Several excerpts from the Java-bode, December 22, 1956
Christmas: A Christian holiday, yet many customs originate from paganism. In modified forms, they have withstood the test of time.
Already several days before Christmas, a festive mood awakens in people, reaching its peak during the Christmas days. It is no coincidence that the Christmas tree, holly, and mistletoe are popular then, and that Christmas bread, Christmas wreaths, and other Christmas pastries enhance the festive joy. It is seldom considered that such items and customs originate from ancient paganism.
In the past, our ancestors celebrated the Yule feast around this time, the festival of fertility, in honor of the return of the light. The shortest day had passed, and the days began to lengthen again. Sacrificial meals were held, and sacrificial fires blazed high in the sacred forests. Christmas is a Christian holiday, but all those customs emerged from pagan soil and have, more or less modified, remained and been adopted by modern man.
It is difficult to link Christmas customs to a specific day, as what occurs here on Christmas Day takes place elsewhere on December 26th or even on Epiphany. Some customs, such as eating certain types of cookies and pastries, are in vogue throughout that entire period between Christmas and Epiphany. In general, it can be said that in the rural Netherlands, Christmas Day is the holy day, a day of reflection and meditation, while Boxing Day is used more as a day for going out or visiting.
Achterhoek
Among the elderly in the Achterhoek, the superstition still lives that on Christmas Eve “Derk met de bèèr” rides around, destroying everything left lying outside. In many places, all agricultural tools are still stored in the barn and the yard is cleaned…
In many families in the Achterhoek, something extra is eaten on Christmas Eve, and this custom is reminiscent of the old name “dikkevretsavond” (gluttony evening). In farming families, pancakes fried with sausage are often served. A mocking rhyme that points to an extra treat goes: “Kasaventjen, Kasaventjen, dan gaat ‘t er bie ons op. Dan slacht mien va ‘nen pekkelhering en ik, ik kriege de kop”.
In Aalten, people eat “pilleweggeskes” on Christmas Eve, small spherical “weggen” (loaves) on which two dough pills are placed in a cross shape. Children still know an old begging song: “Pilleweggen-aovend, offert geld, Geft de kleine kinder wat, Geft de groten ‘ne schop vör ‘t gat!”
The aforementioned two dough pills in a cross shape did not originally belong on this Christmas pastry. They were placed there when the common people no longer understood the name “pilleweg.” A “pil” is a godchild or baptized child, and the “pillegift” in the form of a “pillewegge” was a baptismal gift. It was also a reminder of the pagan bread offering made to ward off the demons of the childbed. Anise, caraway, and cinnamon drove the gods away with their strong scent.
The fact that “pillewegen” are given as gifts on Christmas Eve likely finds its origin in the veneration of Mary as a woman in labor. The custom of eating walnuts on Christmas Eve in the cozy domestic family circle (in Aalten, for example) is still in vogue.
In 1937, G.H. Rots described in a series of articles in the Aaltensche Courant how life used to be in Aalten in former times. Regarding the historical belief in witches, he wrote:
“According to popular belief, witches held gatherings at night, and in the Aalter Esch there was a specific spot where these nocturnal assemblies took place. That piece of land, located approximately halfway between the Linde and the Lichtenvoordsche road, was called the ‘heksenbeddestêe’. It was a piece of no man’s land to which no one laid claim.”
Anyone reading about what transpired in this field is stunned by the stories of witches and ghosts that circulated in earlier times. It reached such an extent that even educated people believed in witchcraft, and the authorities of those days intervened in this ‘evil,’ punishing those found guilty of sorcery.
To determine whether an accused person was innocent or guilty, the so-called water trial was applied: the victim was thrown into the water. If they floated, they were deemed a witch; if they sank, then what? Then they were not a witch, but they usually drowned. It was believed that those who could perform witchcraft could transform themselves into animals. Illnesses among livestock or even among people were often attributed to witches. If the milk had a blue tint, or if a clump of hair was found in a calf’s or cow’s stomach, it was all blamed on the witches.
There were even people who believed themselves capable of witchcraft, claiming they had regular audiences with the devil. Witches were said to ride through the air on broomsticks and gather at the ‘beddestae’ in the Aaltenschen Esch to celebrate their nightly festivals. It should be said to the credit of the spiritual leaders of those days that they, at least, did not believe in it and repeatedly pointed out the absurdity of witchcraft to the population.
However, what is once deeply rooted is not easily dislodged, and so it took years, even centuries, before the superstition vanished. The authorities, primarily at the urging of the clergy, engaged in the suppression of witchcraft. They employed methods that were terrifying. If it was believed that someone could perform witchcraft or claimed to do so, the most severe measures were taken. Often the victims paid with their lives; even stakes were erected for burning.
