Bellingwedde is in east Groningen against the German border. It consists
of the old municipalities of Bellingwolde and Wedde (since 1 Sep 1968)
(of which I don't know the flags - if ever they had one).
Number of inhabitants: 9.726; area: 110,13 km². Settlements: Bellingwolde,
Blijham, Klein-Ulsda, Oudeschans, Rhederbrug, Veelerveen, Vriescheloo,
Wedde (seat), Wedderveer.
Flag adopted by municipal resolution 26 Apr 1973. The blue stripes
on white signify the many floods in this region. The lilies have been derived
from the Coat of Arms of the Praemonstratenzer order, which had a monastery in Palmar
in 'Reiderland'. This monastery is said to have had a central function
in this region; in the 13th century there were c. 200 monks. Here the 'Reiderlander
landrecht' (the country-law of Reiderland) was written down in a book
in 1327 or 1375 in the old Frisian language. It was left in 1478 because
of flooding danger of the Dollard. It disappeared in 1520. The monastery
was depicted in the old arms of Bellingwolde.
Jarig Bakker, 7 November 1999
Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net
![[Bellingwedde Coat of Arms]](../images/n/nl-gr)bw.jpg)
image from the Bellingwedde municipal
website. Granted 22 Apr 1969.
