The Ommelanden (; ) are the parts of
Groningen province that surround
Groningen city. Usually mentioned as synonym for the province in the expression ("city and surrounding lands").
The area was
Frisian-speaking, but under the influence of the
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
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peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
city of Groningen most of the area turned to speaking
Low Saxon
Low Saxon, also known as West Low German ( nds, Nedersassisch, Nedersaksies; nl, Nedersaksisch) are a group of Low German dialects spoken in parts of the Netherlands, northwestern Germany and southern Denmark (in North Schleswig by parts of th ...
. A reminder of the Frisian past is the Ommelanden flag which looks a lot like the
Frisian provincial flag but has more and narrower stripes and more red (stylised heart-shaped leaves of
yellow water-lily).
The area is made up of the following four quarters:
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Westerkwartier
The Westerkwartier (; en, Western Quarter) is a historical region in the Dutch province of Groningen, at the border with the provinces of Drenthe and Friesland. In the past the area was part of the historical region of Frisia. The West Frisi ...
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Hunsingo
Hunsingo (Gronings: Hunzego or Hunzengo) is a region in the province of Groningen, Netherlands, between the Reitdiep and Maarvliet. Hunsingo was one of three Ommelanden. It is bordered to the north by the Wadden Sea, to the east Fivelingo, ...
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Fivelingo with
Oldambt
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Westerwolde
References
External links
Medieval GermanyBurge's Commentaries on Colonial and Foreign LawsApproaches to Old Frisian Philology
Regions of Groningen (province)
Regions of the Netherlands
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