National and historical symbols of Hungary

Click to zoom

Geszteréd

(County Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg)

The village of Geszteréd is situated in the southern part of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in a region called Közép-Nyírség (Central Nyírség).

The coat-of-arms is a shield erect, pierced flanchewise, the base fish-tailed, at nombril party per fess vert and azure. In sinister chief a six-pointed star couped or. The upper field bears: vert, in pale an ear of wheat couped, flanked on both sides by an ear of wheat bendwise and bendwise sinister respectively, all or. The lower field (base) bears: azure, a fish naiant argent.

Across the top a tournament helm argent barred or and lined gules, borne sideways. Round the gorget on a ribbon a medaillon, all or. For the crest a five-pointed open coronet verdured or, adorned with sapphires and pearls (two between three verdures). Issuing from the coronet a demi palmette or from the age of the Magyar conquest of Hungary.

Mantling: dexter: vert and argent, sinister: azure and or.

(Beneath the shield, not closely belonging to the coat-of-arms, on a twice-folded, swallow-tailed scroll or the motto Geszteréd in majuscules sable.)

The tradition-respecting people of Geszteréd have practically been using the charge of the settlement's first known print seal as the central motif of their coat-of-arms, for the base of the seal of 1786 bears on a ground proper (brown, as indicated by the crenulation) a fish naiant argent, similar to the present charge. Above it a wheat field is to be seen, with three ears of wheat issuing therefrom in pale. On the dexter side, between the second and the third ears, a six-pointed star is borne. Above the charge, separated from it by an ornamental foliage, the semi-circular legend Geszteret * 1786 can be read.

The partition of the field symbolises that once the settlement had two parts. This fact is represented in the village seal, bearing only the legend, in the following way: "Geszterét község pecsétje" (The seal of the village Geszterét) with the motto "Ó-1786" (Old-1786) in the upper portion of the seal, whereas "Új-1871" (New-1871) in the lower portion.

The blue field is a reference to the one-time marshy area, where at present the main stream of the brook Ér runs across toward the water reservoir of Csűrű-rét. The silver fish symbolises that the waters of Geszteréd used to be abundant in fish. In addition, the fish is also emblematic of Christ, thus it refers to the religious zeal of both the Catholic and the Calvinist population. It is also a reminder of the fact that as early as 1332 Geszteréd had a church of its own, and the local priest Pál would pay tithe to the pope's tax collectors. The Calvinist church was built in 1808.

The colour green on the one hand represents the acacia and poplar groves typical of this sandy area; on the other hand, it is also a reference to local agriculture.

The golden wheat ears are reminders of the fact that the land itself has been the main source of living for the villagers, and they may look upon the golden crop as the well-deserved prize for their hard work.

The shining six-pointed golden star evokes the memory of those one-time villagers who fought for a better life, exemplified by the crusaders of priest Máté recruited from this village in 1514, or the eighteen soldiers who joined the army of freedom fighters in 1848/9. In addition, the star also recalls the memory of the twelve local Jewish families who fell victim to the holocaust.

The helmet also calls attention to the local heroes. 39 men from the village died in the first world war, while during the second one the settlement itself was a battlefield for two weeks (October 20-November 3, 1944). No precise statistical figures exist as to the soldiers who fell, but the number of civilian deaths exceeded 60 during this short period of time.

The coronet symbolises the local authority. As it was previously mentioned, Geszteréd had a church of its own as early as the 14th century. The settlement's later history was recorded in the legal documents of the lawsuits of its despotic landlords. In the Middle Ages as well as in more modern times Geszteréd was owned by a number of landlords including the members of the Czudar, Dersi, Paksy and other families. The settlement got destroyed and depopulated during the Turkish occupation of Hungary, and the area was leased as pasture by its owners. Resettlement took place in 1752.

The golden palmette issuing from the coronet serves as evidence of the fact that the area was also the dwelling place of the conquering Magyars. The scimitar, unearthed among many other artefacts from a princely burial place at the excavations of Geszteréd-Nyíri tanya (Nyíri farmstead), had exactly the same motif on its hilt. The locals have been faithful to this tradition, and have been applying the motif as part of local architecture and on objects of decorative arts.