Shield parted per pale, at dexter Gules two keys Or in saltire surrounded by four hexagonal stones Argent, at sinister Or a grapevine with leaves Vert and grapes Gules, chief Argent parted by a bend wavy Vert.
Meaning:
The chief displays the upper half the arms of Rheinbreitbach in counterchanged tinctures and is a representation of the Rhine. The dexter half displays the city arms of Unkel. The keys appear also on the municipal arms of Erpel and the village arms of Orsberg. The grapevine is taken from the municipal arms of Bruchhausen and is also symbolising viticulture.
Source: Siegfried Heinze´s webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

Bruchhausen Municipality

Bruchhausen Banner

5:2

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

It is a red-yellow-red vertical triband with ratio of stripes 1:5:1. The coat of arms is shifted towards the top in the yellow stripe.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

Bruchhausen Coat of Arms

Shield paly of three; at dexter Gules a grapevine with grapes Or and two leaves Vert; in centre Or St. Mary and on her arms baby Jesus Christ, both crowned Or, the coat of St. Mary is Argent charged with heartlets Gules and crosslets Sable; at sinister Gules a grain sheaf Or, chief Argent parted by a centred cross Sable.
Meaning:
The chief displays the arms of the Archbishopric of Köln, to which the village belonged until 1803. The saint is a representation of the the sacred image of Our Lady of Refuge of the Sinners, which is located in the local pilgrimage church. Grapevine and sheaf are symbolising viticulture and agriculture as important business lines.
Source: Siegfried Heinze´s webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

The date of approval of the banner is unknown. The arms were approved on 1 May 1923.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

Erpel Municipality

Erpel Banner

5:2

image by Jörg Majewski,

It is a red-white-red vertical triband with ratio of stripes 1:5:1. The coat of arms is shifted towards the top in the white stripe.
Source: this online catalogue
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

Erpel Coat of Arms

Shield parted per pale, at dexter Argent parted by a facetted cross Sable, at sinister Azure two key Or in saltire, chief Gules charged with three coronets Or ordered 2:1.
Meaning:
Local seals of lay judges are known since the 13th century. They displayed St. Peter, patron saint of the Archbishopric of Köln, either olding keys in saltire, a book or a cross staff. Since 1768 the saint was replaced by his attributes, the crossed keys. The seal of the local council from 1804 displayed the cross of the archbishopric alone. The coronets were sometimes added earlier. They are a symbol of the rule of the Chapter of Köln as a fiefdom of the archbishopric between 1130 and 1803. The current pattern developed since the 19th century.
Source: Stadler 1966, p.27
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

The date of approval of the banner is unknown. The arms are traditional.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

Rheinbreitbach Municipality

Rheinbreitbach Banner

5:2

image by Jörg Majewski, 1 July 2023

Rheinbreitbach Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess, above Vert a bend wavy Argent, beneath Gules a wyvern statant Argent armed Or with spread wings, on both an escutcheon, at dexter Gules three escutcheons Argent ordered 2:1 and at sinister Gules hammer and mallet Sable in saltire.
Meaning:
The bend wavy is a representation of the Rhine. The wyvern is the heraldic animal of the Lords of Breitbach. The escutcheons are reminding on various poets, who lived in the village, e.g. Freiligrath, Simrock and the Grimm brothers. The tools are symbolising copper mining in the past.
Source: German WIKIPEDIA
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

The date of approval of the banner is unknown. The arms were approved on 25 May 1927.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

Unkel City

Unkel Banner

5:2

image by Jörg Majewski, 1 July 2023

Unkel Coat of Arms

Shield parted per fess, above Argent parted by a facetted cross Sable, beneath Gules two keys Or in saltire surrounded by four hexagonal stones Argent.
Meaning:
A local seal of lay judges from the 13th century displays St. Mary as patron saint of the St. Mary ad Gradus Convent in Köln, besides the saint is the shield with cross of the Archbishopric of Köln. The keys as attributes of St. Peter, patron saint of the archbishopric, together with the hexagonal stones are displayed on a counter seal from the 15th century. The stones are called "Unkelsteine", rocks of basalt being a danger for shipping on the Rhine. The stones are thus canting elements. The current pattern was first displayed on a local court seal from 1744. The upper half displays the arms of the archbishopric. Unkel was called a city already in 1474, but city rights were gained much later in 1952.
Source: Stadler 1966, p.60
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

The date of approval of the banner is unknown. The arms are traditional.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 July 2023

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