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Delfzijl (The Netherlands)

Groningen province

Last modified: 2004-11-06 by jarig bakker
Keywords: delfzijl |
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Delfzijl municipality Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.shipmate.nl/flags.htm
adopted 29 Nov 1990

Other Delfzijl pages: See also:


Delfzijl municipality

Number of inhabitants: 29.005; area: 138,34 km². Settlements: Bierum, Biessum, Borgsweer, Delfzijl (seat), Farmsum, Godlinze, Holwierde, Krewerd, Losdorp, Meedhuizen, Spijk, Termunten, Termunterzijl, Uitwierde, Wagenborgen, Weiwerd, Woldendorp.

From: http://www.delfzijl.nl/gemeente/gemeentevlag.html:
Flag of the municipality of Delfzijl (province Groningen, the Netherlands)
By the amalgamation of the municipalities Bierum, Delfzijl and Termunten on 1 January 1990 the municipality of Delfzijl was formed. On 29 November 1990 the municipal council resolved upon a flag with the following description:
"a rectangular flag with height 2/3 of the length, divided in three horizontal parallel bars YRB. Along the hoist a rectangular triangle in black with a yellow clover-leaf."

Historical background.

I. The bars "Yellow-Red-Blue", the socalled 'Eemse vlag' (Ems river flag). According to a letter of 27 January 1959 of Mr. Schoningh, city archivarian of Emden the ships from the East Frisian Eems-ports of Emden and Papenburg (now in Germany) had the "Eemse vlag", at first without local insignia. In the 18th century the COA of each city was inserted on the middle bar.

There is no source available to prove that this happened too with ships from Delfzijl. Only on 17 October 1961 Delfzijl adopted the 'Eemse vlag' with COA and Termunten did this since 9 April 1962 with a white trapezium at the hoist.

The municipal council of Bierum adopted 11 June 1979 a flag "yellow hoist, with 6 clover leaves, placed 2,2,2, with a flight of 5 equally high horizontal bars of BWBWB."

The colors of the "Eemse vlag" were derived from the COA of the city of Emden, granted by Emperor Maximilian I on 10 August 1495, at the request of count Ulrich Cirksena. These arms were called in 'plattdeutsch': "t Engelke up der Muer" (little angel on the wall) - with this 'official' description:
"ainen schilt in drey teil geteilt, das under mit fliessendem wasser bedeckt, das mitter einen rote maur mit f|nff zinnen und das oberteil
swartsz darinn ein gelber vogel Harpya genannt mit einem gekronnten jungfrauen haupt und seinen ausgespraitten fl|geln."
(A shield divided in three parts, below streaming water; in the middle a red wall with 5 pinnacles; and on top black in which a yellow bird Harpy with the head of a crowned maiden with wings spread.)
The harpy, a combination of a maiden and an eagle, is the COA of the Cirksena family; via count Edzard the Great of Ost Friesland (1462-1528)
it became the seal of the 'Zijlvest' (polder?) of the three Delfzijlen, which was called on 15 May 1663 "het nije sijlvestersegel" (the new polderseal), from 1960-1990 part of the municipal COA of Delfzijl. Said count Edzard put matters in order in Delfzijl and had a fort built.
By the common origins the arms of Emden and the polderseal of Delfzijl have much in common. The yellow color of the harpy, the red wall with the three openings, and the blue water, elements of the arms of Emden and Delfzijl, form together the "Eemsevlag"

II.
The black triangle on the hoist was inserted to make it different from the flags of Emden and Papenburg. It symbolizes the area of the municipality; the clover-leaf, a symbol of of the independent farmer, wants to remind of the agrarian character of the hinterland of Delfzijl.
All colors of this municipal flag are derived from or are connected with the arms of Delfzijl and are a synthesis of land and water: Delfzijl on the Eems!
©Jakob B. Bronsema, December 1990
Jarig Bakker, 6 June 1999


Historical flags

Old delfzijl Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.shipmate.nl/flags.htm
adopted 27 Oct 1961

Delfzijl old Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.shipmate.nl/flags.htm

Delfzijl historic Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.shipmate.nl/flags.htm


Bierum [former municipality]

former Bierum by Franc van Diest, 31 October 2000

The flag : has a  yellow hoist field, width equal to half the flag height, and adorned with 6 cloverleaves in red, placed 2,2,2, and the fly end divided into 5 equal horizontal stripes in alternative blue and white.
The flag was approved by the former council on the 11th June 1979
Franc van Diest, 31 October 2000


Termunten [former municipality]

former Termunten by Franc van Diest, 31 October 2000

The flag has three equal stripes in yellow, red and blue, with a trapezium shaped white field at the hoist.
Flag approved by the former municipal council on the 9th April 1962.
Franc van Diest, 31 October 2000