Club Deportivo Jorge Wilstermann, the Bolivian football club based in Cochabamba, uses a crest built around a large letter “W” flanked by wings, a design that directly references the club’s origins as the sports division of the national airline Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB). The club’s official history describes the current emblem as containing the “W” of Wilstermann, five stars reflecting the team’s quality, and three wings on each side referencing the club’s aviator origin.[1]
Design and History
The club was founded on 24 November 1949 by workers of Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano as Club Deportivo y Cultural LAB, and in 1953 it was renamed Club Deportivo Jorge Wilstermann in honor of Bolivia’s first commercial pilot, Captain Jorge Wilstermann.[1]The first crest, used from 1949 to 1951, showed a Swiss heraldic shield with a prominent Andean condor in “explayada” (spread) position, the main symbol of Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, representing the football and sports division of Club Deportivo LAB.[1]In the club’s early years, Dr. Jorge Rojas Tardío sought a logo that would reflect a “boiling heart,” with the initial of the club’s name and something symbolizing its aeronautical origin. He approached Franklin Anaya, who shaped the idea into a shield used during 1953 and 1954, with a pause in 1955, and continuously from 1956 onward. The design was formed mainly by a Swiss heraldic shield with a giant “W” in the center and wings protruding on each side to symbolize the “aviator” origin. Toward the end of the 1950s, five stars were added to show the category and quality of a team that in less than ten years was already national champion.[1]An alternative account, attributed to Sixto Oquendo, claims the initiative belonged to him and that a painter surnamed Miranda finished the design at the LAB itself.[1]For the club’s debut in Bolivia’s First Division on 14 May 1955, a different shield was used, one taking the form of an English Tudor Arch (as described in heraldry) with a giant “W” in the center.[1]The shield maintained this base without modification until 1999, when, on the occasion of the club’s 50th anniversary, a competition was held under the presidency of Mauricio Méndez to present a commemorative shield for the golden anniversary, which continues to be used alongside the original.[1]Meaning and Symbolism
The club’s official history clarifies that the stars on the shield do not represent the titles Wilstermann obtained, but rather the category of a team that in less than 10 years was already national champion.[1] The wings on each side of the shield reference the club’s aviation heritage, while the central “W” stands for Wilstermann.[1]The club’s identifying colors are red and blue, for the jersey and shorts respectively. These were adopted in 1956 under the presidency of Dr. Jorge Rojas Tardío, who explained: “I chose those colors because they mean strength, grit and total commitment on the field of play, besides it was the only team in the country that at that time began to use those colors.”[1]Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
