Coat of arms of Baden-Württemberg
| Coat of arms of Baden-Württemberg |
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Lesser coat of arms
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| Armiger | Government of Baden-Württemberg |
| Adopted | 1954 |
| Crest | Six escutcheons of Franconia, Hohenzollern, Baden, Württemberg, Electorate of the Palatinate and Further Austria |
| Escutcheon | Or three lions passant sable pale, langued gules |
| Supporters | Dexter a stag, sinister a griffin. |
| Compartment | A pedestal sable and or |
| Predecessors | Coat of arms of Württemberg-Baden, Coat of arms of Württemberg-Hohenzollern, Coat of arms of Baden |
| Use | The great coat of arms is only used by higher authorities, i.e. the state premier, the government, the ministries, the state's representation to the Federation and to the EU, the Supreme State Court and higher courts, the audit court and the Administrative Districts. |
The coat of arms of the German state of Baden-Württemberg features a greater and a lesser version.
The coat of arms of Baden-Württemberg was determined after the merging of the former German states Baden, Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern, that were divided due to different occupying forces after World War II, in 1952. The creation of the state was not without controversies and thus only the state colours black and gold were determined in 1952, but not yet the arms. The latter were only regulated in the Gesetz über das Wappen des Landes Baden-Württemberg (Law on the Coat of Arms of Baden-Württemberg) of 3 May 1954. Its use is moreover regulated by an order dated 2 August 1954. It was designed by Fritz Reinhardt.
On base of article 24 clause 2 of the constitution, on April 28. 1954, the parliament has decided the following law, which is hereby proclaimed:
The shield shows three black lions with red tongues on a golden background. The arms refer to the coat of arms of the Duke of Swabia whose House of Hohenstaufen had used these arms. The name of Suabia had long been discussed for use with the newly created state but it failed to be adopted due to resistance from parts of Baden.
The six small coat of arms at the top stand for the origins of parts of Baden-Württemberg. They are from left to right:
Thereby the arms of Baden and Württemberg are slightly elevated. The supporters are a stag to the left representing Württemberg and a griffin to the right representing Baden. The supporters were the charges in the arms of the pre-war states of Baden and Württemberg. They are positioned on a pedestal of black and gold which is not further mentioned in the law about the arms.
The great coat of arms is only used by higher authorities, i.e. the state premier, the government, the ministries, the state's representation to the Federation and to the EU, the Supreme State Court and higher courts, the audit court and the Administrative Districts.
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