Category: Doleantie

Monasso: Italian Terrazzo Workers in Aalten
For more than a century, members of the Monasso family have been crafting terrazzo floors in the Achterhoek. The family ended up in Aalten in 1915, after fleeing from Bocholt, Germany, during World War I. Their origins lie in the Northern Italian region of Friuli.

The family hails from the mountain village of Travesio, in the Friuli region. It was an impoverished area plagued by poor soil, earthquakes, floods, and high taxes. Many inhabitants left to find work elsewhere. Friulians were known as skilled craftsmen—foresters, carpenters, stonemasons, and terrazzo workers.

The First Generation

In 1868, Pietro Monasso married Maria Bortolucci in Travesio. They had three sons and four daughters. All three sons learned the terrazzo craft in Italian cities. One of them, Felice Monasso, was once repairing stairs at St Mark’s in Venice as a boy. He received a banknote worth about twenty guilders—a staggering amount for the time—from the newly arriving Pope Leo XIII. He did not spend it, but kept it as a relic.

The three brothers were Giovanni (1869–1939), Felice (1871–1962), and Antonio (1876–1967). They left Friuli at a young age: Giovanni and Antonio at age eleven, and Felice at fourteen.

The village of Travesio in Friuli, Northern Italy, ca. 1900

Work in Germany

Giovanni travelled with fellow villagers to the Balkans to learn the carpentry trade. Felice worked first in Frankfurt, including at the large Odorico terrazzo company, which employed hundreds of Friulian workers. Giovanni and Antonio later joined him in Germany.

From Frankfurt, the brothers went to Münster, where their cousin Bortolucci ran a terrazzo business. They worked there as master journeymen, and there was plenty of work in Westphalia and the Netherlands. On the advice of their boss, they established themselves in 1896 in Bocholt, just across the border from Aalten. There, they started a terrazzo firm together.

The enterprise flourished. This was the era when wealthy textile barons in Bocholt were building grand houses. With their terrazzo work, the Monassos embellished many a villa on the prestigious Bahnhofstraße. The three families lived together with their staff in a large building on Münsterstraße in Bocholt.

Members of the three Monasso families, the landlord, and journeymen in front of and inside their home on Münsterstraße in Bocholt

The firm ‘Gebrüder Monasso’ had plenty of work, including in the Achterhoek. As early as 1897, they laid a terrazzo floor in the Catholic St George’s Church in Bredevoort.

Aaltensche Courant, 29 October 1898

On 22 November 1899, Giovanni Monasso married Angela Chivilò (1879–1951) in Italy. Together they had four sons and two daughters.

Flight to Aalten (1915)

World War I began on July 28, 1914. Italy sided with the Allies, and the Germans saw this as a betrayal. An anti-Italian atmosphere emerged in Germany. Italian workers were insulted and sometimes even mistreated on construction sites. The three Monasso families decided to flee to Aalten, just across the border in the neutral Netherlands. In effect, they were asylum seekers.

Nieuwe Winterswijksche Courant, 22 May 1915

It was a somber procession that departed Bocholt for Aalten before dawn on 19 May 1915. A horse and cart full of household goods was followed by twenty Italians. Three children remained behind in Bocholt: two because they were too ill to travel and one because he wanted to finish his year at the gymnasium.

In Aalten, they spent the first night at Vultink’s lodging house on Dijkstraat. The following day, Giovanni and Antonio moved into a house on Landstraat, and Felice into Bredevoortsestraatweg. Antonio and his wife found a home on Haartsestraat shortly thereafter. The then Mayor Monnik arranged for residency permits. The children who had stayed behind joined their families later.

A New Life in Aalten

Giovanni demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit by registering within a few days at Sociëteit Schiller, where local businessmen met. His brothers followed a week later. Within a short time, the Monassos were working again. They laid floors in homes, shops, schools, and churches in Aalten and the surrounding area, bringing in skilled terrazzo workers from Italy as staff.

Giovanni Monasso (1869–1939) and his family

They did not yet use machines or electric tools; everything was made by hand. Terrazzo floors were laid on-site, which was arduous work. Stairs, countertops, and other components were made in the workshop using moulds and were subsequently installed in kitchens or halls.

Around 1920, Giovanni established his business on Parallelweg in Aalten. In the mid-1950s, they moved to the adjacent Staringstraat, where a new showroom was opened in 1969.

Felice established a terrazzo business in Winterswijk in 1922; Antonio followed in 1932 with a branch in Doetinchem.

Aalten, 1924 – Members of the Monasso family with a float used in a parade where craftsmen presented themselves

Later Generations

The second and third generations also remained active in the craft. In the decades following World War II, sons and grandsons took over the work. All four of Giovanni’s sons became terrazzo workers and married Dutch women.

