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Elverum, Hedmark (Norway)

image by Tomislav Šipek, 26 November 2015

The Flag
Coat of Arms

See also:

The Flag

Here is flag and coat of arms of Elverum.
Source: https://lovdata.no/dokument/OV/forskrift/1988-12-09-977?q=flagg
Tomislav Šipek, 26 November 2015

Coat of Arms

image by Tomislav Šipek, 26 November 2015

Blazon: I rødt ei gull ugle med utslåtte vinger. In English: Gules an owl displayed or.
Approved by the royal resolution of 12 September 1988 after a drawing by Arvid Sveen.
The municipal web site quotes the original explanation of the symbolic:
"It is a symbol for wisdom and teaching, marking Elverum as a school center. Most owls are forest birds, and the owl can also represent our wild animals and birds, and thus symbolize the forest and wilderness significance for Elverum before and now. Finally, an active owl with lifted wings and claws ready symbolize determined defense - Elverum as a garrison town and events in Elverum in days of April 1940. The color scheme of gold on red, and hence the similarity with the coat of arms, can also point to the royal house and parliamentary close ties to Elverum in April 1940.'

The 1940 Elverum events referd above are explained at http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Elverum
"In 1940, when Norway was under attack from the German forces, King Haakon received in Elverum the power from the parliament to govern the country, in its best interests."
Adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midtskogen
The Battle of Midtskogen was fought on the night between 9 and 10 April 1940 during the Second World War between a German raiding party and an improvised Norwegian force. The site of the battle was Midtskogen farm, situated approximately 5 km west of the town Elverum at the mouth of the Østerdalen valley in southern Norway. The invading German troops were out on a raid to capture the Norwegian King, Haakon VII, and his cabinet and thereby forcing Norway into submission. After a short battle, the German force withdrew, having lost its commander in the fighting.
And from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elverum#World_War_II Elverum municipality served as a temporary capital of Norway during the World War II German invasion. On 9 April 1940 Norwegian troops prevented German parachute troops from capturing Norway's King Haakon, Crown Prince, and Parliament while the Parliament was meeting to issue the Elverum Authorization, authorizing the exiled government until the Parliament could again convene. On April 11, shortly after the government's refusal to submit to German terms, the center of Elverum was reduced to ashes.
Željko Heimer, 01 December 2015