[ 09.2009 | Neuenheim ]

though brown bears are among the largest types of bears, the Syrian brown bear is rather a small subtype native to the Middle East and the Caucasus. their fur color is usually very light brown and straw coloured. the Syrian brown bear lives in mountain areas, often in caves and tree hollows. the mammals forage in grasslands and forests. being at the top of the food chain, they eat almost everything – though their main diet consists mostly of plants – without having predators. brown bears can climb trees only when their little, as they become too heavy when they grow up.

‘to bear’ can also mean to tolerate/endure something, or to hold/continue to have something; ‘to bear down’ to overwhelm etc. from the literal to the symbolic meaning, the bear mirrors duality: its peaceful tranquility in contrast to being a powerful warrior. but first of all, the bear is the embodiment of the fearless, protective mother, having an aura of domination and authority.

the official flag of the state of California is also called ‘Bear Flag’. it is based on a flag raised during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt in Sonoma. the brown-colored bear is not a Syrian one though but a Grizzly which became the official state animal of California in 1953. only one year later, the bear was laid down in law as the symbol of Germany’s city state and capital Berlin. though it was only the flag of the western part of Berlin then, it has become the state flag since the unification of Germany in 1990. the bear appeared for the first time in 1280 on a seal of Berlin. the animal is said to be a pun on the city’s name: in German ‘little bear’ (= ‘Bärlein’) phonetically sounds like Berlin. the city where I live in.

sources:
bearsoftheworld.net | dictionary.cambridge.org | whats-your-sign.com | statesymbolsusa.org | berlindividedcity.wordpress.com