Zeeland

Zeeland
Country	Netherlands
Flag of Zeeland
Designer	T.A.J.W. Schorer
Adopted	14 January 1949
Wikipedia article
Flags of the World article

The flag of Zeeland was designed in 1948 and officially adopted by the Provincial Executive on January 14, 1949, after a design by the then member of the Provincial Council of Zeeland, Tjalling Aedo Johan Willem Schorer.

The shield and crown of the Zeeland coat of arms are depicted in the center of the flag. The flag also shows four blue and three white wavy bands. The blue stripes represent the waves and symbolize the constant battle with the water.

History

In the first fifteen years after the Second World War, the Dutch provinces adopted their own flags. In Zeeland, people wondered what the Zeeland flag should look like, which raised the question whether the flag should resemble the Dutch flag or whether the colors from the Zeeland coat of arms should be included. People also doubted whether it was justified to place the coat of arms in the flag, as this is not very common in the Netherlands. Ultimately, the Provincial Executive would opt for a design by the then Member of Parliament Schorer. Initially, the States members wanted a flag of three blue and three white stripes. Schorer argued that a seven-band flag is more balanced and that dark edges at the top and bottom contrast better with the sky; therefore the current flag has been adopted.

The Zeeland flag gained fame through the flood of 1953, which put the struggle of the Zeelanders against the water at the center of world interest. The lion climbing into the water thus became a symbol of struggle, suffering and international solidarity.