Erkrath

About the place: Erkrath is a town in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located in the district of Mettmann adjacent to Düsseldorf. The town is famous for the nearby Neandertal valley, where prehistoric human remains were discovered.

Flag Description: The flag consists of a horizontal bicolour of two equal stripes: red on top and white on the bottom. In the center of the flag is the city's coat of arms. The coat of arms features a silver (white) shield with a red walking lion with a blue crown, claws, and tongue (the Lion of Berg) in the upper section. In the lower section, there is a green curved valley above which sits a red seven-spoke mill wheel with a circular center opening. The aspect ratio of the flag is 3:5.

Symbolism: The red and white colors of the flag stripes represent the traditional colors of the Duchy of Berg. The red lion in the upper part of the shield is the Lion of Berg (Bergischer Löwe), symbolizing historical ties to the region. The green curved valley represents the geography of the Düssel river valley (Neandertal), while the red wheel symbol refers to the historic water mills and industry along the river.