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Chernivtsi City (Ukraine)

Чернівці

images from city website, 12 Sept 2014

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The city (in German Czernowitz) was the capital of Bukowina or Buchenland province of the Austrian Empire to 1849-1918, (in Romanian Cernăuţi) the capital of Bucovina Region of the Kingdom of Romania 1918-1940 and 1941-1944, (in Russian Cernovci) the seat of Chernovickaja Oblast' of the Soviet Union 1940-1941 and 1944-1992, now (Chernivtsi) the seat of Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine.

The first mention of the city is from 1408.

Some of the names of the city: Chernivtsi in Ukrainian, Czernowitz or Tschernowitz in German, Cernăuţi in Romanian, Chernovcy or Chernovicy in Russian, Czerniowce in Polish, Csernovic in Hungarian, Tshernevits or Tshernovits in Yiddish.
Istvan Molnar, 6 July 2000

Coat of Arms

from Chernivtsi city website, 17 Sep 2014

I found the Coat of Arms of the city on the site of Ukrainian Heraldry:

The modern Coat of Arms:
"The modern Coat of Arms of the town practically copies the historical symbol. In the gate there can be seen a Trident - the Coat of Arms of Ukraine. The laurel branches are banded with a azure-and-yellow ribbon. The Coat of Arms is situated on a decorative or crossbow and is crowned with an argent mauerkrone with five embattlements."

The Coat of Arms of the Austrian period 1775-1918:
"The Austrian historian Vickenhauzer asserted that an CoA was given to Chernivtsi in 1784. On the CoA there was a picture of open argent gate in the opening of which is an imperial eagle (the CoA of the ruling house of the Gabsburgers). On the eagle there was a Gotic gules shield per fess in the middle by an argent beam. In 1784 there was also made the first seal of the town. It was oval, the size 40x45 mm and round the seal there was an inscription in German "Chernivtsi, town. A seal 1784". In the center there was an open gate with seven embattlements. Over them eight (four in a row) stones. In the center of the opening of the gate there was an imperial eagle. Under the gate two laurel branches in cross.On the 30th of April 1908 before celebrating the 500 anniversary of the first written mention about Chernivtsi the magistrate of the town appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Austro-Hungary with a request to give the first town Coat of Arms of 1784. The town was given a patent for the Coat of Arms - in a gules shield an open town stone gate crowned with seven embattlements. Over the embattlements there are eight stones in two rows (four stones in each). The stones of the upper row were somewhat smaller than the stones of the lower row. In the open gate a or double-headed eagle with an or crown on each head. In its dexter foot the eagle hold a sword, in its sinister foot there was a ball (a symbol of power). On the eagle's chest there was an escutcheon per fess with an argent line and entwined with the Order of the Golden Fleece. Over the eagle an imperial crown. The two laurel branches in cross - under the town gate and entwined with a gules-and-white ribbon. Vickenhauzer doesn't explain any reason of using the mentioned symbols in creating the Coat of Arms. Maybe they were characteristic of the town since the days of Galyts'ka (Chervona) Rus'."
(Reference: heraldry.com.ua)

The Coat of Arms of the Romanian period (1918-1940, 1941-1944):
"In 1918-1940 Chernivtsi were under the Romanian jurisdiction and the Coat of Arms didn't change much. In a gules field there was a fortress with embattlements and with two rectangular towers. The fortress had an open gate with an Coat of Arms of Moldova. In chief between the towers there was an or rose. The shield is crowned with an argent mauerkrone with seven embattlements."
(Reference: heraldry.com.ua)

The soviet Coat of Arms:
"In an azure shield is a gules arc with or sickle and hammer. There is argent mountains in arc. In the bottom of shield is vert branches of beech and two argent wave barrulets."
(Reference: heraldry.com.ua)
Istvan Molnar, 6 July 2000