Benevexer Stefan Lambrechts spotted this
webpage.
On 12 Feb 2005 the first flags of the village of Oldemarkt (Steenwijkerland
municipality, Overijssel province) were hoisted in fromt of the former
municipal hall by members of the Society for Village Interests (PBO).
The former municipality of Oldemarkt had a coat of arms: vert, an opened
left hand or. Based on that Mr. Emile Bakker of E2 visual projects produced
a flag: on a green field a yellow opened left hand over yellow "Oldemarkt".
The flags were financed by municipal "koppengeld" - money per
head of population, which the municipality made available to village committees
to finance special
projects. 220 Flags of 70x100 and 50 flags of 100x150 were acquired.
Oldemarkt was a separate municipality till 1972, when it was merged
with IJsselham; in 2001 it became part of Steenwijkerland.
I found no background info about the hand (so any reference to "handwerpen"
is futile).
Oldemarkt is the gateway to the "Weerribben", wet fields where
one can still see how peat was dug and transported, and where one can enjoy
nature as hardly anywhere else in the Netherlands, and for a very reasonable
fee.
Jarig Bakker, 23 Jan 2006
Oldemarkt Coat of Arms
image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Jan 2006, after Koffie Hag album.
granted 7 Mar 1853