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Vítonice (Czechia)

Znojmo okres, South Moravia region

Vítonice municipality flag
Vítonice coat of arms

See also:

Vítonice municipality flag

by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 17 Aug 2002

Vítonice (Znojmo, South Moravian region) coat of arms and flag are at this webpage. Flag adopted 27 Jun 2001
Jarig Bakker, 31 Jul 2002

I am a member of NAVA, and was looking over the flags of Czech municipalities. The flag and coat-of-arms of Vítonice, Znojmo okres, South Moravian Region is very interesting, and I went to the web page which you indicated. Unfortunately, I don't read Czech. I thought that with my knowledge of Russian and Carpatho-Russian, I might be able to figure out some of the meaning of the arms.
I have two questions - one - why is the lion holding the bell? Is he ringing it? Is he removing it? and two - what is the lion standing on, and why is he standing on it?
Fr John Udics, 27 Aug 2003

I have read the site about Vítonice flag and arms. This is what I know about it now:
The oldest known community seal represents an oak branch growing of a ragged trunk (ostrev in Czech, der Ast in German). Author of modern community symbols, Mr. Miroslav Pavlů used the ragged trunk as a symbol retaken from the Arms of oldest known holder of Vítonice, lord Pertold of Lipa (z Lipe). His arms was "Or a couped Saltire ragully Sable" - or in other words two ragged trunks per saltire. He was member of powerful and great "clan" Ronovci; its member families were Berka's of Duba, lords of Lipa, of Pirkenstejn, of Lichtenburg and of many others. BTW - modern name of Lipa is Ceska Lipa (Česká Lípa). In the town arms we can admire this ancient coat of arms.
The main figure of Vítonice arms - Lion rampant queued forchée - is meant as representation of next two noble holders of it - lords of Nachod and counts Berchtold von Ungarschütz (see also: Vratenin, Uhercice, Dist. Znojmo.) BTW: Uherčice is Czech name of Ungaschütz.
The last figure - a bell - represents local belfry. Nothing more, nothing less.
Aleš Křížan, 29 Aug 2003

Vítonice coat of arms

image from this webpage, reported by Jarig Bakker, 31 Jul 2002