Coat of arms
Heraldry is a discipline that deals with coats of arms.
The coats of arms were and still are regulated.
In the past, the coat of arms was awarded by the emperor. You had to earn the coat of arms, like through services in the war. The emperor awarded the coat of arms through a special letter. This letter was also called a coat of arms letter. The letter stated exactly when the coat of arms was awarded, described the new coat of arms in words and included a sketch. The letter was issued in two copies, one for the recipient and one for the court archives.
Of course, people tried to forge coats of arms even back then. However, there were not many people with the right to bear a coat of arms. Any swindler faced a hefty fine and imprisonment.
However, when monarchies were abolished in many parts of Europe, the coat of arms system also began to falter. The new republics took different positions on the coats of arms. Some continued to tolerate it, others abolished it. However, where the communists seized power, noble titles and family coats of arms were abolished.
Examples:
In 1919, Austria abolished all titles of nobility, nobility insignia, nobility and family coats of arms. Use is punishable by a fine.
In Yugoslavia, as well as in Slovenia, family coats of arms were abolished under the communist Tito. The use of family coats of arms is punishable in Slovenia.
In Germany, titles of nobility and family coats of arms were awarded by the emperor. When the Kaiser abdicated in 1918, family coats of arms have not been awarded since then. Noble titles and family coats of arms were not abolished. Every family is still entitled to use the noble title and family coat of arms. However, the coat of arms and title institution was abolished. In practice, there has been no more state supervision since then.
DIY coat of arms. The coat of arms was created by me for this article:
The Internet opened the door to heraldic fraud. Self-proclaimed heraldry masters and institutes for heraldry have literally sprung up. They create and sell fake or fictitious coats of arms. The hoax is almost always disguised by false statements. For example, the customer is linked to a noble family without any evidence. Another common practice is the claim that every person is entitled to a coat of arms and the use of a coat of arms. Customers are led to believe that the coats of arms are created according to the criteria and requirements of the European or world association. Like the emperor in the past, today the coat of arms makers awards the coats of arms, of course in exchange for cash.
A shield or another piece of knightly equipment is often used as a basis. The knightly equipment is one of the weapon symbols. However, only those families whose coat of arms was awarded for military merit had a weapon symbol. Almost all modern coats of arms are not drawn but created using a computer program. Such coats of arms are immediately revealed by experts to be fantasy coats of arms.
Customers are unaware that such coats of arms have no historical, legitimate, or ongoing value.
At the same time, everyone is advised to first find out about the legal situation. Example:
In Germany, in addition to the traditional ones (nobles and family coats of arms awarded before 1918), modern computer coats of arms and even fantasy coats of arms are also permitted.
In Austria, both traditional and modern coats of arms are prohibited and there is a risk of a fine.
In Slovenia, the use of personal or family coats of arms is punishable. Modern computer coats of arms and fantasy coats of arms are also prohibited.
My academic article Chronicle of the Fux Family caused quite a stir. Professor DR. SC. Tomislav Galović (Faculty of Philosophy, Sveučilište in Zagreb) described as: Rajmund Lampreht offers a very interesting analysis in his article Chronicle of the Fux Family. See Galović T., Heraldiče teme u Vjestniku Kraljevskog hrvatsko-slavonsko-dalmatinskog Zemaljskog arkiva, Arhivski Vjesnik.
Please continue reading The coat of arms of the Wildhaus Viltuš family