Oostdijk (The Netherlands) (original) (raw)

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Reimerswaal municipality, Zeeland province

[ [Oostdijk villageflag] ](../images/n/nl-ze%5Fod.gif)Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net/flags.htm
adopted c. 2005; design: Dick Hamelink

Oostdijk village

Oostdijk is a village in the municipality of Reimerswaal, a few kms south of Yerseke (mussel capital of Zeeland). Dick Hamelink designed a coat of arms for this village and derived a banner of arms from this, see the village website.
Description: a cross vert bordered argent; 1 noir an onion coupé or; 2 azure two waves argent; 3 noir a sheaf or; 4 noir a pear argent.

Oostdijk is a relatively young village, dating from the 18th century on the crossroads of two dikes in an area with many small lakes, flooded many times through the ages. In the arms the green cross represents the crossroads of the Lavendeldijk, Nieuwlandse Binnendijk and Bolwerk. In the second quarter one sees the ever returning water.
The other symbols represent agriculture and horticulture of Oostdijk, still quite important in the village. Before the municipal reorganization of 1970 Oostdijk belonged to two municipalities: Krabbendijke and Kruiningen. Both had black on its arms, therefore that color was chosen for three quarters of the Oostdijk arms.
The cut onion represents an important industry (not of tears, though); by cutting it one sees the round form of the village - and the "O" of Oostdijk.
The pear represents horticulture, while the sheaf underlines the importance of agriculture in Oostdijk.

The flag is identical to the arms.
It should be stressed that the "naturalization" of the symbols was done by the Oostdijkers themselves; the original designs were a bit - duuh - different.
Jarig Bakker, 10 Jan 2007

Oostdijk villagearms

[ [Oostdijk villagearms] od.gif)](../images/n/nl-ze%29od.gif)image by Jarig Bakker, 10 Jan 2007
adopted c. 2005; design: Dick Hamelink