Number of inhabitants (1 Jan 2003): 50.292; area: 21,94 km². Settlements:
Kerkrade (seat), Eygelshoven.
Kerkrade is in southeast Limburg against the German border. It is built
against Herzogenrath in Nordrhein Westphalen; the border used to be in
the middle of a street. Here the first Dutch coalmine was founded in 1113
(Domaniale Mijn) and until the closure of the mines in the 1950s Kerkrade
was one of the main mining centers. When Moresnet was ceded to Belgium
(officially Moresnet was 'neutral', but we had mining concessions there
IIRC) the Willem-Sophie mine in Kerkrade got permission to dig under German
soil for coal - so there were two borders with Germany: one underground
and one on the ground. Today it is a modern industrial town with an ancient
monastery (Rolduc) and a freshly created lake for recreational purposes.
This flag was never officially adopted; it was already in use by the
citizens since the 1950's.
Jarig Bakker, 5 December 1999
Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net
