ProGeo 2009 - History

The history of Assen began in the thirteenth century. In 1227, the people of Drenthe get into an arguement with the Bishop of Utrecht. Although the Drenthe forces get the first victory, they were ultimately forced to a defeat. As a penalty for the struggle the people of Drenthe built a monestary for Cistercian nuns in the neighbourhood of Coevorden.

The monastery gets in big trouble after a flood in the soggy area. After much discussion the monastery finally can be rebuilt in a drier area. Maria in Campis - or Mariënkamp - rised on a piece of land between Witten and Rolde, which local farmers called Hassen or Assen. Around 1600, the monestary stronghold fell into the hands of the States of Drenthe. Assen became the administrative centre once the Council of the Sheriff and Executive was established there.

 
Assen in the thirteenth centrury

Assen in 1945

Canal boat

Cornmill at the Molenstraat

Origin of the name 'Assen'

The meaning of the name 'Assen' is not entirely clear. The most likely answer is that it has to do with essen or ash trees. However, a connection has also been made with the Frisian man's name 'Hasse'. Less likely is that the name derives from the Old Saxon asna, which meant tenancy or loan, or adna, which meant axe.

King Louis Napoleon

Assen began to spurt into real growth at the end of the 18th century. In 1809, King Louis Napoleon granted a charter to the municipality. Things went from strength to strength. At the beginning of the 19th century, Assen's inhabitants numbered fewer than 700. One hundred years later the population had risen to over 11,000 and in 1953 this had reached as many as 25,000. The population register now stands at around 60,000. Assen has had a coat of arms since 1821 and since 1959 it has been able to wave its own official, blue-white municipal flag.

 King Louis Napoleon visited Assen in March 1809. He elevated Assen to municipal status, gave orders for the drafting of an urban development plan, provided 20,000 guilders for the construction of new housing and donated the woodland of the Assenbos to Assen. It may be that Assen still harbours a reminder of Louis Napoleon, since on the Valkenstijn Estate lies buried one Louise van Valkenstijn about whom the claim is made that she was his daughter.

Municipal coat of arms

On 19 September 1821, the College of Arms awarded the town of Assen with its coat of arms. The coat of arms derives from the landscape seal of Drenthe. This seal originated from the monastery Maria in Campis. Assen's coat of arms is almost the same as that for the province of Drenthe, where the child is seated on the left knee.

 
Flag of the province of Drenthe

The description from 1821 reads as follows:
'An azure shield, bearing a crowned statue of the Virgin Mary, arrayed in white, sejant between two gilded pillars, with a naked infant, whose head is encircled with rays, on the right knee. The shield is crested by a crown or, and is supported on either side by a lion rampant.'                                                        

Municipal flag

Assen has had its own flag since 1959. Two horizontal bands: the upper band blue, the lower band white. The colours relate to the Assen coat of arms: the blue derives from its shield and the white from the Virgin Mary's raiment.