Business thrived for decades. In the 1960s and 1970s, demand decreased due to the rise of synthetic floors and steel countertops. Nevertheless, the family business endured. The Monassos combined traditional techniques with modern methods, specialising not only in floors but also in worktops, thresholds, window sills, and restorations.

Current Company in Aalten

In 1982, Richard Monasso, Giovanni’s grandson, took over the company in Aalten. The business moved to Industriestraat. In the 21st century, terrazzo became popular once again. Richard Monasso now works on exclusive projects at home and abroad; his work can be found in a department store in London, a restaurant in Paris, and a villa in Greece.

Willem Monasso

In 1996, Willem Monasso, son of Giovanni Monasso and Angela Chivilò, spoke about his youth:

Wilhelm Franz Joseph (Willem) Monasso (1916–2001) was born in Aalten but returned to Italy with his mother as a child. They lived with an uncle who owned grape plantations. He attended primary school there. He did not learn Italian there, but so-called Furlan, a regional language that differs as much from Italian as Frisian does from Dutch.

At the age of ten, they returned to the Netherlands. Back in Aalten, Willem had to start again in the first grade. He left school after the fourth grade to enter the terrazzo trade.

On his mother’s side, the Monasso family owned a wine bottling plant and a silk plantation. They regularly had barrels of white wine from their region of origin in Italy shipped over. The first barrel always went to the parish priest of Aalten.

During World War II, Willem was the only Aalten resident allowed to have a radio because he held Italian nationality. Naturally, the occupiers did not allow him to listen to the English ‘Oranje’ station, but he did so in secret anyway, along with half the neighborhood.

Willem Monasso could tell captivating stories about his former work in the perfect Aalten dialect. Initially, countertops were made on-site in a formwork built by a carpenter. Later, this was done in the workshop, and they were transported to their destination by a small truck. The terrazzo technique requires great craftsmanship and is incredibly labour-intensive. Throughout the region, many beautiful Monasso floors can still be found in churches, hospitals, monasteries, schools, and scholten farms.
Sources
- Address directory Aalten (1934 & 1967)
- De Gelderlander, 27 November 2018
- Heritage Centre Achterhoek and Liemers
- MijnGelderland.nl – Een familie terrazzowerkers in Aalten
- Monasso.com – History
- OudWinterswijk.nl
- WieWasWie (WhoWasWho)
- “Wortels in de Achterhoek’, door Henk Harmsen, 28 September 1996 [p.13]
19 May 1915
German currency as a daily means of payment
Until the beginning of the 20th century, German money was the daily means of payment in Aalten. This was due on the one hand to the lively trade with Germany and on the other because many residents of Aalten worked in the textile factories in Bocholt. They were paid in German money and put this into circulation in Aalten.

In 1937, G.H. Rots described in a series of articles how things were done in Aalten in former times. For instance, he wrote about the local payment transactions:

“…Speaking of agio, that was caused by the German money that was in circulation here and was the daily means of payment. It was such that Dutch currency was rarely seen. If one needed ‘Dutch money’, for example for taxes, one had to go to a few individuals who ran large businesses to exchange German money. Until the beginning of this century, the circulation of German money in our municipality was still common.

A very rare 20-mark gold coin from 1888, shown here for illustrative purposes.

When the government wanted to take measures to prohibit that circulation, many people resisted. The association ‘Aalten’s Belang’ became involved, and within that association, a fierce struggle arose over the abolition or retention of German money. In Hotel De Roskam, owned by Mr. Voorderman, well-attended meetings were held. Those who conducted a lot of trade with Germany or had German customers in their shops saw a significant disadvantage in the abolition of German money.

That trade with Germany was quite busy. There were almost no border restrictions, and on the Bocholt market days, numerous merchants went there to sell their wares. And those who worked in Germany also naturally received their wages in German money and put this back into circulation in our municipality. One should therefore not think too lightly of it. And at one of the meetings of Aalten’s Belang, it came to heated debates, and even the continued existence of the association was jeopardized as a result of this issue. Finally, the abolition was introduced in July 1914, and the population adapted to it.”

Aaltensche Courant, 29 October 1904

Aaltensche Courant, 26 November 1910

Aaltensche Courant, 2 May 1919
Source
- ‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 31 December 1937 (via Delpher)
1 July 1914
100 Years of Independence
Aaltensche Courant, 30 July 1913

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”.
Source
- Delpher
30 July 1913
Wilhelm Albertus Lammers
Wilhelm Albertus (Willem) Lammers (Aalten, 1857 – Ginneken, 1913) was a Dutch painter with a remarkable specialisation: poultry scenes. Until the end of the 19th century, hardly any attention was paid to the living conditions of poultry. Chickens typically slept in a farm barn or in trees. The painter managed to capture this vividly on canvas.