Shivers down the spine
The old night watchmen could tell eerie stories of what they had experienced at night. The listener of these tales would feel ‘the shivers down their spine.’ For instance, it was told that ‘behind the hedges in the Heuksken,’ a woman dressed in white wandered every night. And then there was that mysterious light in the charnel house at the cemetery. Occasionally, mysterious animals were encountered that made the streets of Aalten unsafe. Furthermore, there were the ‘omens’ of fire. If a fire broke out in the village, one of the night watchmen had sometimes seen a ‘red glow’ above the site of the fire weeks in advance.
Berent Sweenen
Around 1600, a certain Berent Sweenen lived in Barlo. His neighbor, Geerdt Luiten, accused him of witchcraft. Luiten’s cows, pigs, and horses had regularly died of ‘unnatural sickness’ or sorcery. In the stomach of one of the cows he had cut open, ‘toads and snakes’ were found. Furthermore, Berent Sweenen’s sister ‘was also a witch.’ The whole place was hexed, and Luiten had already gone to Lichtenvoorde to complain. Berent Sweenen was summoned before the authorities and had to listen to all these accusations.
Luiten brought forward a new accusation. It was no longer possible to churn butter in his house. The cause: a hex by Sweenen. Another neighbor, Bernt Tolkamp, recounted that he had drunk buttermilk at Sweenen’s and had become ‘dreadfully ill’ from it. Tolkamp’s daughter had also fallen ill, likewise hexed by Sweenen.
More witnesses were called, namely Geerdt Winkelhorstink and Johan Merkerdink. They could only state that Sweenen had long been regarded as a sorcerer. Personally, however, they had not been troubled by him. A certain Herman Olthuys provided further incriminating testimony. Other neighbors recounted that they had hosted Berent Sweenen, who was a tailor, in their homes and that he had told them he could perform witchcraft. Eleven witnesses then took the oath and declared, invoking ‘God and His Holy Gospel,’ that what they had asserted was the truth.
Berent Sweenen, the simple tailor, maintained his innocence, but he stood alone. Eventually, under the weight of all those accusations, he gave in and said that he had understood the art of witchcraft for some 18 to 20 years. His fate was sealed, and given the punishments of those days, his head likely fell under the executioner’s axe. One case among many.
People pondered much. During the long winter evenings by primitive lighting, they saw all sorts of strange things. They heard wondrous tales, and when the old man sat in the corner by the hearth, he was asked to tell stories; then the tales of ghosts and witches would emerge, and at night in their sleep, people heard all kinds of sounds. The mystery of the unknown. That unknown, that mysteriousness, unsettled the people, and the case of Sweenen in Barlo is not unique.
Fourteen years earlier, the Bailiff of Bredevoort had already written to the Lady of the Pledge that witchcraft in Aalten was taking on ever greater proportions. One can conclude from this that the governing officials—the intellectuals of those days—also believed that witches existed. The fight against the ‘evil’ was therefore not conducted by convincing people that ‘witches’ cannot exist, but by the extermination of the individuals who carried out the evil.”
Aleida Voesters
“We wish to share one more case to provide an accurate picture of the dismal conditions in those days. It concerns a woman named Aleida Voesters. She was accused of witchcraft and thrown into prison, but was released when she promised to reform and paid a monetary fine. However, once the population views someone in a negative light, their reputation is ruined.
So it was for this woman. The population would not leave her in peace. The cup overflowed when a certain Wessel Wassink, a tailor by trade, claimed that he had fled from Mrs. Voesters’ house because he had heard devils quarreling there. The rumor reached the authorities again, and they deliberated on how to deal with this woman. The ‘executioner’ told the Bailiff that he knew a way to intervene with forceful measures. The woman was imprisoned again and transported to Bredevoort. She was thrown into the water and… she floated; she did not sink. Proof that she could perform witchcraft. They pushed her down with a long pole, but it seems that the excessive women’s clothing of those days prevented her from sinking.
The woman was then tortured with extreme cruelty. She was to be made an example. She was tied to a ladder and flogged, but the woman maintained that she could not perform witchcraft. Two days later, she was stretched on the rack again. But she did not confess. They tied a rope to her hands and hung her from a beam. At that moment, the pitiable woman let out a sound as if three men’s voices had called out. Immediately thereafter, her neck was broken. Her body was burned on a stake, made of wood that the farmers were expressly required to supply for that purpose. Such were the witch trials.”
