Saarland — Coat of Arms and Flag

Federal State	Saarland
Capital	Saarbrücken
Coat of Arms adopted	9 July 1956
Flag adopted	1957
Colors	Black, red, gold (flag); or, argent, azure, gules (arms)
Region	Southwest Germany

Blazon

Quarterly: I. Or, a lion rampant gules (Saarbrücken); II. Argent, a cross sable (Trier); III. Argent, three eagles displayed in pall gules (Lorraine); IV. Azure, a lion rampant or crowned or holding a ball gules (Palatinate-Zweibrücken).

Elements and Symbolism

• Red lion on gold (I — Saarbrücken) — the lion of the Counts of Saarbrücken, who held the county from the 11th century; after their line died out in 1629 it passed to the House of Nassau-Saarbrücken, which ruled until the French Revolution.
• Black cross on silver (II — Trier) — the cross of the Archbishopric and Electorate of Trier, one of the oldest sees in Germany, which exercised ecclesiastical and temporal authority over much of the Saar region throughout the medieval period.
• Three red eagles on silver (III — Lorraine) — the three eagles of the Duchy of Lorraine, whose territory overlapped extensively with the western Saar. The Dukes of Lorraine claimed suzerainty over parts of the region until the duchy's absorption by France in 1766.
• Crowned gold lion with red ball on azure (IV — Palatinate-Zweibrücken) — the lion of the Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch of the Wittelsbach dynasty that controlled much of the eastern Saar basin from the 14th century until secularization under Napoleon.

Historical Development

During the French protectorate period (1947–1957) the Saarland already had its own coat of arms and symbols separate from those of West Germany. When the Saarland voted in 1955 to reject autonomous status and instead join West Germany, new state symbols were needed. The quartered shield was designed to honor the four principal historical lordships of the Saar basin and was formally adopted on 9 July 1956 — six months before reunification took effect.

Colors and Design

The flag of Saarland displays the German national tricolor — three equal horizontal stripes of black, red, and gold — with the state coat of arms centered across all three stripes. Unlike Rheinland-Pfalz which places the arms in a canton, Saarland places them centrally, in the style of several other German states.

Historical Origin

Prior to 1957 the Saarland flew its own distinct flag under the French protectorate. Upon joining West Germany the state adopted the federal tricolor charged with its new quartered coat of arms, symbolizing both national belonging and regional identity. The flag was officialized alongside the coat of arms in 1957.

Modern Usage

The flag is flown on all state government buildings and the Landtag in Saarbrücken. A service flag for use on water bears the arms in the same central position. The Saarland also prominently displays its arms on the border crossing signs and motorway gantries entering the state, a tradition maintained since reunification with West Germany.

What does the coat of arms of Saarland represent?

The quartered shield combines the arms of four historic territories: the red lion of the County of Saarbrücken (Nassau-Saarbrücken), the black cross of Trier, three red eagles of Lorraine, and the crowned lion of Palatinate-Zweibrücken. Together they map the medieval overlordships that shaped the Saar region.

When was the coat of arms of Saarland officially adopted?

The coat of arms was adopted by state law on 9 July 1956, six months before Saarland's official accession to West Germany on 1 January 1957.

Why did Saarland have a separate status after World War II?

France administered the Saarland as a protectorate from 1947, with its own currency, passport, and Olympic team. A 1955 referendum rejected a proposed statute of autonomy; a subsequent popular vote chose reunification with West Germany, effective 1 January 1957.

What are the colors of the Saarland flag?

The Saarland flag uses the German national tricolor of black, red, and gold, charged in the center with the quartered state coat of arms. The design reflects the state's return to the Federal Republic in 1957.

What is the blazon of the Saarland coat of arms?

Quarterly: I. Or, a lion rampant gules (Saarbrücken); II. Argent, a cross sable (Trier); III. Argent, three eagles displayed in pall gules (Lorraine); IV. Azure, a lion rampant or crowned or holding a ball gules (Palatinate-Zweibrücken).

• Landesarchiv Saarbrücken — historical records of the County of Saarbrücken and the Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken
• Staatskanzlei des Saarlandes — official description of state symbols
• Gert Oswald, Lexikon der Heraldik, Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1984
• Rainer Braun & Joachim Zedler, Das Saarland, Minerva-Verlag, Saarbrücken 1987

Last reviewed by the Emblema Mundi editorial team on June 29, 2026.