Last modified: 2003-09-27 by
Keywords: molkwar | swan | goose |
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On a flagchart of the "Genealogysk wurkforbân fan de Fryske Akademy", (genealogical research foundation of the Frisian Academy), an attachment to "De Fryske Flagge", It Beaken, 1956, are quite a few old village- and municipal flags; all of them have been reprinted in Crampton's "The World of Flags", p. 148.
Molkwar (Dutch: Molkwerum) is a village in the municipality of Nijefurd; it used to be in Hemelumer Oldeferd on the road from Staveren to Koudum with (c. 1950) 444 inhabitants - 1973: 329. In the 17th and 18th century Molkwarder ships traded on the Baltic Sea and the village was renowned for its labyrintic structure, as well as the "Molkwarder tsjûnsters", (witches). It used to have its own vernacular.
Its CoA was Black over Green with a White swan in the center. Its flag is blue with a white .. uuuh swan or goose.
In "Nederlands vlaggenboek", 1962, Sierksma wrote: "Molkwerum - Molkwar: Black, in the center a swimming swan, emerging from a wavy, shortened fess.
This flag of Frisian village (vlek) is documented in a Frisian source (Flaggeboek Hesman, c. 1700) and a Napolitan flagchart (1667). There are several paintings with this flag, one with a ship passing through the Tower Bridge in London."
I don't have the Napolitan flagchart - but in Hesman's book (edited by Sierksma), the flag is black with a white swan passant..
Jarig Bakker, 28 Mar 2002