Milk Witch
In a legal document from the Court of Bredevoort dating from 1533, we find the following story: The couple Gert and Lise Stapelkamp have a church pew in the Saint Helen’s Church in Aalten, which they claim was originally purchased by Gert’s mother, Sine Stapelkamp. However, the couple Koep and Nale Heinen claim it is their pew. During the service, Nale called Lise a ‘molkentoversche‘ (a witch who hexes cows) three times, after which Lise struck back. A significant disturbance in the church!
Sources
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 26 November 1937 (Delpher)
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 11 March 1938 (Delpher)
In large parts of the country, Carnival is celebrated seven weeks before Easter.In Aalten, this is not so much the case. Carnival is traditionally a Catholic festival, and Aalten has remained predominantly Protestant since the Reformation. Nevertheless, Carnival was also celebrated in Aalten in the past.
Carnival is originally a Christianized pagan folk festival traditionally celebrated only by Catholics. In parts of Gelderland, Carnival is celebrated exuberantly every year, while in many other parts it is not celebrated at all. These regional cultural differences often date back to the Reformation and the Eighty Years’ War (1568-1648). During this conflict, regions emerged that quickly aligned with the Protestant rebels. Other regions held on to the Catholic faith of the legitimate sovereign and Duke of Guelders for a long time.
For instance, the Lordship of Bredevoort was conquered in 1597 by the Calvinist Maurice of Nassau. He subsequently made the entire region from Aalten to Winterswijk Protestant. His half-brother Frederick Henry did not definitively conquer Groenlo from the Catholic sovereign until 1627. In the preceding years, the Catholic faith was able to take deeper root in the society of Groenlo and its surroundings thanks to the Counter-Reformation.
Carnival in Aalten
Nevertheless, Carnival was also celebrated in Aalten in the past. In 1937, G.H. Rots described in a series of articles how things were done in Aalten in earlier times. For example, he dedicated a section to ‘vastenoavond’, or Carnival:
“If we look at the cheerful things again, the first thing people in the village concerned themselves with was ‘vastenoavond’. However, compared to the Carnival festivities in southern parts of the country, it was very modest here. There was music in a few cafés, and a few people also appeared on the streets in jester costumes. Characteristic, however, was the custom of the youth walking around with a so-called ‘foekepot’. This was a tin canister over which a dried piece of pig’s bladder was stretched. In the middle was a small hole, into which a small wooden stick fitted. By pushing this stick up and down, a humming sound was produced, and so on Shrove Tuesday one could hear the dull sound of foeke-foeke-foeke. They sang the following song with it:
Foekepotterij, foekepotterij, give me a penny, then I’ll pass by. I have no money to buy bread, I’ve walked with the foekepot for so long. Foekepotterij, foekepotterij, give me a penny, then I’ll pass by.
The penny was usually given, and the ‘Shrove Tuesday fools’ did good business.”
Aalten even had three Carnival associations: De Slinge-raars, Spuit Elf, and De Olde Mölle.
Carnival society ‘De Olde Mölle’ (The Old Mill), Aalten – Carnival prince Jan, his adjutant and the Council of Eleven.
Nowadays, Carnival in Aalten is only celebrated by the children of the St. Jozefschool, the only remaining Catholic primary school in the village. Other residents of Aalten who wish to celebrate Carnival are forced to go to places such as Groenlo (Grolle), ‘s-Heerenberg (Waskuupstad), or Doetinchem (Leutekum).
Newspaper reports
De Maasbode, 5 February 1913Carnival Mater Amabilis School, Aalten – Dagblad Tubantia, 30 January 1961Dagblad Tubantia, 24 February 1965Dagblad Tubantia, 9 April 1965
Dagblad Tubantia, 12 November 1965Dagblad Tubantia, 18 February 1966
In 1937, G.H. Rots described how life used to be in Aalten in a series of articles. Among other topics, he devoted a section to the traditional farming life of the past.
“The rural districts of Aalten formed an inseparable whole with the village. The villagers needed the farmer, and conversely, the farmers of the rural districts sought contact with the villagers. The roads were far from good, and due to the narrow wheel rims, the sandy paths had much to endure. Water drainage was poorly regulated, and maintenance left much to be desired. And yet those roads had to be used at the cost of much horse and ox flesh. For most farmers formerly kept oxen, which were used as draft animals for the wagons and carts. Progress was made at a slow pace: if I do not arrive today, then tomorrow; slow but steady, for the ox was a strong draft animal. After serving as a draft animal for several years, it was led to the slaughterhouse.”