Lammers was born on 3 April 1857 at the Schulenkamp farm in the Dale hamlet near Aalten, as the son of Albertus Lammers and Theodora Huls. The family moved several times within Aalten – first to Kerkstraat, then to Dijkstraat and Hoekstraat. Willem Lammers was initially a shoemaker by trade. In 1880, he left for Gaanderen, and a few years later, he lived in Amsterdam.

In 1887, the Court-Martial in ‘s-Hertogenbosch sentenced him to four months of military detention for desertion. Upon his registration, his occupation was recorded as painter, his religion as Roman Catholic, his height as 1.66 m, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a curly beard.

On 24 July 1890, Lammers married Wilhelmina van den Akker in Breda. The couple lived briefly in Aalten (Dijkstraat) and moved to Breda in April 1891. Eight children were born there: seven daughters—one of whom was stillborn—and one son. Lammers passed away on 4 February 1913 in Ginneken (municipality of Breda).

Arts

As an artist, Lammers was self-taught. He worked mainly in oil on canvas or panel, mostly in small to medium formats. His scenes depict chickens, chicks, and cockerels in their daily environment: around the feeding area, by the haystack, or inside a barn. He signed his work as “W.A. Lammers”, “W. Lammers”, or with the monogram “W.L.”.

Wilhelm Albertus Lammers (1857–1913)

De Volkskrant, 4 April 1939

Gallery

A selection of the work of Wilhelm Albertus Lammers:

Chicks, chickens, and a cockerel

Stable interior with a farmer’s wife and poultry

A cockerel and three hens

Chickens, a cockerel, and peacocks in the farmyard

Herders with cattle

Cockerels

Poultry in the stable

Small livestock on a farm

Still life of kitchen utensils
Sources
4 February 1913
Herman Driessen
Textile manufacturer

Herman Anton Frans Carl Maria Driessen (Aalten, 1831-09-22 – Aalten, 1911-05-20) was a textile manufacturer of great significance to Aalten’s textile history. He was the son of textile manufacturer Anton Driessen and Isabella Dees. In 1862, he married Anna Maria Theodora Mühren, a merchant’s daughter, in Neuenkirchen near Rheine (Germany).

Around 1863, he and his wife moved into a newly built house on the corner of Landstraat and Hoekstraat, at the location where his father had operated a cotton mill from 1827 to 1862.

In 1893, Herman Driessen retired from the management of Gebroeders Driessen. Together with his son Joseph, he founded a modern steam weaving mill with 34 looms at ‘het Blik’ on Hofstraat: the NV Stoomweverij Herman Driessen & Zoon, often abbreviated as HDZ. Alongside the factory, Herman’s new home was also built: the stately Villa Beukenhof.

Herman Driessen is buried at the old Roman Catholic cemetery on Piet Heinstraat in Aalten.

Aaltensche Courant, 24 May 1911

Maasbode, 24 May 1911
Sources
20 May 1911
Tram line Lichtenvoorde–Bocholt
In 1910, a tram line was opened from Lichtenvoorde to Bocholt, via Bredevoort and Aalten. In 1953, the tram line was discontinued and the tracks were broken up.

Around the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of Aalten residents crossed the border every day to work in one of the textile factories in the neighbouring German city of Bocholt. In all weathers, they travelled on foot, by bicycle, or by horse and carriage. Some took up to three hours to cover the (roughly) ten kilometres between home and work, both in the morning and in the evening!

Plans

As early as 1880, there were plans to extend the Lichtenvoorde–Groenlo tram line to Aalten, Varsseveld, and Terborg. By 1893, there were plans for a horse-drawn tram line from Groenlo to Lichtenvoorde, Bredevoort, Aalten, and Dinxperlo/Bocholt. In 1899, the final plan was eventually drawn up for two steam tram lines: from the Lichtenvoorde-Groenlo station to Zeddam and to Bocholt. To this end, the Geldersch-Westfaalsche Stoomtram-Maatschappij (GWSM) was established in 1905, with its head office in Lichtenvoorde.

The Bocholter Volksblatt wrote on 1 October 1907:

Holländische Arbeiter in Bocholt

“Yesterday evening, a local citizen on his way back from Aalten to Bocholt, as he informs us as a loyal subscriber, took the pleasure of counting the workers returning by bicycle from Bocholt to the border. On his way from the Kreuzkapelle to the Holtwicker Bach, he counted no fewer than 276 cyclists; he also encountered a large wagon which was also transporting workers, estimated at perhaps 40–50. In this respect, therefore, the Bocholt–Aalten light railway certainly does not have such bad prospects for ridership, especially since there will undoubtedly be many more workers who wish to come here for work.”

