Franconian Rake

The Franconian Rake (German: Fränkischer Rechen) is the name given to the coat of arms of the region of Franconia in Germany. It is described heraldically as per fess dancetty of three points gules and argent. The points represent a stylised heraldic rake.

Design and use

The Franconian Rake is an heraldic

The colour "Franconian red" (German: Franken-Rot) used for the coat of arms is HKS no. 14.

The shape of the rake represents the holism of heaven and earth and was thus used by

, as a seal or in their coats of arms.

Its three upward or heaven-facing points symbolise the Trinity of God, while its four downward or earthward-facing points represent the four points of the compass on earth.^[2]

The present name of the Franconian Rake derives from its appearance, which superficially resembles a flotsam filter or "flotsam rake" (

History

The Franconian Rake is first recorded in the early 14th century on the grave of the

of 1803. Only at this point did it become a symbol for the whole of Franconia in the public consciousness.

Today the emblem is found as part of the coat of arms of many administrative bodies in the Franconian region e.g. the

of the Free State of Bavaria and of Baden-Württemberg.

Examples

• 
  Armorial achievement of Bavaria
• 
  Armorial achievement of Baden-Württemberg
• 
  Province of Upper Franconia
• 
  Province of Middle Franconia
• 
  Province of Lower Franconia
• 
  Würzburg
• 
  Haßberge
• 
  Hildburghausen
• 
  Main-Tauber-Kreis
• 
  Ansbach
• 
  Veilsdorf
• 
  Coat of arms of the

  Diocese of Würzburg
• 
  Gerbrunn
• 
  Frankenwinheim
• 
  Elfershausen
• 
  Frankenbach
• 
  Formation sign of the 12th Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)

References

Literature

• Eugen Schöler: Fränkische Wappen erzählen Geschichte und Geschichten (= Die bibliophile Reihe bei Degener. Bd. 1). Degener, Neustadt an der Aisch, 1992,
  ISBN 3-7686-7012-0
  .

External links

• Detailed information on the history of the Franconian Rake