Primitive
“The entire farming operation was, of course, primitive; there was no chemical fertilizer, resulting in much lower soil yields. Group stables were unknown, and chicken coops did not exist ‘on the farm.’ The chickens spent the nights with the cows in the stable. Some poles had been installed there, and the entire flock of poultry would trot up the ‘chicken rack’ in the evening. And when the days were short, they hardly ever came down. Egg production occurred only in the summer, and even then not in great quantities. The cattle also did not look as flourishing as they do today. One had to feed what one’s own soil produced. Everything was ‘pro rata,’ in proportion, but much less and less productive than nowadays.”
Butter factories did not exist; the milk was soured in cream pots and churned by hand. On some farms, that chore was performed by a dog. The churning dog had to walk in a large wheel, which set it in motion, and via an axle connection, it moved the churning mechanism. The kneaded butter was shaped into ‘welters,’ and then the housewife would take it to the market. In Aalten, the butter market was behind the Town Hall. However, this market did not enjoy a flourishing period, as the shopkeeper was also a willing buyer. With a closed purse, one could then buy groceries, and large suppliers received cash in addition. The eggs also brought in some money, but as mentioned, production was not that large.”
Botermarkt (Buttermarket) – De Graafschapbode, 21 July 1888
‘Koojonges’
“Many small farmers went to work for daily wages, and some also had a weaving room where a bit was earned. Everything, of course, had to be performed by manual labor; machines were unknown. Every farmer (who was not a day laborer) therefore had at least one head farmhand and a ‘cow boy.’ And those ‘cow boys’ usually came from the village.”
It was the custom that boys from working-class families, before learning a trade or craft, first went to ‘the farmer’ for a few years. Working-class families in the village were usually quite blessed with children, and when a boy was 10 or 11 years old, he had to go to ‘the farmer’ for ‘room and board.’ It was then said: “then he will learn decency immediately.” In any case, the boys learned the first principles of the farming business, which served them well in later life.
For full-fledged farmhands and maidservants, the wages were also not very high. Thirty or fifty guilders per year, but they would occasionally receive clothing as well. A few shirts, a few ‘brunten’ (a type of apron), wooden shoes, and some other necessities. That was the entire wage of the maidservant. In the spring they had a holiday, the so-called ‘spinning week.’ Then they would spend a week at home with their mother. The wages of the farmhands were slightly higher, but still very low by modern standards. And do not count on having much free time or short days. We already mentioned that the threshing flail had to be taken up as early as four o’clock in the morning.”
Nutrition
“For their own nutrition, more was enjoyed from the farm than is the case today. In the first place, everyone grew a quantity of buckwheat. Buckwheat flour was suitable for pancakes. And invariably, pancakes were baked every morning, usually with a ‘slice of bacon’ in them. The cooking oil was also a product of their own cultivation. The rapeseed was taken to the oil miller, and a few large jars of rapeseed oil and a number of rapeseed cakes were collected again a few weeks later. The cakes were excellent cattle feed, a treat for freshly calved cows.”
The food was otherwise as simple as possible, yet nutritious. Home-baked bread, for many farmers had their own baking oven and baked their own bread. The only delicacy was ‘rice porridge with brown sugar,’ usually a meal for Sunday evenings or when visitors came. A large bowl full of ‘rice porridge’ was placed in the middle of the table. Every person sitting at the table received a spoon, and then the eating began. Decency required that one dip the spoon shallowly into the firm porridge, so as not to give the impression that one was after the tastiest top layer with brown sugar. If someone was nevertheless so bold, people would soon think: “He is also mowing the sods.” Eating eggs was done only on Easter Sunday. Then sometimes more were consumed than was good for the stomach.”
“When the harvest was in and the potatoes were dug, there was reason for joy; then a domestic party was arranged and they had ‘stubble-end.’ This party was limited to the household members and workers who had assisted with the harvest. That the farming industry had to contend with economic difficulties is evident from the fact that many families sold their farms and sought a new existence in the New World in America. With a few exceptions, none have returned, and they have achieved greater prosperity in their new fatherland.”
Land prices were low here, and especially wild land was not expensive. For a hundred guilders per hectare, one could already buy wild land, for there were plenty of forests and heathlands, and where there are now lush meadows and excellent farmland, there were formerly vast forests, heathlands, and wild land. The rural district of Haart in particular was very heavily forested.”
When chemical fertilizer made its entry into the farming business, a turn for the better occurred. Wild lands were reclaimed, forests were cleared, water drainage was better regulated, and numerous workers found employment in the reclamation and cultivation of wild lands. The livestock population increased, the quality of the cattle improved, agricultural courses gave tips and instructions for effective fertilization, and one new farm after another was built. Old-fashioned stables were changed, and nowadays the building style of a farm is quite different from before.”
