Fryslan polderboards (The Netherlands)

Wetterskippen

Last modified: 2014-10-04 by andrew weeks
Keywords: wetterskip |
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• Boarn en Klif polderboard
• Middelsékrite polderboard flag and wimpel
• Sevenwolden polderboard flag and wimpel
• Stellingwerven polderboard
• Westergoa's Iselmardiken polderboard

• Amelander Grieën, Marne-Middelsee, Tusken Waed en Ie, Waadkant,

• Fryslân province
• The Netherlands
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• Dutch Polderboards

Boarn en Klif polderboard

Official name: Wetterskip Boarn en Klif; seat: Joure, Fryslân province.
Flag adopted 22 Mar 1998; design: drs. J. Hagen and the High Council of Nobility.
Flagdescription: Two vertical stripes proportiones 1:2; the first stripe yellow with three narrow connected black lozenges, touching all sides of the yellow field and interrupted by a horizontal yellow stripe of 1/10 flagheight; the second stripe in three wavy horizontal stripes red - white - red, proportioned 2:1:2".
On 1 Jan 1997 the polderboards of Boarnferd and Tusken Mar en Klif and small parts of De Stellingwerven and Tjonger Compagnonsvaarten merged to form the new polderboard Boarn en Klif. The arms were granted on 2 Mar 1999, so after the new flag had been adopted.
The polderboard consists of peat-soil in the west and sandy soil in the east. Red on the flag represents peat (and heather), black and yellow peat-digging and sand. The wavy stripe on red is the river Boorn (Frisian: Boarn). Black lozenges on yellow is on the arms of the family Vegelin van Claerbergen. A member of that family warned already in 1766 against the dangers of the way the peat-digging took place. Marshy lakes were left, threatening the existence of neighbouring villages. In the 19th century special polderboards were founded to deal with that situation.
Source: Vexilla Nostra #237, 2003; Text: Hans van Heijningen
Jarig Bakker, 17 May 2004

Middelsékrite polderboard

Official name: Waterschap De Middelsékrite; seat: Sneek
Adopted 29 Jul 1989; design: Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk
Flagdescription: Two equally wide vertical stripes of blue and red with over all in the flagdivision lowered proportioned 4:1:1:1 two white wavy horizontal stripes; in hoist top in blue a yellow  waterlily-leaf with the opening on top; the leaf with 1/3 flagheight.
This polderboard is in Central Fryslân. The main cities in its area are Leeuwarden and Sneek.
All polderboards in Fryslân were endowed with arms, except for this one. Somehow all attempts to get one failed. At long last the Fryske Rie foar Heraldyk succeeded, and for good measure presented the board with a coat of arms, a flag ánd a wimpel.
This area was in between the old Frisian shires of Oostergo and Westergo, and Zevenwouden. The symbols on flag and wimpel relate to those divisions. The flag is a mirror of the arms. The two vertical stripes remind of the city-flag of Sneek, seat of the polderboard.
Source: Vexilla Nostra #165, Nov/Dec 1989.
Text: Hans van Heijningen
Jarig Bakker, 17 May 2004

Middelsékrite wimpel

Wimpel: a square hoist, perpendicular to the hoist divided of blue and red with over all a yellow waterlily-leaf; a white fly charged with three green waterlily-leaves with the opening upwards, with spaces in between of one leaf. The wimpel with a long swallow-tail.
The wimpel is of the usual Frisian polderboard-design, and the hoist follows the flag.

Sevenwolden polderboard

Official name: Waterschap Sevenwolden; seat: Gorredijk, Fryslân province.
Flag adopted 12 Oct 2000; design: Rudi Broersma.
Flagdescription: Seven wavy stripes of green and white, and a red hoisttriangle, lengthened towards the hoist of 2/9 flaglength and the apex at 5/9 flaglength; the hoisttriangle charged with an erased white wolf's head at hoist top, at hoist bottom a white crown with three leaves, in the apex a white fleur-de-lis.
Wimpel: A square red hoist with right diagonally placed a white oakleaf with seven lobes; the fly white with three green waterlily-leaves with the openings upwards distanced at on leaf.
In 1997 some polderboards in Southwestern Fryslân, namely Het Koningsdiep, De Stellingwerven and Tjonger Compagnonsvaarten merged to form one new polderboard: Sevenwolden, which comprises the municipalities of Smallingerland, Opsterland, Ooststellingwerf and Weststellingwerf. This polderboard is named after the old Frisian shire
Zevenwouden, which comprised southeast Fryslân.
Green and white are the colors of the shire Zevenwouden; red and white of the Stellingwerven, and red-white-green of Opsterland and Smallingerland. The wavy stripes represent the polderboard and the small rivers of Tjonger, Linde and Koningsdiep, white represents the water-clarity. The arms of Zevenwouden had seven green trees in silver, hence seven stripes green and white. The crown, wolf's head and fleur-de-lis are from the arms of the former polderboards, resp. Koningsdiep, Stellingwerven and Tjonger Comapgnonsvaarten. The hoisttriangle can be read as the input of the old polderboards.
Source: Vexilla Nostra #237, 2003; text: Hans van Heijningen.
Jarig Bakker, 17 May 2004

Sevenwolden wimpel

The wimpel is typical for Frisian polderboards; the seven lobes of the oakleaf are canting, of course.

Stellingwerven polderboard

Official name: Waterschap De Stellingwerven; seatWolvega
Flag: Seven wavy stripes of black and white, at least 7x wavy; over all and at 1/3 flaglength a yellow r4ampant wolf with red tonguie and nails and 6/7 flagheight.
Adopted 30 Aug 1983; design: Kl. Sierksma.
The image is nearly identical to the arms. The only difference is the place of the wolf, who has been shifted in a correct way to the hoist.
Source: Vexilla Nostra #146
Text: Hans van Heijningen.
The three white waves symbolize the three brooks, which carry away the water to the IJsselmeer: the Linde, Kuinder or Tjonger, and Scheene. The wolf reminds of the wild animals which in past times were found abundantly in this marshy area. The last wolf was shot here in 1712. It is also canting for the polderboard-seat Wolvega.
Jarig Bakker, 17 May 2004

Westergoa's Iselmardiken polderboard

Official name: Waterschap Westergoa's Iselmardiken; seat: Workum in Fryslân province.
Flag: stripes blue - yellow - red - white - green - black
Source Vexilla Nostra #122, Sep-Oct 1982.
text: Kl. Sierksma; image: H. van Heijningen.
Jarig Bakker, 2 Dec 2003