Last modified: 2005-06-25 by jarig bakker
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Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.shipmate.nl/flags.htm
adopted 28 Apr 1959
In Valkenswaard pre-Roman pottery has been found in large quantities.
In the beginning of the 8th century Willibrord preached the Evangelium
here. He converted a noble Frankish family, of which two children went
to the monastery. The grateful father gave in 704 all land between the
Tongelreep and the Dommel to Willibrord, who presented it to the Benedictine
Abbey in Echternach (Luxemburg). Until 1800 this abbey was to be consulted
when land was sold.
Valkenswaard was named at first "Weedert" (diked piece of land),
later "Weert op den Dries" (dries = low land), to distinguish it
from Weert in Limburg. Next: "Verkensweert"
(pig-weert), because of important pig-markets held here; it finally became
Valkenswaard because of falconry (valk = falcon). Unfortunately
the last falconer died in 1935.
Valkenswaard was part of the quarter Kempenland of the Meierij van
Den Bosch; it became a possession of the States General in 1648. Till 1864
it was an agricultural municipality - then a cigar-factory was founded,
followed by a railway, a beerbrewery (Dommelsch), diamonds, leather, car-parts,
textiles, washing, metal hardware, glue, transformators and
carpentry ("You name it: we got it"!)
Source: Prisma-toeristengids Zeeland-Brabant-Limburg, by P.G. Bins,
1965.
Nicknames:
"Kalen" - baldies: apparently people working in cigar-factories
were above average bald
"Valken" and "Haviken" (hawks) - after the placename,
and the old falconers.
Source: Groot Schimpnamenboek van Nederland, by Dirk van der Heide,
1998.
Jarig Bakker, 29 May 2005
According to "Wie, Wat, Waar? 1940<