Vitonice, Czech Republic

• Vitonice municipality flag
• Vitonice CoA

• Czech Republic
• Czech Municipalities
• South Moravian Region (Jihomoravsky kraj)
• Znojmo okres

Vitonice municipality flag

Vitonice (Znojmo, South Moravian region) CoA and flag are at this webpage. Flag adopted 27 Jun 2001
Jarig Bakker, 31 Jul 2002

I am a member of NAVA, and was looking over the flags of Czech municipalities. The flag and coat-of-arms of Vitonice, Znojmo okres, South Moravian Region is very interesting, and I went to the web page which you indicated. Unfortunately, I don't read Czech. I thought that with my knowledge of Russian and Carpatho-Russian, I might be able to figure out some of the meaning of the arms.
I have two questions - one - why is the lion holding the bell? Is he ringing it? Is he removing it?  and two - what is the lion standing on, and why is he standing on it?
Fr John Udics, 27 Aug 2003

I have read the site about Vitonice flag and arms. This is what I know about it now:
The oldest known community seal represents an oak branch growing of a ragged trunk (ostrev in Czech, der Ast in German). Author of modern community symbols, Mr. Miroslav Pavlů used the ragged trunk as a symbol retaken from the Arms of oldest known holder of Vitonice, lord Pertold of Lipa (z Lipe). His arms was "Or a couped Saltire ragully Sable" - or in other words two ragged trunks per saltire. He was member of powerful and great "clan" Ronovci; its member  families were Berka´s of Duba, lords of Lipa, of Pirkenstejn, of Lichtenburg and of many others. BTW - modern name of Lipa is Ceska Lipa (Česká Lípa). In the town arms we can admire this ancient coat of arms.
The main figure of Vitonice arms - Lion rampant queued forchée - is meant as representation of next two noble holders of it - lords of Nachod and counts Berchtold von Ungarschütz (see also: Vratenin, Uhercice, Dist. Znojmo.) BTW: Uherčice is Czech name of Ungaschütz.
The last figure - a bell - represents local bellfry. Nothing more, nothing less.
Aleš Křížan, 29 Aug 2003

Vitonice CoA