Last modified: 2007-12-02 by ivan sache
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![[Flag of Heusden-Zolder]](../images/b/be-vlihz.gif)
Municipal flag of Heusden-Zolder - Image by Arnaud Leroy, 15 January 2007
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The municipality of Heusden-Zolder (31,017 inhabitants on 1 January 2007, therefore the fourth biggest municipality in Limburg after Hasselt, Genk and Leopoldsburg; 5,323 ha) is located in western Limburg, on the border of the regions of Kempen and Haspengouw. The municipality of Heusden-Zolder is made since 1976 of the former municipalities of Heusden and Zolder.
In the VIIIth century, Heusden, then a nearly desert and uninhabited area, was evangelized by St. Willibrordus. Along with Beringen and Paal, Heusden belonged to St. Adelardus (753-827), Abbot of Corbie. In 929-963, the name Husdinio was coined, meaning "hospice"; the name was later changed to Hoesden (1098-1138), Heusden (1371), Huysden (1386) and eventually Heusden. In the XIVth century, the parish of Heusden was erected but the village was administratively divided into two parts. The northern part was ran from Beringen, under the authority of the County of Loon, whereas the southern part, known as Hauweyken, belonged to the domain of Vogelsanck. The village was reunited in 1559 when it was totally purchased by Godfried van Bocholt.
The early settlement in Zolder took place in the neighborhood of the
Bolderberg dunes. The village was originally known as Sueire ("acid
sandy soil") or Suylre. The French rulers imposed the written form
Soire, eventually changed to Zolder. Until 1241, Zolder belonged to the
abbey of Herckenrode; it was then transferred to the Norbertine abbey of
Averbode. Count Hugo van Loon built the castle of Vogelsanck and
offerred it to his daughter Mathilde van Loon as her dowry. Zolder was
incorporated to the domain of Vogelsanck in 1335.
The destiny of Heusden and Zolder dramatically changed in the beginning
of the XXth century. Coal was found in 1901 and a coal-mining company
was founded in 1907; the first shaft was opened in 1923 and actual
production started in 1930. The once poor rural villages morphed into
attractive industry and trade centers and several foreign miners
settled there. The coal mines were eventually closed in 1992; they were
the last active coal mines in Benelux.
The Zolder Circuit was set up in 1961 as the "Terlaemen Circuit" by the
Bolderberg Automobile Club. It was officially inaugurated on 19 June
1963 by the Minister of Transportation Fred Bertrand; for the ceremony,
the ribbon and the scissors were replaced by a steel cable and a
blowtorch, respectively. The circuit was used for the F2 and F3 Grand
Prix of Limburg, then ran by the most famous pilots (Jacky Ickx, Dennis
Hulme, Clay Regazzoni, Piers Courage, Jack Brabham, Jochen Rindt -
three wins -, Graham Hill). In 1971, the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium of
Spa-Francorchamps was cancelled; Nivelles and Zolder competed for the
organization, which was allocated to Nivelles in 1972 and 1974 and to
Zolder in 1973 and the following years. The first GP of Belgium ran in
Zolder started in confusion, since the track had to be revamped short
before the start of the race; Jacky Stewart won, followed by François
Cevert and Emerson Fittipaldi. Nicki Lauda won in 1975 and 1976,
succeeded by Gunnar Nilsson (1977), Mario Andretti (1978), Jody
Scheckter (1979), Didier Pironi (1980) and Carlos Reuteman (1981). On 6
May 1982, the Canadian F1 pilot Gilles Villeneuve was killed in Zolder
during the qualifs, the GP being won by John Watson. The last GP of
Belgium ran in Zolder was won in 1984 by Michele Alboreto; the Zolder
Circuit was considered as not very exciting and was superseded by the
revamped Spa-Francorchamps Circuit. In 1988, a newcomer called Michael
Schumacher won his first title (Formel König) in Zolder.
The 24 Hours of Zolder were ran for the first time in 1977, with Dirk
Vermeersch, Rudy Frahm and Baudoin Corbiau (Autobianchi A112 Abarth) as
the winners.
The only motorbike GP ever organized in Zolder was won by Randy Mamola
in 1980.
In 1969, Erik De Vlaeminck won the fourth of his seven titles of World
Champion in Cyclo-Cross on the Zolder Circuit. In 1970, the Dutch Harm
Ottenbros became World Champion in Cyclism on the Circuit. In 2002, the
World Championships in Cyclo-Cross (winner, Mario Declercq) and in
Cyclism (winner, Mario Cipollini) were organized on the Zolder Circuit.
Source: Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 15 January 2007
The municipal flag of Heusden-Zolder is yellow with a green oak leaf
and two green acorns.
According to Gemeentewapens in België - Vlaanderen en Brussel,
the flag was adopted by the Municipal
Council on 25 November 1982, confirmed by the Executive of Flanders on
3 December 1984 and published in the Belgian official gazette on 8 July
1986.
Arnaud Leroy, Pascal Vagnat & Ivan Sache, 15 January 2007