The crops were formerly all stored indoors, ‘on the beams’ and ‘on the loft,’ while now ‘stack heaps’ can be seen everywhere, sheltering the harvest. Among the villagers, too, there was a change in economic and social relations, and agriculture was practiced less. Manure piles had to be cleared away, modern industry arrived, and gradually conditions became more modern.”
Moving house
“On the rare occasion that a farmer moved, this took place on ‘Saint Peter’s Day,’ February 22nd. All belongings were loaded onto the neighbors’ wagons, and the entire procession moved from the old house to the new or different farmstead. The neighbor women had already gone ahead to the new home, had cleaned it, and had lit the fire. In the local dialect, this was called ‘vuur beün’ (preparing the fire).”
When the new residents arrived, the coffee was already brewed, and the newcomers could immediately refresh themselves with a nice cup of coffee. The neighbors helped that day; one dropped something here, another there; it was a colossal bustle. As a crowning touch, the ‘moving-in meal’ followed later, which again did not lack for spirited drinks.”
Moving house
Deaths
Funeral
“In the event of a death, the neighbors were immediately notified; the neighbor women laid out the corpse, which was so-called ‘verhaenekleed’ (shrouded). The nearest neighbors then acted as the primary representatives of the residents. The nearest neighbor woman took over the tasks of the housewife, and the neighbor man those of the master of the house. These customs were the same among the villagers, and even now in the rural districts, that old custom is maintained.”
In the past, there was the so-called ‘funeral beer.’ After the funeral, the residents of the rural district went to one or another café in the village. There they rested from the tiring journey and beer was served. Generally, that beer was not of the very best quality in the past, and it was a sort of brown liquid that one was given to drink. In that café, they took leave of one another and everyone went their own way.”
The funeral procession of the local residents consisted of the cart on which the corpse was transported. This was uncovered. Then followed a number of “canvas carts,” high carts with white hoods. If there was a death in the village, one of the neighbors had to go around the ‘rot’ (neighborhood group) in the morning to warn the people that they ‘had to come to load at eleven o’clock.’ It was usually quite busy there at eleven o’clock, for it was the custom that the ‘nearest neighbor’ went around with the ‘bottle.’ The corpse was carried from the house of the deceased to the cemetery by the neighbors, and again gin was involved, for the pallbearers were given a restorative beforehand.”
Visit
“In the month of May, there were many farm visits. Then friends, family, and acquaintances were invited, and the farmsteads swarmed with visitors. The lands were inspected, the livestock criticized; it was more like a small-scale exhibition. These visits were also always held whenever something had been built. The building material had been fetched by the “neighbors” from the brickworks or storage sites, and a party crowned it all. That neighborly help was something traditional and was also indispensable; people supported each other mutually. Together, they performed what one could not manage alone, and especially during family events, neighborly help was indispensable.”
“During the long winter evenings, people often went on neighborhood visits, and the slaughter visits were also a real night out for the residents of the rural districts. The large sod fire (sods were light peats, the top layer of a peat layer) spread a pleasant warmth when one sat close to it, and then the master of the house sat with his chair tilted back before one side of the mantelpiece, and the neighbor before the other. The conversation then concerned the business, the cows, and the pigs. The visitors smoked for free, and when the pipe had to be lit, a glowing coal was taken from the fire with the tongs.”
The home butcher
The depression in the hearth plate, where the actual heart of the fire was located, was called ‘rake’ or ‘vuurrake.’ The ‘blowpipe,’ the tongs, and the fire spoon were the tools that hung beside the fire. Above the fire, a large chimney breast was built out, which served as a smoke catcher. It was also the storage place for everything one wanted to keep dry, including the gunpowder and the powder horn, for every farmer had a gun, a muzzle-loader, which had to be loaded with powder. Poaching was in the farmer’s blood. He would occasionally outsmart a hare or a rabbit.”
Illustration: Piet te Lintum
The architectural style of the old farms was the Saxon type. In very old houses, the living space for humans and animals was not separated. In most, there was a partition wall, sometimes of stone, sometimes of so-called ‘wand,’ a wickerwork of wood, plastered with loam on both sides. The box beds were mostly all installed in the kitchen, and one can imagine the situations that arose as a result.”
When clothes had to be mended or made new, the tailor from the village came to the house to perform those tasks, and in the evening he would clatter back to the village with the pressing iron and the pressing board in his hands. When May arrived, the farmer could earn an extra income by peeling wood. Around the fields were wooded banks on which oak coppice was grown. When this wood had reached a thickness of approx. 5 cm, it was cut, and because it was ‘in sap’ in May, it was peeled, i.e., stripped of its bark. The wood was chopped to a length of about 1 meter, and then it was laid over another piece of wood and beaten until the bark or crust came loose. The bark was dried and taken to tanneries, where it was processed into tannin. The wood that remained was called ‘schelhout’ (peeled wood) and was a very popular fuel.”
