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Weesp (The Netherlands)

Noord-Holland province

Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net
adopted c. 2000

Weesp municipality
1973 flag
Unofficial old flag
Weesp pre-1595 flag

See also:

Weesp municipality

Population (1 Jan 2003): 17.885; area: 21,88 km². Settlements: Weesp (seat), De Horn, Uitermeer.
The CoA of Weesp consists of a field of azure, with in the center a bar of silver, which is supposed to symbolize the Vecht river. It was granted 26 Jun 1816 by the High Council of Nobility. On the patio of the councilhouse one can view an older version, with two lions holding the shield. The fonts of the Weesp flag were changed 28 Jun 1973.

The flag of Weesp was in disuse for a long time.
Until 1973 Weesp used <horizontal> blue-white or blue-white-blue stripes. If flags were used at all. In that year it appeared that Weesp used the flag of Almelo and a flag with the monogram WS in center was the replacement. At the time it was not known where that came from.
Mr. Klaes Sierksma mentioned in the magazine "Tussen Eem en Vecht", that this flag was taken in use c. 1595. For Muiden (his residence at the time) he provided a new flag (see <nl-nh-mu.html>. A member of the Weesper municipal council propagated a flag like the arms, as could be seen in the Great Church of Gouda (Zuid-Holland).

Since 1973 Weesp uses a flag with serif-less "WS". In the last years of the 1990's there were 3 flags like that... The present mayor, Ms. Hofkamp, wanted to present her new municipality with a new flag. Mr. Burggraaff wanted to use that flag for a special "Koninginnedag"-Taptoe. He discovered that there was no flag at all - no old one, no new one. No Weesper vlag on the Taptoe.

Mr. Burggraaff went asearching and found in Den Haag a resolution of the States of Holland and Westvriesland of 13 Jul 1595, in which the flags of Weesp and Muiden were determined after a row between Weesper and Muider sailors. Muiden got a horizontal BWB flag with in the center black connected letters "MD" (for MuiDen), and Weesp the same with big black letters "WS" (for WeSop).

These data were presented to the Mayor, but she didn't consider that as a viable option - she organized a designing competition. Mr. Burggraaf sent the design of Frank van der Horst (based on his findings). The Committee for the Preservation of the Weesper Flag (CPWF) meanwhile had 100 copies made of the design of 1973, which was used enthusiastically!
The vd Horst/Burggraaff design won the contest; it was blue-white-blue with in the center serifed black "WS" - the "W" was inspired by the Dutch national hymn "Wilhelmus", or rather how the W was printed. Weesp is a small town with a history of over 650 years, and should be proud of this, according the the CPWF. It has asked the High Council of Nobility about the flagchange, and was told that it didn't constitute any real change.

The Weespers on the contrary find the serifed letters far more authentic than the plain letters, and are eager to associate it with an ancient historic background."
Hans Burggraaff, 7 Jan 2005

1973 flag

Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net
adopted 28 Jun 1973.

Unofficial old flag

Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net

Description: two equally wide horizontal stripes of blue and white.
This flag was not official, but used on festive occasions. The colors were derived from the municipal arms.
Source: Sierksma's Nederlands Vlaggenboek, 1962.

Weesp pre-1595 flag

by Jarig Bakker, 6 Nov 2003