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Westergeest (The Netherlands)

Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland, Fryslân province

by Mark Sensen, 2 May 2001

Westergeest village (Westergeast)
Westergeest CoA

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Westergeest village (Westergeast)

A flag with a yellow diagonal cross; the triangles to hoist and fly are green, and the top- and bottom-triangles are black.
Colors: princes-yellow, clear-green, and black.
The st. Andrew's cross refers to four roads, converging at the village church, where law was administered in ancient times. Judges came from four quarters, and each year a judge from one quarter was appointed, the next year from the next quarter, etcetera. The colors yellow, green, and black refer respectively to sandy soil, clay, and peat-soil, which characterized the regions. Yellow refers also to the dairy-factory "Huisternoord", where "Kollumerkaas" was produced; green to the grass-drying factory; both have stopped production.
Source: information from Kollumerland municipality.

The dairy-factory Huisternoord never produced Kollumer cheese. It was made in Burgum in the Frico-factory, untilthat was closed down in 2003. Huisternoord produced the cheesebrands Old Amsterdam and Westlite gemaakt. It also made the green/yellow Maaslander cheese. It was closed down in 1996.
Pieter Bosch, 22 Aug 2004

Westergeest CoA

from Ralf Hartemink's website.

Adopted 6 May 1970.
The colors yellow, green, and black refer to sandy soil, the clay, and the marshy peat soil (geest) which meet in Westergeest. The stump in the center of the CoA is the so-called Kienstobbe, frequently found in the peat below the grass-fields. The St. Andrew's cross cuts the CoA in four quarters, symbolizing the four roads which meet at the village church.