The Legend of the Warsaw Mermaid

     

    The brave Mermaid stands defiantly over a Warsaw devastated by modern German bombs. By artist Stefan Mucha, this image appears on the cover of our book The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt, and is available in our store as both a poster and a jigsaw puzzle.

    There are many legends surrounding the Warsaw Mermaid, symbol of this historic capital city on the Vistula River.

    According to one legend, the security of the medieval city of Warsaw was defended by a manly and noble Griffin. Once when the Griffin sailed with Vistula River boatmen to the Baltic Sea, he met a beautiful Mermaid. They fell deeply in love and the Mermaid swam with them back to Warsaw. From then on, the Griffin and the Mermaid watched over the townspeople together.

    When the Swedes attacked Warsaw, the valiant Griffin was mortally wounded by the enemy and died. His companion, the brave Mermaid, seized sword and shield, and fought heroically in defense of the embattled city.

    Warsaw Coat of Arms
    Warsaw Coat of Arms

    The grateful Varsovians were so smitten with the courageous Mermaid that they placed her image on their city’s coat of arms—a fitting companion to the city’s mottoes: Contemnit procellas (It defies the storms) and Semper invicta (Always invincible).