The coat of arms of the Saarland is parted per cross: • The first quarter shows the coat of arms of the prince of
Nassau-Saarbrücken, a silver lion with golden crown, between nine crosslets argent. The shield is blue. It represents the town district of
Saarbrücken and the district of
Neunkirchen. • The second quarter shows the coat of arms of the
prince elector, archbishop of Trier, in
Trier. The charge is a red three-dimensional symmetric cross. The arms are advance to the axis. It represents the districts of
Merzig-Wadern and
St Wendel. • The third quarter shows the coat of arms of the
duchy of Lorraine and represents the district of
Saarlouis. It shows three silver
alerions on a red bend, on a yellow field. • The fourth quarter, the coat of arms of the
prince elector Palatinate, represents the
Saarpfalz district, which once was part of the Palatinate. The black shield is charged with a yellow lion rampant, whose claws and tongue are painted in red. The actual legal base of the use of the coat of arms is: {{blockquote| The state parliament of the Saar has passed the following law, that is herewith promulgated: :The state coat-of-arms (appendix 1) shows in a half-round shield quarterly, from the position of the bearer: :# dexter chief: Azure, seme of crosslets Argent, a Lion Argent crowned Or and langued Gules, :# sinister chief: Argent, a cross gyronny Gules, :# dexter base: Or, on a bend Gules three alerions Argent, :# sinister base: Sable, a lion Or crowned, armed and langued Gules. Saarbrücken, 10 December 2001 ==History==