakker, 14 Jan 2001