City of Emden (Lower Saxony, Germany)

Stadt Emden, Niedersachsen

Last modified: 2013-12-07 by german editorial team
Keywords: lower saxony | niedersachsen | emden | harpy (yellow) | wall (red) |
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• Current Flag
• Flag Variant without Coat-of-Arms, possibly mistaken
• Flag Variant with Coat-of-Arms and Crown reported 2009
• Banner with Coat-of-Arms and Crown reported 2009
• Plain Flag reported 1891

• Emden Flags c.1595-c.1811 (Lower Saxony / Niedersachsen, Germany)
• County and Municipal Flags (Lower Saxony / Niedersachsen, Germany)
• Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen, Germany)
• Hannoverian Flags reported 1891
• Germany

The flags are drawn after the information in Dutch on the Delfzijl website [translated in the Emden Flags c.1595-c.1811 page]. Emden used a plain yellow-red-blue flag in the 16th century, see also this scan from Danckerts 1705. In the 18th century the flag seems to have changed and was used with the arms on the central stripe. Image of the arms from Stadler 1964-1971
Stefan Schwoon, 20 Feb 2001

From Ralf Hartemink's International Civic Arms website:

Emden became a city probably at the end of the 14th century. The oldest seal, from 1414, shows a half-eagle and a letter E, above waves. The eagle is derived from the Tom Brook family, who ruled the city since 1413. In 1430 the eagle was replaced by the lion of the Abdena family. The sinister part was unaltered. The city finally became the capital of the Cirksena family, who owned the city since 1464. The arms were granted in 1495 by emperor Maximilian I. The harpy is derived from the arms of the Cirksena's, the wall and the waves symbolise the city's position on the Ems. The harpy is also part of some arms in East Frisian communities, as well as the Dutch city of Delfzijl (opposite to Emden).
Literature: Stadler 970, p.37.

It seems to me that the Emden flag on the Delfzijl page (plain triband without Schwenkel, swallowtails or whatever) is just a fake. Emden had several old flags, well known in the Netherlands — Emden was a very important refuge in the 16th century for Dutch protestants fleeing from the Roman Catholic Spaniards, and in the 17th century for Dutch protestants fleeing for Dutch protestants. For identification purposes it seems very unlikely, that the northeastern corner of the Netherlands would use the same flag as Emden. If Jakob B. Bronsema is the only source for that Emden flag it seems to me to be quite fakey.
Jarig Bakker, 20 Feb 2001

Description of flag:
The coat of arms is exceeding the red stripe. It is some kind of renaissance shield fimbriated yellow. The harpy has a golden(=yellow) face. The shield is topped by a golden princely coronet or hat having some red and blue jewels.
Source: I spotted this flag opposite on top of the local Sparkasse (a bank) on 15 September 2009
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Sep 2010

Description of banner:
The same as flag but the coat of arms is shifted slightly to the top and its width is at least ¾ of total width.
Source: I spotted this banner in front of the town hall on 15 September 2009
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 Sep 2010

Description of flag:
The ratio is given as 1:2. It was a black over yellow horizontal bicolour.
Source: H.Ahrens "Hannoversche Landschafts-und Städtewappen", 1891, plate XX
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Nov 2011