Lüneburg City (Germany)

Stadt Lüneburg, Landkreis Lüneburg, Lower Saxony

Last modified: 2019-02-02 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: lueneburg | tricolour | pegasus |
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• Introduction
• Current Flag
• Variant Flag reported 1891
• Mistaken Flags in 18th and 19th Century Charts

• County and Municipal Flags (Lower Saxony / Niedersachsen)
• Lüneburg County
• Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)
• Hannoverian Flags reported 1891
• Mistaken Lüneburg historical Flags

Introduction

Lüneburg was first mentioned in 956, when a monastery devoted to St.Michael was erected. Within Latin sources it was mentioned as Lunaburgum or Selenopolis (both meaning city of moon). Being a monopolist of salt in Northern Germany, a steep economic rise occurred. The city became a member of Hansa League very early.
In 1235 the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg was established, in 1267 a Principality of Lüneburg with Lüneburg as its capital.
The city gained the right of a free imperial city in 1392 and lost these rights in 1637. Together with Hansa League the city declined and became impoverished.
Lüneburg was annexed by France in 1810 and incorporated into the Kingdom of Hannover in 1815.
Today it is the seat of a district governor (German: Regierungspräsident) in Lower Saxony and also seat of several higher courts.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 July 2011

Current Flag

It is a red over blue over white horizontal tricolour. The flag is traditional.
Source: according to own observation and to Stadler 1970, p.58
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 7 July 2011

Variant Flag reported 1891

Description of flag:
The ratio is given as 1:2. It was a red over blue over white horizontal tricolour. The information is confirmed by Stadler 1970, p.58.
Source: H.Ahrens "Hannoversche Landschafts-und Städtewappen", 1891, plate XX
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 21 Nov 2011

Mistaken Flags in 18th and 19th Century Charts

image by Jaume Ollé, 1 Mar 1998

image by Randy Young, 31 Oct 1998

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Jan 2019

On a red field a flying yellow horse, i.e. a Pegasus, in Encyclopedia Britannica 1771 looking like a greyhound. This flag is reported in 1750, 1771, 1842, 1848 and 1862. All images refer to the same flag, which probably never has existed. Images above show the versions of 1750 (left image), 1771 (central image) and 1848 (right image).
SourcesWilson 1986, p. 70 Norie and Hobbs reprint 1971, plate XIV image 171 and Smith 1975, p. 205.
Norman Martin, 1 Mar 1998; Randy Young, 31 Oct 1998 and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 31 Jan 2019

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