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Aurich County (Germany)

Kreis Aurich, Lower Saxony

2:3

image by Jörg Majewski, 15 Dec 2007
approved 28 August 1979

Introduction of Aurich county
Aurich County Flag
Aurich County Coat of Arms

See also:

Aurich county

county seat: Aurich
area: 1,287.22 qkm
population: 190,128
subdivisions: 3 cities, 1 market town, 20 municipalities; among these 1 market town and 10 municipalities in 2 comprehensive municipalities (Samtgemeinden,SGen)
Jörg Majewski, 15 Dec 2007

Aurich County Flag

Description of flag:
It is blue over yellow over red horizontal tricolour. The coat of arms is shifted to the hoist.

Aurich County Coat of Arms

2:3 image by Jörg Majewski, 15 Dec 2007

Description of coat of arms: The shield is divided per pale into blue and red, superimposed by a golden (= yellow) harpy. She is flanked by two golden (= yellow) mullets/spurs and two acorns of the same colour.
Origin/meaning:
The old arms were granted in 1950.
The arms show an oak tree, the so called Upstalsboom. This was a special tree under which the free Frisians had their annual meetings (like a parliament). At these meetings justice was done, laws were approved and people came together. The tree was situated just outside Aurich. The town became the centre of the Frisian territory, part of which is the present County (Landkreis, Kreis). In 1744 the Counts of Ostfriesland took possession of the area, which later became part of Prussia.
The arms were approved on 13 September 1978.
The new arms show the harpy of Ostfriesland, as the county belongs to the territory of Eastern Frisia (Ostfriesland). The harpy is also part of the arms of the city of Emden. The two old districts are represented by the acorns (Aurich) and mullets/spurs (Norden). The red colour is representing Aurich and the blue colour is representing Norden. The yellow colour is symbolizing the new community.
Sources: Stadler 1964, pp.14 and 67
Jarig Bakker, 15 Dec 2007 (?)

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