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Zwaagdijk-West (The Netherlands)

Medemblik municipality, Noord-Holland province

image by Jarig Bakker, 19 Apr 2009
adopted 3 July 2008; design: Hans van Heijningen

Zwaagdijk-West village
Zwaagdijk-West Coat of Arms

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Zwaagdijk-West village

Zwaagdijk-West is a village in the municipality of Medemblik (till 1 Jan 2007 Wognum), Noord-Holland. Until 1978 it was divided between the former municipalities of Zwaag and Wognum. Its name was Zwaagdijk-Zuidzijde till 1840.
It was better off than Zwaagdijk-Oost (Zwaagdijk-Noordzijde), which was divided between 5 municipalities (Hoogkarspel, Zwaag, Westwoud, Nibbixwoud, Wervershoof).

The flag of Zwaagdijk-West was adopted 3 July 2008 by the Village Council. Deesign of flag and arms: Hans van Heijningen, Utrecht.

Arms: per chevron parti per fess vert and or with over the dividing line a chevron, along its longest axis parti per fess argent and azure, the chevron in chief with two pears or and in base an eared Saint James shell gules.

Explanation: The golden pile rising from the base symbolizes the (Zwaag)-dike. The shell represents St. James, to whom the local church has been consecrated. Red is one of the possible beraldic colors of the shell.
The chevron is for the meandering brook "De Cromme Leeck" in the middle of lush meadows; the brook curves through "zwaag"-soil (meadows). Green is moreover expressing the word "Zwaag" which means something like 'meadow'. Nowadays fruits and flowers are the main source of income. The pears symbolize that, which are naturally golden or green.

Flag: in four pieces piled from the hoist of yellow, blue, white and green, so that the top and bottom of the flag are divided in four parts, of which the lengths are proportioned 1:7:7:9, and the apex of the white pile is at 23/24 flaglength; on yellow an eared St. James shell.

Explanation: The flag is a simplification of the arms.
The (Zwaag)-dike has been placed against the hoist. Following the profile of the dike the blue-white waved and meandered Cromme Leeck, with the blue part along the yellow dike and the white part along the green part. The meandering has been straightened, so that the flag becomes a simple 'vierkleur'. The pears have been left out as the green and yellow colors already show that symbolism. The shell has been added as a specific village-symbol. Source: communication by Hans van Heijningen.
Jarig Bakker, 19 Apr 2009

Zwaagdijk-West Coat of Arms

image by Jarig Bakker, 19 Apr 2009
adopted 3 July 2008; design: Hans van Heijningen