A year later, on 4 November 1908, the same newspaper wrote:

Dampfeisenbahn Bocholt–Aalten

“After long negotiations, the Bocholt manufacturers and other interested parties have finally succeeded, through the subscription of large sums of money, in ensuring that the Bocholt–Aalten light railway is now being built. It has now been entered into the commercial register of the local district court under Geldersch-Westfälische Dampfeisenbahn-Gesellschaft AG in Lichtenvoorde in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with a branch office in Bocholt. Hundreds of Dutch workers are employed in the local factories, who have had to cover the approximately 3-hour journey to Holland on foot or by bicycle, every morning and evening, in wind and weather. Construction of the railway will be commenced immediately.”

Festive Opening

In 1909, construction of the tram line began. However, the work suffered significant delays as a result of a major flood near Bredevoort that year. Finally, the tram line was festively opened on 29 April 1910.

It soon became apparent that only the Aalten–Bocholt section was a successful part of the GWSM. However, due to the outbreak of World War I, the border crossing was closed, making it impossible for transport to continue from Aalten to Bocholt. When this route was resumed in 1915, there were far fewer passengers than before, and it was therefore shut down completely in 1916.

From the 1920s onwards, passenger services between Aalten and Lichtenvoorde were largely operated by motor trams. This continued until 1933, when buses from the Veldhuis company began operating. After the 1930s, only freight transport proved successful (with the exception of the Aalten–Bocholt section).

In 1953, the tram line came to an end and the rails were broken up.

Features

Function Tram line
Opening 1910
Discontinuation 1953

Sources

Bocholter Volksblatt, 1 October 1907 (link)

Bocholter Volksblatt, 4 November 1908 (link)

Graafschapbode, 19 February 1910 (Delpher)

Topotijdreis

Wikipedia

Steam tram Gelderland No. 406 in Aalten

Steam tram at Aalten train station (photo courtesy of Hans Schutte)

Patrimoniumstraat, Aalten

Graafschapbode, 19 February 1910
Stops

Below is a list of stops between Lichtenvoorde and Bocholt that were located within the municipality of Aalten (click here for a list of all stops):
- Lichtenvoorde
- Barlo, Domme Aanleg
- Barlo, Westendorp
- Bredevoort, Tram station
- Bredevoort, Ruimzicht
- Aalten, “Winterswijk-Bredevoort junction” (near Tolhuisweg?)
- Aalten, Gas works
- Aalten, Tram station
- Aalten, Lurvink
- Aalten, Train station
- Aalten, Vultink
- Heurne, tram station (border crossing)
- Bocholt
29 April 1910
Murder in Aalten
On Sunday evening, 21 November 1909, at around half past nine, a young man was killed at the beginning of Dijkstraat. Four boys and two girls were standing there talking to one another when 23-year-old coppersmith Bernardus Rietberg from Dale joined the group. He began harassing one of the girls, and an altercation ensued. Rietberg then stabbed one of the boys, 20-year-old factory worker Johann Heinrich Kalberg from Liedern (near Bocholt), in the chest with a knife.

While the perpetrator walked home in cold blood, according to newspaper reports, the victim managed to stagger a short distance into Kerkstraat before collapsing. His companions, including his younger brother, carried him inside Bauhuis’s café (Dijkstraat 1). Doctor Van Leuven was summoned in great haste to assist him. However, Kahlberg had been struck in his right lung so severely that nothing more could be done. The badly wounded youth was transported to the hospital on a cart. There, half an hour later and after receiving the Holy Sacraments, he drew his last breath. He had bled to death.

Café Bauhuis, Dijkstraat 5 (right)

Court case

Rietberg was roused from his bed by the police that very same night and taken to prison. The following day, judicial officials from Zutphen arrived in Aalten to investigate. At the end of the afternoon, they returned on the six o’clock train, this time accompanied by the handcuffed suspect. As the train departed, the assembled crowd voiced its fury with loud shouting.

The suspect initially denied that he was the perpetrator and also stated that he did not know the victim. The latter claim was highly doubted. A few days later, De Twentsche Courant reported that Rietberg allegedly had his eye on a sister of Kalberg, but that the latter had opposed it. This was considered a potential motive. However, whether this was a fact or merely a rumour remains unclear. The report of the trial in De Graafschapbode of 15 January 1910 makes no mention of it whatsoever.

