Last modified: 2006-11-19 by jarig bakker
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From Ralf Hartemink's International
Civic Arms website: Mainz became a bishopric in 550 and an archbishopric
around 800. The archbishops of Mainz also played a major role in the appointment
of the new emperor. The bishops owned large possessions in the present
states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse
and Bavaria. The city was also the capital of
the State of Mainz. The State of Mainz
also existed until 1803.
The arms with the two wheels combined with a cross, appear at the end
of the 13th century in the seal of Bishop Sigfried III. The city started
to use the two wheels about 50 years later. Originally the two wheels were
placed vertically, but were later placed diagonally. The origin of the
wheels is not known, they are probably derived from the arms of the State
of Mainz, but it may just as well the other way round. The colours were
changed by Napoleon, who added the three bees of a city of the first rank
in a chief. As the [Napoleonic] chief
had to be red, the colours of the shield had to be changed. In 1811 the
bees were removed, but the colours were not restored. Only in 1915 the
old colours were restored.
Literature: Stadler 1964-1971, Neubecker
1977 [Dutch edition 1988].
Santiago Dotor, 27 Dec 2001
Today the carneval in Germany (particularly the areas near the Rhine)
is at its zenith.
I came across a photo
at wikipedia showing a carneval flag at Mainz. I made a gif accordingly.
The flag is a hanging flag of four stripes (r-w-b-y), with the symbol of
the MCV (Mainzer Carneval Verein = Mainz Carneval Association) in the canton.
According to the text in the wikipedia
article the colours are a mixture of the French colours and the colours
of the Catholic church, both to be caricatured this way.
To my knowledge, however, a thorough account of German carneval symbols
(including flags) is still wanting.
Marcus E.V. Schmöger, 27 Feb 2006