HERALDIKA NA SLOVENSKU / HERALDRY IN SLOVAKIA

(published in Slovak, English summary to each chapter)
Martin, SGHS 1997, 260 pp., paperback
ISBN 80-967709-4-2
Graphic design: Peter Ďurík
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The intensive heraldic research which has taken place throughout the world in recent years is usually characterized as the "Revival of Heraldry". This revival has been perceptible for at least four decades in Slovakia too. In the 1950s heraldic art started to take root in towns, in the 1960s the state symbols (Slovak as well as Czechoslovak) were discussed, in the 1970s family heraldic art attracted attention, since the 1980s the creation of municipal symbols has been actual, the unprecedented development of which has continued up to the present time. It is an agreeable phenomenon that has led to the current, widely developed interest in heraldry as a whole. By successive publication of arms through various forms in studies, popular works, even in books for children, by the Slovak Heraldic Commission activities (since 1975), regional archives, museums and more recently by the Slovak Genealogical-Heraldic Society, heraldry has become so widely accepted, we can say, it has achieved its zenith in Slovakia. The heraldic symposium, held on September 5-7, 1996 in Trenčín, is further evidence. It will remain memorable, especially by opening the first permanent exposition of contemporary Slovak heraldic art. It was also the first Slovak undertaking of its kind with substantial international participation. The symposium followed several previous meetings of heraldists from Slovakia and the Czech Republic (organized in the period when these countries formed a common state). About 100 native and a number of foreign (Czech, Polish and Hungarian) researchers and many others interested in heraldry took part in it. The papers presented at the symposium and published in this volume, reflect the level which has been achieved and breath of heraldic research taking place in Slovakia and partly in the Czech Republic as well.

From the contents:
Heraldry in Slovakia (J. Novák)
Arms as a Subject and Source of Historical Knowledge (L. Sokolovský)
The Heraldic Commission at the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic (L. Vrteľ)
Presentation of Slovak Heraldry Abroad (Z. G. Alexy)
To the Origins of the Arms of Levoča (F. Žifčák)
The Altenburger Collection of Seals and its Use in Contemporary Slovak Civic Heraldry (P. Kónya)
Three Horizons on the Development of the Šariš Communal Sealing Stamps (J. Petrovič)
The Coats of Arms of the Ancient Noble Families of the Nitra County (J. Lukačka)
The Arms of Bratislava Patricians and Burghers in the Sixtenth and Seventeenth Centuries (F. Federmayer)
Heraldic Tomb-Slabs from Skalica (M. Minďáš)
The Insignia of Various Orders and their Application in Heraldry (I. Graus)
Armorial Exlibrises and Superexlibrises in Slovakia (Ľ. Jankovič)
Heraldic Motives on Stove Tiles of the Trenčín Museum Collections (T. Nešporová)
Heraldic Windows in Betliar Manor-House (J. Oršulová)
The Benedictines in Slovakia and their Symbols (R. Zemene)
Seals on the Archival Documents of the Orthodox Church Community at Komárno (B. Radovanovič)
The Development of the Matica slovenská Emblem (P. Maťovčík)
The Development of Slovak Military Insignia (I. Gosiorovský)
Arms on Postage Stamps (M. Juricová)
Slovak Postage Stamps Showing Heraldic Themes from the Point of View of a Graphic Artist (Z. G. Alexy)
The Symbolism of the Cross Employed in Armory (V. Rábik)
Fantastic Creatures and Mythical Animals in Heraldry (A. Fančovičová)
Recent Problems of Applied Sphragistics (P. Turay)
Living Heraldry (L. Vrteľ)
Contemporary Heraldry in the Czech Republic (K. Müller)
Czech Civic Arms and Mining Symbols (V. Markl)
Development of the Czech State Arms (P. Sedláček)
Full Text Databases Usage in Heraldry and Sphragistics (L. Gottfried)