Newspapers at the time were able to report that Rietberg had already run afoul of the law in Germany. He had also been previously convicted of assault. It is therefore hardly surprising that he was known in Aalten as an ‘extremely unfavourable’ character. He had reportedly been thrown out of Bauhuis’s café at nine o’clock on the evening of the crime. According to witnesses, however, he did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol.

On 19 January 1910, Rietberg was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for taking the life of Johann Heinrich Kalberg.

National news

The murder in Aalten was national news at the time. The snippets below provide a fairly comprehensive picture of what was published.

Aaltensche Courant, 24 November 1909

Graafschapbode, 15 January 1910
Sources
21 November 1909
Miracle bird shot dead
Het Volksdagblad, 10 August 1907

Mr P., in Aalten, possessed a magnificent specimen of a parrot that had mastered the art of speech. A few days ago, the animal flew away and kept itself near a farmhouse. The bird’s talking led the farmer to believe that a “miracle bird” was threatening his farm, and so, by means of his rifle, he put an end to the bird’s “tasty, eh?” once and for all!

De Graafschapbode, 31 August 1907

A few weeks ago, we also reported on a parrot that had escaped from Mr P. in Aalten and was later shot dead by a farmer who mistook it for a miracle bird. The news made the rounds in several newspapers, and as a result, Mr P. received a letter this week from a lady in The Hague who possessed a “lorry” (parrot) that she was eager to part with. She addressed the letter as follows: — “To Mr P….. in Aalten, where 3 weeks ago the parrot was shot dead.” — The post office, clever as it is, delivered the letter to the correct address, and the lady in question was informed of its safe arrival.

Photo of a parrot, for illustration
Sources
- Het Volksdagblad, 10 August 1907 (via Delpher)
- De Graafschapbode, 31 August 1907 (via Delpher)
10 August 1907

Cross-border workers Aalten-Bocholt around 1900

The German city of Bocholt lies approximately twelve kilometers south of Aalten. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, Bocholt grew into an important center of the textile industry. This flourishing industrial city attracted many workers from the border region. Hundreds of border workers from Aalten, Bredevoort, and surrounding rural districts found employment there, especially in the numerous textile factories and in construction.

In 1904, Prof. Dr. H. Blink wrote: “Every day, as many as 150 workers go from Aalten to Bocholt; rough, large wagons, covered with white hoods in the rain and drawn by two horses, bring the workers to Bocholt every morning and carry them back in the evening.”

Thanks to the Aalten population register, in which the employer was also regularly recorded around 1900, we know of many workers that they worked in Bocholt and for which company.¹

Cross-border workers Aalten-Bocholt – Graafschapbode, 4 December 1897 — *De Graafschapbode, 4 December 1897*

Who were the people working in Bocholt?

In the overview below, you will find the names of many border workers from the municipality of Aalten who were employed in Bocholt around 1900, including their profession and employer. Perhaps some of your ancestors are among them? Please note: this overview is not exhaustive.

