The eagle is one of the most common figures depicted on the arms. This proud and strong king-bird symbolizes not only power and domination, but also courage, courage and insight. In the 20th century, Nazi Germany chose the eagle as an emblem. Read more about the imperial eagle of the 3rd Reich below in the article.
Eagle in heraldry
For symbols in heraldry there is a certain, historically established classification. All symbols are divided into heraldic and non-heraldic figures. If the former, rather, show how the different color areas divide the field of the coat of arms themselves and have an abstract meaning (cross, border or belt), then the latter depict images of objects or creatures, invented or quite real. The eagle belongs to the natural non-heraldic figures, it is believed that it is the second most common in this category after the lion.
As a symbol of supreme power, the eagle has been known since antiquity. The ancient Greeks and Romans identified him with the supreme gods - Zeus and Jupiter. This is the personification of active solar energy, power and indestructibility. Often, he became the personification of a heavenly god: if a celestial person reincarnated as a bird, then only as magnificent as an eagle. The eagle also symbolizes the victory of the spirit over earthly nature: soaring to heaven is nothing but a constant development and ascension over one’s own weaknesses.
Eagle in the symbolism of Germany
For historical Germany, the king of birds served as a heraldic symbol for a long time. The eagle of the 3rd Reich is only one of its incarnations. The foundation of this story can be considered the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire in 962. The double-headed eagle became the emblem of this state in the 15th century, and before belonged to one of its rulers - Emperor Henry IV. From this moment, the eagle is invariably present on the coat of arms of Germany.
During the monarchy, the crown was located above the eagle as a symbol of imperial power, and during the republic it disappeared. The prototype of the modern coat of arms of Germany is the heraldic eagle of the Weimar Republic, adopted as a state symbol in 1926, and then restored in the postwar period - in 1950. At the time of the Nazis' coming to power, a new image of the eagle was created.
Eagle 3 Reich
After coming to power, the Nazis used the coat of arms of the Weimar Republic until 1935. In 1935, Adolf Hitler himself established a new coat of arms in the form of a black eagle with spread wings. This eagle holds in its claws a wreath of oak branches. A swastika is inscribed in the center of the wreath - a symbol borrowed by the Nazis from eastern culture. The eagle, looking to the right, was used as state symbols and was called state or imperial - Reichsadler. The eagle, looking to the left, remained as a symbol of the party called Partiadler - the party eagle.
The distinctive features of Nazi symbols are clarity, straight lines, sharp angles, which gives the symbols a formidable, even sinister appearance. This uncompromising sharpness of angles was reflected in any creation of the culture of the Third Reich. A similar gloomy majesty was present in monumental architectural structures, and even in musical works.
Swastika symbolism
More than 75 years have passed since the defeat of Nazi Germany, and its main symbol - the swastika - still causes many complaints in society. But the swastika is a much more ancient symbol, the Nazis only borrowed. It is found in the symbolism of many ancient cultures and symbolizes the solstice - the passage of the star in the sky. The word “swastika” itself is of Indian origin: in Sanskrit it means “well-being”. In Western culture, this symbol was known under other names - gammadion, tetraskelion, filfot. The Nazis themselves called this symbol "Hackenkreutz" - a cross with hooks.
According to Hitler, the swastika was chosen as a symbol of the continuous struggle of the Aryan race for domination. The sign was rotated 45 degrees and placed in a white circle against the background of a red banner - this is what the flag of Nazi Germany looked like. The choice of a swastika was a very successful strategic decision. This symbol is very spectacular and memorable, and the one who first gets acquainted with its unusual shape, unconsciously feels the desire to try to draw this sign.
Since that time, the time of oblivion has come for the ancient sign of the swastika. If earlier the whole world did not hesitate to use a rectangular spiral as a symbol of prosperity - from Coca-Cola advertisements to greeting cards, then in the second half of the 20th century the swastika was expelled from Western culture for a long time. And only now, with the development of intercultural communication, the true meaning of the swastika begins to revive.
Symbols of oak wreath
In addition to the swastika, another symbol was present on the coat of arms of the Wehrmacht. In its paws, an eagle of the 3rd Reich holds an oak wreath. This image means much more to the German people than the swastika. The oak has long been considered an important tree for the Germans: like a laurel wreath in Rome, oak branches became a sign of power and victory.
The image of oak branches was intended to give the owner of the coat of arms the power and stamina of this royal tree. For the Third Reich, it has become one of the symbols of fidelity and national unity. Leaf symbolism was used in the details of uniforms and orders.
Nazi Eagle Tattoo
Representatives of radical minorities tend to push their devotion to the group to the limit. Nazi symbols often become a part of tattoos, including the eagle of the 3rd Reich. The designation of the tattoo lies on the surface. In order to decide to perpetuate the fascist eagle on your body, you must absolutely share and agree with the views of the National Socialists. Most often, the eagle is applied to the back, then the contours of the wings lie clearly on the shoulders. Similar tattoos are also found on other parts of the body, such as the biceps or even the heart.
After the war: defeated eagle
In several museums in the world, the defeated bronze eagle of the 3rd Reich is shown as a trophy. During the capture of Berlin, the Allied forces actively destroyed all sorts of Nazi symbols. The sculptural images of the eagle, swastika and other significant images were knocked down from buildings, not particularly ceremonial. In Moscow, such an eagle is on display at the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (formerly called the Central Museum of the Red Army) and at the Museum of the FSB Border Service. In the photo below - a similar bronze eagle in the exposition of the Imperial War Museum in London.
Wehrmacht eagle without a swastika
Today, the Wehrmacht eagle is still associated with Nazi symbols. The characteristic silhouette and contour makes it possible to identify an eagle of the Third Reich in any seemingly neutral image of a bird without a swastika. For example, in the city of Orel in December 2016, a scandal erupted due to the fact that in the decor of new benches, the inhabitants of Orel saw a Nazi symbol. However, the local press notes that such discussions regarding similarity / dissimilarity and associations with the Nazis arise almost around each new image of the eagle, not only in the city of the same name, but in general throughout the country. Remember, for example, the symbol of Special Communication - an eagle with outstretched wings was approved back in 1999. When comparing it with the subject of our article, you can see that the logo really resembles an eagle of the 3rd Reich in the photo.
In addition to the part of the population that perceives any hint of fascist symbols in the logo as a personal insult, there is also a category of people who relate to this with humor. A frequent attraction for designers is to cut out a swastika from the image of the coat of arms with an eagle so that anything can be inserted there. Moreover, there are even cartoons where, instead of an eagle, there can be any other character with wings. For the same reason, the Reich eagle 3 without a background, drawn in vector format, is popular. In this case, it is much easier to "pull" from the original document and add to any other image.