Last modified: 2012-03-31 by andrew weeks
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![[Small CoA of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)]](../images/x/xc)20s.jpg)
image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001
On the silver Czech lion there is the Slovakian Coat of Arms (the double
cross on the blue triplicate hill)
István Molnár, 8 May 2001
Why does the lion on the Czechoslovakian coat of arms have two tails?
Robert Mullins, 9 Sep 2002
It is the lion of the arms of Bohemia. As far
as I know, there is no specific reason for the double-tail. More information
here:
"Bohemia was a Duchy, which became a Kingdom in 1196. The Kingdom is
now mainly in the Czech Republic, but historically
also parts of Poland, Italy
and Germany belonged to Bohemia. On October 24, 1526,
the Dukes of Austria acquired the
Kingdom of Bohemia, which remained part of Austria-Hungary
until 1919.
The oldest arms of the Kings of Bohemia showed in silver a black eagle,
covered with golden tears (still used by the Italian
region Trient). The silver double-tailed lion
was introduced by King Ottokar II in 1249. Ever since the double-tailed
lion remained on the arms of Bohemia. The lion now forms part of the national
arms of the Czech Republic, as well as many towns
in the Czech Republic (such as Bečov nad Teplou, Chotebor, Peruc and
Zinkovy and Germany (such as Dudeldorf, Gräfenberg and Plech)."
Santiago Dotor, 9 Sep 2002
From: "Czech State and Military Symbols", Praha 1996:
"A first appearance of the lion is evident from the riding seal of
Přemysl Otakar I's brother Margrave of Moravia Vladislav Jindřich, from
1213, but the number of tails is not discernible. The Dalimil Chronicles
state that the second tail was approved by Emperor Otto IV in gratitude
for the military aid granted by Czechs during the conquest of rebellious
Saxons in 1204. This is not confirmed by any other historical source. The
first historically documented depiction of the two-tailed lion appears
on the seal of Prince Přemysl, later King Přemysl Otakar II. At first this
was the emblem of the Přemysl dynasty."
Jarig Bakker, 9 Sep 2002
![[Middle CoA of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)]](../images/x/xc)20m.jpg)
image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001
On the center on the heart shield there is the silver Czech lion. On
the top left side there is the Coat of Arms of the Rusinsko (now Transcarpathia,
Ukraine), On the top right side there is the Slovakian Coat of Arms. On
the bottom right side there is the Moravian eagle. And on the bottom left
side there is the Silesian eagle.
István Molnár, 8 May 2001
![[Great Coat of Arms of the Republic of Czechoslovakia (1920)]](../images/x/xc)20g.jpg)
image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001
On the bottom: left: Ratiborsko, Opavska, Tesínsko (Ratibor, Opava,
Tesín regions).
István Molnár, 8 May 2001
![[Coat of Arms of the Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic (1960)]](../images/x/xc)60.jpg)
image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001
On the silver Czech lion there is the (communist) Slovakian Coat of
Arms /In the red field there is the blue silhouette of the Mount Krivan
(Tatras).
István Molnár, 8 May 2001
There was an golden bordered red star above the lion in the Czechoslovakian
arms as a socialist symbol. The Slovak shield on the lion's shoulder also
carried a Communist image, although admittedly an unusual one. The fire
on the flag is supposed to represent the campfires of the partisan (i.e.
Communist) resistance to the Nazis.
Stuart Notholt 8 Dec 1995
![[Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Republic (1990)]](../images/x/xc)90.jpg)
image sent by István Molnár, 8 May 2001
The Coat of Arms is the union of the Coat of Arms of the Czech and Slovak Federative
Republic (CSFR) (1990).
István Molnár, 8 May 2001