Achternaam	Voornaam	Geboortedatum	Beroep	Firma	Woonadres	Woonplaats
Albers	Bernadus Augustinus	23-03-1877	Fabrieksarbeider	Gebr. Weyl	Bodendijk 37	Aalten
Albers	Hermanus	06-02-1866	Wever	Vagedes	Damstr. 9	Aalten
Albers	Jan Willem	25-09-1871	Wever	Vagedes	Damstr. 9	Aalten
Arentsen	Martinus Johannes	02-01-1883	Spinner	Schwartz	Ormelstr. 24	Aalten
Beckers	Hendrik August	20-10-1892	Metselaar (knecht)	Heusinkveld	Koppelstr. 14	Bredevoort
Beckers	Johan Joseph August	19-10-1889	Timmerman (knecht)	Hulskamp	Koppelstr. 14	Bredevoort
Beeks	Hermanus Hendrikus	02-05-1873	Wever	Gebr. Driessen	Polstr. 9	Aalten
Beest, te	Willem	17-02-1887	Bleker	Schwartz	Misterstr. 3	Bredevoort
Beijerink	Gerhard Johannes	27-07-1851	Blauwverver	Frentrop	Bocholtsestr. 50	Heurne
Bennink	Hendrikus Antonius	19-07-1890	Wever	Von Velsen	Lichtenvoordsestr. 7	Aalten
Betting	Hermanus Bernardus	14-06-1871	Wever	Frentrop	Stationsstr. ?	Aalten
Bijen	Hendrikus Johannes	25-12-1886	Tuinman	Vallée	Plein Zuid 3	Aalten
Blekkink	Hendrikus	22-08-1891	Rouwer	Frentrop	Gasthuisstr. 5	Bredevoort
Blekkink	Jan Hendrik	30-10-1892	Wever	Frentrop	Koppelstr. 3	Bredevoort
Blekkink	Tonia Johanna	21-06-1891	Spinner	Malie	Koppelstr. 3	Bredevoort
Bleumink	Hendrik Jan	11-02-1889	Wever	Cosman Cohen	Misterstr. 3	Bredevoort
Boesveld	Gerhard	04-06-1884	Wever	Cosman Cohen	Dijkstr. 1	Aalten
Boschker	Hendrikus Bernardus	28-10-1887	Metselaar	Bisschop	Koppelstr. 12	Bredevoort
Boschker	Theodorus Hendrikus	27-03-1889	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	Koppelstr. 12	Bredevoort
Bretveld	Hendrik	10-08-1849	Landbouwer	Brauerei Tangerding	Grevinkweg 9	Dale
Brinkman	Pieter Johannes	14-02-1881	Spinner	Von Velsen	Lichtenvoordsestr. ?	Aalten
Bröker	Arnoldus Wilhelmus	01-09-1890	Spinner	Schwartz	Steile Dalweg 5	Aalten
Bröker	Gerharda Maria	14-01-1894	Spoeler	Schwartz	Steile Dalweg 5	Aalten
Bröker	Joseph	28-10-1862	Spinner / Krasser / Aanlapper	Driessen / Schwartz	Steile Dalweg 5	Aalten
Brusse	Gerhard	02-04-1890	Wever	Malie	Misterstr. 5	Bredevoort
Buitink	Johannes Hermanus	02-04-1883	Spinner	Schwartz	Hogestr. 35	Aalten
Bulten	Bernard	17-09-1884	Stoker	Gebr. Braunschweig	Staringstr. 15	Aalten
Daniels	Antonius	31-10-1887	Metselaar	?	onbekend	Bredevoort
Duenk	Hendrik Jan	23-09-1858	Opperman	Bierman	Damstr. 24	Aalten
Ebbers	Johannes Bernadus	03-05-1874	Fabrieksarbeider	Gebr. Felix	Bodendijk 1	Aalten
Ebbers	Johannes Wilhelmus	13-02-1875	Wever	Horsmann & Co.	Kerkstr. 7	Bredevoort
Ebbeskamp	Hendrik	12-12-1845	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Ormelstr. 24	Aalten
Elferink	Derk Jan	10-08-1884	Opperman	Beltink	Bredevoortsestr. ?	Aalten
Firing	Johannes Arnoldus	27-03-1879	Schildersknecht	?	Landstr.	Bredevoort
Fleming	Berend Jan	08-01-1866	Grondarbeider	Baron van Diepenbroek	Koppelstr. 3	Bredevoort
Frenken	Johannes Franciscus	31-01-1890	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	‘t Zand ?	Bredevoort
Frenken	Johannes Hendrikus	08-06-1863	Wever	Frentrop	Ambthuiswal 24	Bredevoort
Frenken	Johannes Hendrikus	02-03-1888	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	‘t Zand ?	Bredevoort
Gillesen	Jacob	22-06-1846	Wever	A. & L. Ketteler	Kiefteweg 10	Heurne
Gillesen	Maria	06-07-1872	Wever	A. & L. Ketteler	Kiefteweg 10	Heurne
Griess	Johanna Maria Aleida	01-01-1890	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Landstr. 26	Aalten
