History
Meisenheim was probably founded in the 7th century and first mentioned in 1154. It was chartered in 1315. Meisenheim was the capital of the county of Veldenz since the 12th century. In 1444, the Dukes of Zweibrücken inherited Veldenz.
From 1815 till 1866 the Amt Meisenheim was, caused by the Congress of Vienna, part of the Landgrafschaft Hessen-Homburg; it was inherited by the Grand-Duchy of Hessia (Hessen-Darmstadt) in early 1866 and seceded to Prussia after the Austro-Prussian war.
The arms of Meisenheim are a combination of the lion of the counts of Veldenz and a canting (heraldic punning) symbol of a Meise, or tit. The arms are based on the first seal of the town, dating from the 14th century. It already showed the lion and the tit. In the 18th century other arms appeared on the seal of the town.
Meisenheim became a city in 1315. The city rights were granted by King Ludwig of Bavaria. The town was owned since the 12th century by the counts of Veldenz.
The arms showed the lion over a cross-chequered field. The tit was placed on the escutcheon. The arms thus reflected the fact that the counts of Veldenz were replaced by the Wittelsbach family in 1444. (Valdenz) The arms of the Wittelsbach family are a cross-chequered field of white and blue (see also the arms of Bavaria). The old arms were restored in 1935.
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