Oude Bildtzijl is a village in the municipality of Het Bildt, Fryslân
province. It was founded in the 16th century after the "Oude Bildtdijk"
was built, which enclosed the old Middelzee. The village is just inside
Het Bildt, bordering on Ferwerderadiel. At first it was a little harbor,
but after a new dyke was built it was completely inland. Until 1948 it
was a hamlet, in 1948 it was promoted to village rank. In the Bilker language
the village is named Ouwesyl; in colloquial Frisian: Âldsyl. Nickname:
Flaekshaeltsjes (flax-stems) - in the 19th and beginning of the 20th century
flax-cultivation was important for this village.
In Sierksma's Nederlands Vlaggenboek, 1962, [sie62]
is this:
"Flagdescription: Three equally wide horizontal stripes red - white
- green.
This village flag is found in the manuscript of Gerrit Hesman (1708),
who must have seen the actual flag flying. The colors have been used for
the new flag of Het Bildt."
This flag is also in Crampton's Flags of the World, 1990, p. 148.
In Flags of the World 1669-1679, a manuscript reedited by Sierksma,
1966 [sie66] a red - white - green flag is found, ascribed to (possibly)
Âlde Biltsyl (the Frisian name for Oude Bildtzijl).
Jarig Bakker, 27 Jun 2003