Grijsen	Antonie	30-05-1835	Fabrieksarbeider	?	Berkenhovestr. 5	Aalten
Grijsen	Hendrika	27-09-1878	Fabrieksarbeider	Schwartz	Berkenhovestr. 5	Aalten
Harkel, ten	Hendrik Jan	30-04-1852	Houtbewerker	Gebr. Felix	Ormelstr. 26	Aalten
Have, ten	Aleida Hendrika	19-10-1890	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Hozenstr. 22	Bredevoort
Have, ten	Gesina Johanna	10-02-1888	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Hozenstr. 22	Bredevoort
Haverkate	Johannes	03-02-1867	Spoelmeester Spinnerij	Schwartz	Dijkstr. 27	Aalten
Heijnen	Hendrik Jan	04-08-1882	Timmerman (knecht)	?	Varsseveldsestr. ?	Aalten
Heinen	Hendrik Willem	31-03-1891	Schildersknecht	Ten Broeke	Varsseveldsestr. 39	Aalten
Hilbelink	Berend Willem	06-02-1844	Knecht	Brauerei Tangerding	Lankhofstr. 17	Aalten
Hilbelink	Jan Willem	30-11-1885	Wever	Frentrop	Bredevoortsestr.	Aalten
Hoeben	Johannes Chrisostumus	27-06-1882	Polderwerker	Wittag (?)	Prinsenstr.	Aalten
Horn	Hendrik Willem	12-05-1876	Voerknecht	?	Landbouwstraat 3a
Horst, ter	Derk Jan	18-10-1873	Opperman	Vallée	Bredevoortsestr. 48	Aalten
Hubers	Willemina Geertruida	25-09-1865	Spinner	Schwartz	RK Gasthuis	Aalten
Huitink	Jan Willem	15-02-1886	Metselaar (knecht)	?	Varsseveldsestr. ?	Aalten
Jansen	Hendrik Jan	10-03-1866	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	Loohuisweg 28	Haart
Janssen	Gerrit Hendrik	10-07-1889	Verver	Gebr. Braunschweig	Hozenstr. 7	Bredevoort
Janssen	Grada Willemina	23-02-1892	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Hozenstr. 7	Bredevoort
Janssen	Willemina	01-10-1894	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Hozenstr. 7	Bredevoort
Kempers	Cornelis	17-07-1878	Witwever	Mortens (?)	Haartsestr. 21	Aalten
Kempers	Gerrit Willem	20-09-1873	Opperman	Beltink	Haartsestr. 21	Aalten
Kempers	Johan	06-10-1871	Wever	A. Fisser	Willemstr. 13	Aalten
Kempers	Wilhelm	10-07-1875	Wever	Tangerding	Ormelstr. 30	Aalten
Kempink	Jan Berend	11-04-1877	Spinner	Schwartz	Ambthuiswal 24	Bredevoort
Kerkhof, van de	Catharina Elisabeth	26-08-1894	Spinner	Schwartz	RK Gasthuis	Aalten
Klein Essink	Barend Johan	18-08-1875	Metselaar	Bierman	Haartsestr.	Aalten
Kleinhesselink	Johan Cornelis	10-04-1877	Opperman	Bisschop	Lankhofstr. 1	Aalten
Koelman	Hendrikus Wilhelmus	04-01-1890	Schildersknecht	?	Dijkstr. 44	Aalten
Koelman	Johanna Elisabeth	02-10-1884	Spinner	Schwartz	Ormelstr. 15	Aalten
Kolwagen	Everdina Johanna	08-12-1874	Wever	Schwartz	Hogestr. 70	Aalten
Lammers	Lammert Lambertus	19-07-1863	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Koopmanstr. 12	Aalten
Langwerden	Eimbert Bernard	21-05-1859	Krasser	Gebr. Driessen	Trompstr. 9	Aalten
Lankheet	Johanna	24-08-1892	Spinner	Schwartz	Zuiderlaan?	Aalten
Lievers	Hendrikus	15-09-1893	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Ormelstr. 13	Aalten
Lievers	Johanna Geertruida	11-11-1891	Spinner	Von Velsen	Ormelstr. 13	Aalten
Lievers	Willemina	07-04-1894	Spinner	Von Velsen	Parallelweg 14a	Aalten
Lindert, te	Gerrit	27-03-1878	Metselaar	Beltink	Markt 16	Aalten
Magis	Gerrit Willem	22-07-1884	Opperman	?	Oosterkerkstr. 12	Aalten
Meijer	Heinrich	29-08-1878	Wever / Verver	Grote (?)	Dijkstr. 1	Aalten
Meijerman	Derk Willem	13-10-1883	Tuinman	Beckmann	Varsseveldsestr. 11	Aalten
Mengerink	Engbert	09-12-1879	Spinner	Schwartz	Hogestr. 35	Aalten
Mengerink	Gerrit Hendrik	05-06-1889	Fabrieksarbeider	Schwartz	Lankhofstr. 21	Aalten
