Hugo Gerard Ströhl

Hugo Gerard Ströhl, portrait at an ad for his Atelier

H. Ströhl
Signature from Heraldischer Atlas. Stuttgart 1899.

An example of Ströhl's work, the coat of arms of the Kings of Prussia, from the Deutsche Wappenrolle, Wappen von Deutschen Reiches und seiner Bundesstaaten published in 1897.

Hugo Gerard Ströhl (24 September 1851 – 7 December 1919) was an Austrian heraldist.

Ströhl was born in Wels in Upper Austria. As a talented painter he studied at the School for Applied Arts ("Kunstgewerbeschule des Österreichischen Museums für Kunst und Industrie", now "Hochschule für angewandte Kunst") in Vienna. After graduation he worked as a teacher of painting and drawing, but he also founded his own small atelier and printing office. His main work was to design (heraldic) books and (advertising) stamps.

His heraldic drawings, especially of his main books, the Austrian-Hungarian and the Imperial German rolls of arms, are among the best heraldic drawings ever published.

Although not his first work on heraldry, he became famous with the publication in 1890 of the Roll of Arms of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, or "Österreichisch-Ungarische Wappenrolle", an overview of the arms of all the territories (and claims) of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. These images can be seen in detail here

Besides European heraldry he was also interested in the Japanese style of heraldry and he published a large book on Japanese mons, the "Nihon moncho" or Japanese Roll of Arms.

His large volume "Heraldische Atlas" is still considered a standard work in German heraldic literature.

Ströhl designed for the St. Karl Borromäus-church in the old peoples home "Am Wienerwald" in Vienna, 130 arms of Viennese guilds, which are still shown on the walls of the church (see here. He also designed a large number of civic coats of arms for municipalities in Austria and Germany, including the arms of Vienna. He died in Mödling.

Bibliography (selection)

• "Frisch brockte Schworzkerschäln". "Schwarz-weiße Bilder zu lustigen Schnadahüpfeln aus den oestrreichischen Alpenländern". Vienna, Perles, 1891
• "Die Wappen der Druckgewerbe" Vienna 1893
• "Wappen und Siegel der Orte Vorarlbergs", Jahrbuch der Heraldischen Gesellschaft “Adler” in Vienna 1893, 22 p. (Arms of the towns in Vorarlberg State)
• "Deutsche Wappenrolle, Wappen von Deutschen Reiches und seiner Bundesstaaten" with subtitle "Deutsche Wappenrolle enthaltend alle Wappen, Standarten, Flaggen, Landesfarben und Kokarden des Deutschen Reiches, seiner Bundesstaaten und regierenden Dynastien" Published by Julius Hoffmann, Stuttgart in 1897. Images can be seen here and here
• "Heraldischer Atlas", Stuttgart 1899. (a large volume meant to be a style guide for heraldic artists, with many illustrations)
• "Oesterreichisch-Ungarische Wappenrolle" with subtitle "die Wappen ihrer K.u.k. Majestäten, die Wappen der durchlauchtigsten Herren Erzherzoge, die Staatswappen von Oesterreich und Ungarn, die Wappen der Kronländer und der ungarischen Comitate, die Flaggen, Fahnen und Cocarden beider Reichshälften, sowie das Wappen des souverainen Fürstenthumes Liechtenstein". Vienna 1890, reprinted and revised 1900. (The Austrian Hungarian Roll of Arms, most images can be seen here)
• Beiträge zur Geschichte der Badges", "gesammelt aus den Werken englischer Heraldiker",Jahrbuch der Heraldischen Gesellschaft “Adler”, Vienna, 1902 (a work on English badges)
• Städtewappen von Österreich-Ungarn", Vienna, 1904. Revised edition of the book by Karl Lind from 1885. Austrian Hungarian city arms, for an index see, here
• "Nihon moncho" or "Japanisches Wappenbuch, Ein Handbuch für Kunstgewerbetreibende und Sammler", Vienna, Schroll, 1906. (a book on Japanese mons)
• "Landesfarben und Kokarden". "Ein Vademekum für Maler, Graphiker, Fahnenfabrikanten und Dekorateure", published by Ernst Morgenstern, Berlin 1910. (a book on flags and banners)
• "Die Entwicklung der österreichisch-ungarischen Kriegs- und Handelsflagge", Jahrbuch der Heraldischen Gesellschaft “Adler”, Vienna (on the development of the Austrian-Hungarian was- and trade flags)
• "Die Landesfarben und Cocarden in Österreich und Deutschland" Jahrbuch der Heraldischen Gesellschaft “Adler”, Vienna. (the colours and banners of Austria and Germany)
• "Album pontificale: Die Bildnisse der Päpste nach den Papstmedallien. Nebst einer Wappenrolle der Päpste gezeichnet und erl. von Hugo Gerhard Ströhl". Mönchengladbach, Kühlen, 1909. A book on papal arms in co-operation with Josef Hergenröther.

External links

• Media related to Hugo Gerhard Ströhl at Wikimedia Commons
• Facebook page on Hugo Gerhard Ströhl with images from his books
• Extended bibliographic overview and several hundred high resolution images