Another resource to increase income was the burning of charcoal. Some had acquired skill in this, and these charcoal burners had their customers everywhere. In the autumn, the farmers moved with the cattle to the fields. Entire fields were overgrown with spurrey, a crop sown after the rye. The cattle were put on the ‘tether’: a pole was driven into the ground, to which a wooden pole with an iron bracket was attached, and fastened to the cow chain or rope. The cattle could then graze a certain section, and each time the cattle had to be ‘tethered further.’”
Market
“When it was market day, people went to the market; if there was livestock to be sold, it was transported to the market, for cattle trading only happened at the market. The Aalten cattle market was therefore very well attended. People became informed about the prices of oxen and other cattle; they heard all sorts of news at the market, which in turn provided subject matter for conversation in the domestic circle.”
The annual fairs were the major event in the life of the population. First there was the May market, in the autumn the Fair, and on December 6th the Saint Nicholas market. Then it was a bustle of great importance in the village. In the morning, the married couples went from home to the market. The cattle market was overcrowded, and in the inner market, there was no lack of stalls and sellers of all kinds of household items. Well-known figures were the quacks who sold herbs, which were said to cure most diseases. The tooth-pullers also usually had good business.”
Veemarkt (Cattle Market) Aalten, around 1934
At those annual fairs, there was dance music in most inns. The young people went to the market in the afternoon. The farm girls first strolled past the stalls, bought something to their liking, and finally grouped together. Then the boys appeared, and they tried to find each other to go out this evening. Some had already made appointments beforehand. These ‘had the sods dry already,’ for in the local dialect, if one had someone’s promise to celebrate the annual fair together, it was said: ‘then one had the sods dry.’ When it was nine o’clock in the evening, and there were still girls who received no proposal, then the chance for them was gone and they had to return home alone. Thus the first marriage bonds were often formed, and the first meeting at the annual fair was decisive for their entire lives.”
Source
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 12 & 19 November 1937 (via Delpher: part III & part IV)
We frequently read or hear about “Plan 1913”. What is meant by that? It is the plan or intention to festively commemorate the joyous event of 100 years ago. Is there reason for this? Those who still ask this provide proof that they have forgotten what they learned at school regarding the history of our fatherland. The only thing that can be offered as an excuse is that for many, their school years lie far behind them and oral tradition is no longer heard.
It was in 1863, when the fiftieth anniversary of the Netherlands’ Independence was celebrated in Aalten, that things were quite different. Back then, there was hardly a family where one did not hear from the lips of grandparents about the sad times our ancestors lived through as long as the French were in charge here. Incidents that had personally affected a family were recounted, but now, 50 years later, much of that is covered by the veil of oblivion.
Aalten decorated on the occasion of 100 years of independence, 1913
In general, therefore, we wish to recall a few facts that history has recorded. The 17th century (1600–1700) is called the “Golden Age” of our history; the 18th century (1700–1800), the “century of decay”.
What was the cause of that decay? People began to rest on the laurels achieved by their ancestors. A spirit of enterprise was no longer to be found. In idleness, people began to enjoy the accumulated wealth and were afraid to give up anything that might contribute to the promotion of the country’s prosperity. No funds were made available for the army and navy, and the prestige of the once-mighty Republic of the United Netherlands dwindled from year to year.
In the eyes of other European states, we no longer counted. Furthermore, dissatisfaction with the administration arose, fuelled by the revolutionary spirit that manifested itself in France—so much so that the revolutionaries, called Patriots, acted hostily towards Stadtholder William V and his supporters, called Orangists.
The French Period
When the great Revolution had taken place in France, and the revolutionaries had put the King and Queen to death, the Patriots called in the help of the French to drive out the Stadtholder here as well. In 1795, they marched into our country with a large army and were received with cheers by the revolutionaries.
The government was unable to stop them because the army was not properly equipped and the fortifications were dilapidated. The money needed for their maintenance had been cut, but now they could give the French 100 million guilders, which they demanded for the help and assistance they had provided. William V fled to England, and his opponents took the place of the former government officials.
Now, the French could have left again, but they did not think of it. Time and again, when the French soldiers here were well-fed and clothed, they were exchanged for a ragged, starving bunch, to recover their strength here at the expense of the citizenry. Their influence on the course of affairs in this country meanwhile increased more and more, until they took the entire administration into their own hands.
