Kemzeke

KEMZEKE

Province : Oost-Vlaanderen
Incorporated into : 1977 Stekene

Official blazon

(1819) Van lazuur beladen met een kameel van goud.
(1840) Een blaeuw veld, met eenen gulden kameel.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on October 13, 1818 and confirmed on January 30, 1840.

The arms are canting, showing a camel (Kameel in Dutch). The camel already appears on the local seal dating from 1694. The colours are the Dutch national colours. When in the early 19^th century the council applied for the arms, no colours were specified. All non-coloured arms were granted in the national colours. After the independence of Belgium in 1830, the arms were confirmed, but the colours were not changed.

A local legend tells that the camel was chosen by Diederik van den Elzas, Count of Vlaanderen in the 12^th century. He owned the village and decided in 1117 upon a camel in the arms as a reminder to his participation in the crusades. Unfortunately the use of arms for villages did not develop until the 16th or 17^th century.

The arms from 18189

The arms in the Koffie Hag/Café Hag albums +/- 1930

Literature: Servais, 1955

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