The current coat of arms of Austria, albeit without the broken chains, has been in use since 1919 (First Republic). Between 1934 and the German annexion in 1938 Austria used a different coat of arms, which consisted of a double-headed eagle.The establishment of the Second Republic after World War II in 1945 saw the return of the original coat of arms, with broken chains added to symbolise Austria´s liberation.The symbols and emblems used in the Austrian arms are as follows:
The eagle: Austria´s sovereignty (introduced 1919)
The escutcheon emblem of Austria (late Middle Ages, reintroduced 1915)
The mural crown: The middle class (introduced 1919)
The sickle: Agriculture (introduced 1919)
The hammer: Industry (introduced 1919)
The broken chains: Liberation from National Soictatorship (added 1945)