In France, there was great confusion until it finally succeeded for a lawyer’s son from Corsica, named Napoleon Bonaparte, to create some order. He was a brave general and a capable warrior, who defeated the armies of the states that had declared war on France and prescribed humiliating peace terms to his enemies. In 1804, he had himself proclaimed Emperor, and two years later he sent his brother, Louis Napoleon, here to rule over our country as King.
Heavy Sacrifices
The alliance with France cost us heavy sacrifices. The English, who were at war with the French, now became our enemies as well and took possession of almost all our colonies and robbed our merchant ships, which meant our trade was as good as gone. One already had to pay a quarter of one’s income in taxes, and yet Napoleon demanded more.
Napoleon had had his brother Louis proclaimed king here in the expectation that he would submit entirely to his will. However, he was disappointed in this. Louis came here with the intention of promoting the prosperity of his kingdom as much as possible and protecting the people from further oppression. He showed this, among other things, by refusing to introduce conscription and by tacitly allowing smuggling with England.
To hit England, Napoleon had strictly forbidden all trade with that country. Now that Louis did not support him enough in this, he forced him to abdicate (1810), and Holland was annexed by France. Our country now became a French province and thus ceased to be an independent kingdom. The government was now organised on a French footing. The Dutch language had to gradually disappear. French had to be learned in schools, and newspapers also had to appear in French.
An army of customs officers occupied the coast and ensured that when a ship with English goods arrived, the cargo was burned. Indische goods, such as coffee, tea, tobacco, and rice, rose astonishingly in price as a result. The impoverished citizenry managed with a decoction of toasted rye bread instead of using coffee, and instead of tobacco, people smoked walnut leaves. To replace sugar, people set themselves to making sugar from the sweet sap of beets.
Many wealthy citizens became poor, and those who had to live off their interest, as well as numerous orphanages and charitable institutions, suffered want when Napoleon had the interest on the national debt “tiered”—that is, he only acknowledged one-third of it. Those who, for example, were entitled to 300 guilders in interest only received 100 guilders. No more was earned, but more had to be paid, causing poverty to pinch; hundreds of houses were sold for demolition, magnificent country estates were disposed of for a trifle, horses and carriages were abolished, and servants dismissed. In Amsterdam, grass grew on the streets.
Fighting for Napoleon
But the Frenchman did not just take goods; he also demanded blood. Napoleon needed soldiers to fight for him in all corners of Europe and now forced our boys to serve in his armies. He introduced conscription, which for us was something unheard of. In our previous wars, there were always enough volunteers to defend the fatherland, but now it was determined by lot who had to take up arms. Thus, numerous families saw their beloved relatives head off to foreign lands, never to see them again.
Yet no one dared to complain, or they would make the acquaintance of prison. Secret spies crept around everywhere to pick up every suspicious word, and the police often forced their way into homes and opened letters to hear someone’s opinion of the Emperor. Books and newspapers were not allowed to appear before they had been approved.
Yet this oppression also had its good side. The people now forgot their old party squabbles and felt united again and yearned for salvation. Napoleon’s power had reached its peak. Only England and Russia still defied him; otherwise, he ruled over all of Europe. Russia, too, would now feel his blows. With an army of more than half a million, he marched thither, but for every twenty soldiers, nineteen died miserably in Russia’s snowfields. The approximately fifteen thousand Dutchmen also never returned to their fatherland.
“Oranje boven” (Orange up/Long live Orange)
After this outcome, the Counts of Hogendorp, Van Limburg Styrum, and Van der Duijn van Maasdam secretly hatched plans to shake off the French yoke. After the Battle of Leipzig, in which Napoleon was defeated, the signal for the uprising was given by adorning oneself with the orange colour, which was previously punishable by death. The French soldiers watched, bewildered, and did not have the courage to resist.
Prussia and the Cossacks offered help, and on 15 November 1813, the cry “Oranje boven” already rang through Amsterdam’s streets, and two days later in The Hague. On 21 November, Van Hogendorp and Van der Duijn van Maasdam accepted the provisional government, and on 30 November, the Prince of Orange, son of the expelled Stadtholder William V, set foot on land at Scheveningen, where he was cheered by the crowd with unprecedented enthusiasm. Two days later, he was proclaimed Sovereign Prince in Amsterdam.
The French slunk away, and the Netherlands was free. That is one hundred years ago now, and all that time we have been spared from enemies crossing our borders. There is, therefore, reason to festively commemorate the Netherlands’ deliverance with thanks to God. Let us value our freedom, for no greater disaster can befall a people than when they are dominated by strangers. At the centenary of our independence to be celebrated within the municipality of Aalten on 28 August next, let our age-old motto therefore ring out loudly: “Oranje boven”.
