2:3 image by Jörg Majewski, 20 Oct 2007
Flag adopted ?
Yellow-red-blue with the arms in the red stripe. Sources: Stadler 1970, Keyser 1939-1974 and the Delfzijl (Netherlands) website (translated in the Emden18th-19th Centuries section).
Stadler says that until 1803 the city belonged to the diocese
of Münster, and that until then the arms of the diocese were used in place of the current arms. The arms of the diocese showed a red fess in a golden field. In 1803 the city came to the duchy of Arenberg and thus the arms were replaced with those of Arenberg. Today, Papenburg is in the county of Emsland.
Stefan Schwoon, 29 Mar 2001
Stadler 1970, p.65, says (my translation):
Papenburg: The black lion on red, which the Lords of Papenburg are supposed to have used, was used around 1807 for the municipal arms. These were intended to replace the Arenberg arms [*] on the ensigns. The Papenburg ensign was until 1803 that of the Principality-Bishopric of Münster (yellow, red, blue with the fess arms [**]). After the change of power these stripes were charged with the Arenberg ducal arms."
No information about today's (i.e. 1970's) flag. So it appears that the yellow-red-blue flag bore:
- the Münster arms [**] until 1803;
- the Arenberg arms [*] 1803-1810; and
-the Papenburg (black lion on red) arms since ca.1807.
[*] The Arenberg arms are Gules three roses Or, see for instance the first quarter in the Euskirchen County arms in Ralf Hartemink's International Civic Arms website.
[**] The Münster arms refers to the coat-of-arms of the Principality-Bishopric of Münster, Or a fess Gules, as shown on the chief of nowadays Münster County arms, shown in Ralf Hartemink's International Civic Arms website.
Santiago Dotor, 19 Dec 2001
From Ralf Hartemink's International Civic Arms website:
The arms show the imaginary arms of the Lords of Papenburg and were adopted by the town in 1807. In 1860 when the town became a city the arms were officially granted. The bordure was added during this century. The colours are non-heraldic, and thus probably are based on a mistake made in 1807. Before 1807 the town used in its seals a ship, to emphasize the importance of sailing and trading.
Source: Stadler 1970, p.65.
Santiago Dotor, 26 Mar 2002
Papenburg is located close to the river Ems and the Dutch border.
Ivan Sache, 19 Jun 2002
A yellow-red-blue vertical tricolor. Possibly a flag of Aremberg.
Illustrated in outline in Flag Bulletinno. 93, p. 70.
Norman Martin, April 1998
Description of flag:
The ratio is given as 1:2. It was a blue over red over yellow horizontal tricolour.
Source:H.Ahrens "Hannoversche Landschafts-und Städtewappen", 1891, plate XX
coat of arms adopted: 31 August 1952 
flags adopted: 31 August 1952 
Hanns Fettweis: "Die Wappen der Städte, Gemeinden und Altkreise des Emslandes", 1989.