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't Zandt (The Netherlands)

former municipality, Loppersum, Groningen province

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 Jun 2003
villageflag

't Zandt village and former municipality
Eenum village
Leermens village
Zijldijk village

See also:

't Zandt village and former municipality

The municipality of 't Zandt consisted of the villages 't Zandt (seat), Zeerijp, Leermens, Eenum, Oosterwijtwerd and Zijldijk, as well as the hamlets Colhol, Korendijk and Voorwerk.
This is a former municipality and village in Loppersum municipality in Groningen province. At this webpage is the "Zandstervlag".
Explanation: The blue color has been chosen arbitrarily.
In the Coat of Arms of the former municipality 't Zandt 5 6-pointed stars symbolized the villages belonging to it. A yellow 5-pointed star symbolizes now the village 't Zandt.
The green clover-leaf was also used in the old arms and symbolizes agriculture.
The 4-leaved clover (klavertjevier) also symbolizes luck.
The brown walking-stick symbolizes the nickname the Zandsters received in olden days.
When the inhabitants of 't Zandt via Spijkster Oudendijk walked into the direction of the muddy flats they used walking-sticks for support.
In Godlinze one could see those people and it was said then:
"There they go, the Zandster hand-sticks".
('t Zandt had two nicknames: handstokken, and moordenaars (unfortunately it's unknown who was murdered by whom).
Jarig Bakker, 7 Jun 2003

Eenum village

image by Stefan Lambrechts, 19 Oct 2008

Eenum is a small village (135 inh.) in the municipality of Loppersum, Groningen province. It used to be part of 't Zandt, which merged into Loppersum in 1990.
The flag is a green over white bicolor; a photo was sent by Petra on behalf of the website eenum.net to Stefan Lambrechts, who produced this brilliant gif.
Note: Eenum not to be confused with Eenrum.
Jarig Bakker, 25 Oct 2008

Leermens village

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 Jun 2003

Leermens is a village in the municipality of Loppersum, Groningen province. It used to be in the former municipality of 't Zand Every year all six villages of 't Zand meet for a village-contest. In 1985 it was the turn of Leermens to organize the competition. For that event it wanted to have its own villageflag. The society for village interests (Dorpsbelangen) organized a contest, and asked Mr. J.A. de Doo to pick a winner. However it appeared that some minor matters had been overlooked, such as the question: "What is a flag?" It was decided to start a new competition, aided by this definition:
"A flag is colorful, waving piece of cloth, which can be hoisted on a mast, or can be carried around on a stick, which is a recognizable sign and a coherent element for a group of people".
The flag has to be simple in design, so anyone with a sewing machine can make it; and it should be different from other flags in order to be recognizable. No words.
Before the deciding meeting "Dorpsbelangen" received the following questions:
- Which are the colors which characterize the village?
- Which are the specific characteristics of the village?
Leermens is a typical Gronings terp-village with a Romano-Gothic church, devoted to St. Donatius or Doonaart. There is no "borg" (old fortified stately house) to which it owed allegiance. In ancient times law was administered here. Around the village is the old "osseweg" (ox-road), and the small canal, named "Maar", which is untouched. In the Gronings vernacular "om Leerse koomm" means: to know what there is to know.
The colors blue for the skye, and green for the fields were chosen. As a dividing line a red stripe was preferred (for the terp, the brickhouses). Several geometrical forms could represent the terp (mound); other geometric patterns were offered by the letter "L'. The attributes of St. Donatius (an axe, a lightning, or a wheel with a sword) offered other alternatives. Etcetera.
First some simple tricolors were tested. It was found out, that stripes with unequal width were preferred. At the end stripes proportioned 3:1:2 were chosen.
The village silhouette dropped out of the options, because that was too complicated.
Next experiments were carried out with the letter "L", with a flash of lightning, and with a combination of both.
Finally two trapeziums were found, connected in such a way that they formed a regular octogon, which represented the village-plan, and other elements, mentioned above.
The red stripe was found too somber, and this color was replaced by bright yellow, the color of flowering coalseedfields and ripe corn.
The final product became: three horizontal stripes of blue, yellow, and green, proportioned 3:1:2; the middle stripe widened to a regular octagon, with sides equal to the width of the stripe, the octagon placed at a distance of the width of the yellow stripe from the hoist.
Source: article in Vexilla Nostra 138-139, 1985, by Mr. J.A. de Boo.
Jarig Bakker, 30 Aug 2003

Zijldijk village

Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net

This village is in the former municipality 't Zand, now Loppersum, high up north in the province of Groningen, and the flag is at <http://home.wanadoo.nl/alexxx/geschiedenis/vlag.htm>
I don't know if the flag has been okayed by the municipality, but I must admire its quite unheraldic qualities.
Info from the site: The village flag was presented on 26 Oct 1990. It was designed by Mrs. Vels of Oosternieland.
Description: Blue is the color of the sea; yellow of the coleseed fields; the doors stand for the locks (Zijl = locks, which were formerly on the place of the Oosternijzielster viaduct). The "Z" on the flag is self-explanatory.
Jarig Bakker, 8 October 2000