This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Aalburg (The Netherlands)

Noord-Brabant province

Last modified: 2021-11-13 by rob raeside
Keywords: aalburg | wheel |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors



Aalburg municipality image located by Valentin Poposki, 21 October 2021


See also:

Municipal flag

This flag was approved by the municipal council on 25 Oct 1974. For the presence of the wheel: see Aalburg Coat of Arms. In the flag the colors of the prsent municipal arms, the arms of former municipalities and the red color of the Lords of Heusden have been combined, while the diagonal division reminds of the image of St. Martin in the arms of the former municipality of Eethen.
The municipality of Aalburg is located in Noord-Brabant in the “Land van Heusden en Altena” and consists of seven villages: Babylonienbroek, Drongelen, Eethen, Genderen, Meeuwen, Veen and Wijk en Aalburg.
The municipality was founded 1 Jan 1973 by the murger of the municipalities of Eethen, Veen and Wijk en Aalburg and has (1 Jan 2003) 12.081 inhabitants on an area of 5.316 ha.
The former municipality of Wijk en Aalburg contained the villages of Wijk en Aalburg (seat), Biesheuvel and Spijk.
The former municipality of Eethen contained Eethen (seat), Babylonienbroek, Doeveren (now in Heusden), Drongelen, Genderen, Heesbeen (now in Heusden), and Meeuwen.
Jarig Bakker, 6 May 2003

Aalburg, Werkendam, and Woudrichem were merged into a new municipality, Altena, on 01.01.2019.
Valentin Poposki, 21 October 2021


Aalburg Coat of Arms

Aalburg Coat of Arms image located by Valentin Poposki, 21 October 2021

The coat of arms was granted by Royal Resolution of 25 July 1973. Description: "In sable three wheels or, a chief or with a lion passant gules. The shield is covered by a crown or with three leaves and two pearls".
The Coat of Arms is a combination of the arms of (Veen - the lion, see Ralf Hartemink's site), with the wheels from the arms of Eethen and Wijk en Aalburg. Originally the wheels came from the arms of Heusden, since 1260. The following story explains the presence of the wheel:
Boudewijn, second Lord of Heusden, served King Edmond of England, and abducted between 875 and 890 the King's daughter Sophia. A reconciliation could only be realized if Boudewijn would replace his old arms with arms with a wheel. (the story doesn't mention why...). Another chronicle tells that Edmond's envoys found Sophia spinning yarn on a round spinning-wheel.
The only truth in this story is the fact that the Lords of Heusden used a Coat of Arms with a wheel in very ancient times; however the use of Coats of Arms in the Netherlands started only in the beginning of the 12th century. King Edmond might have been Edmund, king of East Anglia (854-869).
Info from Ralf Hartemink's site.
Jarig Bakker, 6 May 2003