Zelem

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ZELEM

Province : Limburg
Incorporated into : 1977 Halen

Official blazon

Twee zwarte balken op een zilveren veld, gouden vrijkwartier met twee zwarte balken en bend, samengesteld uit twaalf zilveren en roode stukken.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on December 20, 1904.

The arms are derived from the arms as seen on the oldest known seal of the local council, dating from 1434. The two main bars are derived from the arms of the Lords of Diest, who owned the village in the 13th and 14^th century. The free quarter shows the arms as used by Arnold van Diest in 1313. Hendrik van Diest, Lord of Zelem only used the Van Diest arms in 1360. Why the two versions were combined is not known.