Traveling—whether through one’s own country or abroad—is a pastime of all ages and all peoples. Traveling and the writing of travelogues also took place in Overijssel. The Deventer scholar Mr. G. Dumbar wrote extensively about our country in the 18th century, including Gelderland. In the ‘Tegenwoordige Staat van alle Volkeren’ (Gelderland section), he describes towns and villages in the Achterhoek, from which we derive several insights. Starting at Borculo and moving toward Lichtenvoorde, we shall recount how Dumbar viewed the old lands of the County.
Much has changed; the heathlands and peat bogs have largely disappeared. The treacherous sandy tracks have been replaced by excellent paved roads. The impoverished, hut-like farmhouses have been transformed into proper dwellings for both man and livestock. Many forests have likewise vanished, and along with this progression over the last two centuries, numerous noble houses have gone as well. Towns and villages have changed, yet not so much that they have lost the prominence they already held to this day.
Illustration by Piet te Lintum from the article ‘Boerenleven‘
The Lordship of Bredevoort
From Neede, he moves on to the Lordship of Bredevoort, of which we read that it is of great antiquity. In 1245, the Castle of Bredevoort was granted as a fief by Herman, Count of Loon, to Otto of Nassau, Count of Gelre and Zutphen. William, Duke of Jülich and Gelre, pledged the fief in 1388 to Hendrik van Gemen for three thousand French Shields. Jacob van Bronckhorst later held the same right of pledge with the consent of the States of Gelderland. However, having chosen the side of the enemy in 1580, the town, along with the castle and the Lordship of Bredevoort, was given to Prince William I. His descendants still held the Lordship in 1741.
The Town of Bredevoort
As for the town of Bredevoort, conditions in 1741 were better than they are today. At that time, it was home to the Drost and the Richter, as well as two deputies, a Stadtholder, an Advocate-Fiscal, a Landscribe, and a Commander. Furthermore, several officers resided there. All these high-ranking gentlemen spent a great deal of money in the small town, which must have appeared very distinguished at the time. The common man living in the villages of Winterswijk—notably the largest village in all of Gelderland at the time!—Aalten, and Dinxperlo, had to dance to the tune of the Drost of Bredevoort and his clique.
Bredevoort itself was said to be very strong in 1741. The surrounding lands consisted entirely of marshland, where no one dared to venture. Moreover, three companies of infantry were stationed there; where all these people were sheltered remains a mystery to me.
The citizens of Bredevoort made the outsiders from Winterswijk and Aalten feel that they were of a superior class. When it was bitterly cold in winter and the frost was hard, the people of Aalten and Winterswijk were required to come and chop ice for the ice cellars. The mail had to be delivered by the men of Winterswijk and Aalten for nothing. Additionally, a wagonload of twig brooms had to be delivered to Bredevoort every year. If a hunt for thieves, robbers, vagabonds, or wolves was to be held, the people of Aalten and Winterswijk were allowed to beat the bushes and carry the rifles, while enduring the insults of the gentlemen. How the people of Winterswijk and Aalten must have rejoiced when the French in 1795 put an end to this state of affairs.
Meanwhile, we now write 1951, and it must be said: the two Cinderellas, Winterswijk and Aalten, have become fine maidens since 1741 and are in a state of glowing prosperity. It is, however, the irony of history that the stepmother, Bredevoort, is now sometimes treated somewhat stepmotherly herself. When one walks across her uneven cobblestone streets, one cannot help but feel pity for the outgrown lady of two centuries ago.
Aalten Surpassed Bredevoort
Markt Square, Aalten by Jan de Beijer, 1743
When the modern textile industry emerged, Aalten was the favorite. The Driessen family from Bocholt were the founders of Aalten’s rise, establishing themselves here as early as 1826. They attracted other industries. Although there were some dark pages in the previous century, Aalten turned the tables and is now the leader in the former Lordship of Bredevoort. Naturally, the municipality currently faces concerns as great as those of its sister municipalities, but that does not change the fact that Aalten has truly come into its own.
It is, meanwhile, astonishing how much marshland, how many vast heaths, and how many wild forests existed in 1741. If history had not been faithfully recorded and if we did not have more sources at our disposal, one could hardly believe that such conditions existed. Today, one sees prosperous lands and lush pastures that are a delight to the eye.
What we have described here is approximately all that is told of the Achterhoek. It is little. However, one must not forget that in 1741, someone from Amsterdam regarded the region we have described as a kind of jungle, which he preferred to stay as far away from as possible. It is therefore quite understandable that in earlier centuries, the population of East Gelre was much more closely related to Germany in economic and geographical terms than to the Dutch West. The attitude of the Germans has brought about a great change in this regard in recent years.
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