Mengerink	Willem	13-06-1875	Metselaar	A. Verlee	Lankhofstr.	Aalten
Navis	Derk Jan	04-12-1840	Wever	Beckmann	Hogestr. 63	Aalten
Navis	Gerrit Hendrik	23-12-1890	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Lankhofstr. ?	Aalten
Neerhof	Hendrik Jan	11-03-1884	Wever	de Groot	Ormelstr. 6	Aalten
Neerhof	Herman	05-04-1879	Wever	Grote (?)	Boomkampstr. ?	Aalten
Nijenkamp	Gerrit Jan	18-02-1877	Houtbewerker	Gebr. Felix	Bodendijk 72	Aalten
Nijman	Johanna Geertruida	22-07-1884	Spinner	Rothe Erde	onbekend	Aalten
Oberink	Christiaan	06-05-1892	Spinner	Schwartz	Hogestr. 6	Aalten
Oberink	Hendrikus Jan Willem	29-04-1891	Spinner	Gebr. Driessen	Hogestr. 64	Aalten
Obrink	Jan Hendrik	29-01-1883	Metselaar	Heusinkveld	Hogestr. 64	Aalten
Obrink	Johan Antoon	15-04-1880	Timmerman (knecht)	W. Poel	Prinsenstr. 18	Aalten
Ommering	Hendrik Jan	27-11-1888	Metselaar	?	Dijkstr. 21	Aalten
Oonk	Hendrik	27-04-1871	?	Danner & Doormeijer (?)	Hozenstr. 4	Bredevoort
Peeters	Wilhelmus Johannes Theodorus	30-06-1893	Afzetter	Gebr. Weyl	Landstr. ?	Bredevoort
Peulers	Bernardus Johannes	07-02-1862	Spinner	Schwartz	Willemstr. 13	Aalten
Piek	Gerrit Willem	12-06-1884	Metselaar	Vallée	Lichtenvoordsestr. 15	Aalten
Piek	Hendrik Jan	20-05-1873	Smeerder	Schwartz	Loohuisweg 28	Haart
Prins	Adolf	30-10-1871	Spinner	Schwartz / Von Velsen	Varsseveldsestr. 20	Aalten
Prins	Jan Steven Schaars	27-02-1887	Tuinmanknecht	A. Remmer	Boomkampstr. 24	Aalten
Prinsen	Gerrit Hendrik Willem	22-07-1881	Bierbrouwersknecht	Brauerei Tangerding	Loohuisweg 1	Haart
Rietstap, te	Gerhard	01-06-1886	Metselaar (knecht)	?	Ambthuiswal 14	Bredevoort
Rietstap, te	Johannes Hendrikus	13-04-1892	Metselaar (knecht)	?	Ambthuiswal 14	Bredevoort
Schaapveld	Hendrikus Johannes Arnoldus	19-06-1887	?	Temmink Fietsenhandel	Dijkstr. 27	Aalten
Schenk	Bernard Gerhardus	06-04-1885	Fabrieksarbeider	Buggelink (?)	Molenkampsdijk 11	Aalten
Schepers	Antonij	01-12-1866	Opperman	Vallée	Ormelstr. 16	Aalten
Schepers	Grada Wilhelmina	16-01-1891	Spinner	Von Velsen	Ormelstr. 16	Aalten
Schepers	Jan	27-08-1874	Fabrieksarbeider	Wwe. B. Messing	Ormelstr. 9	Aalten
Schepers	Johanna	12-01-1893	Spinner	Von Velsen	Ormelstr. 16	Aalten
Scholten	Bernardus	29-11-1877	Metselaar	Duys	Boomkampstr. 20	Aalten
Schoppers	Tonij	06-05-1877	Tuinman	Wools	Lichtenvoordsestr. ?	Aalten
Sikking	Hendrikus	04-06-1890	Wever	Wietholt	Kerkstr. 11	Bredevoort
Sligte, te	Hendrik	20-03-1861	Wever	Gebr. Driessen	Dijkstraat 32	Aalten
Stevens	Engelbertus	05-01-1873	Metselaar (knecht)	Vallée	‘t Zand 3	Bredevoort
Stevens	Hendrikus Wilhelmus	21-04-1899	Metselaar (knecht)	Vallée	‘t Zand 3	Bredevoort
Straks	Gerhard Abraham	14-03-1884	Schilder	Bierman	Ormelstr. 18	Aalten
Straks	Gerrit Jan	03-03-1880	Schilder	Graatmann	Ormelstr. 18	Aalten
Stronks	Arent Jan	06-12-1873	Voerman / vrachtrijder	Gebr. Wolf	Dinxperlosestr. 77	Aalten
Stronks	Gerrit Jan	26-11-1867	Landbouwer (knecht)	Brauerei Tangerding	Prinsenstr. 28	Aalten
Tammel	Herman	22-09-1870	Krasser	Beckmann	Steile Dalweg 8?	Aalten
Temming	Bernardus Hendrikus	03-02-1892	Spinner	Gebr. Weyl	Kerkstr. 2	Bredevoort
Toebes	Anton Johann	13-04-1881	Fabrieksarbeider	Hulskamp	Stationsstr. ?	Aalten
Ubbink	Bernardus Johannes	01-07-1862	Timmerman	?	Officierstr. 2	Bredevoort
Ubbink	Gradus Bernadus	28-03-1872	Timmerman (knecht)	Kok	Vischmarkt 3	Bredevoort
Ubbink	Gradus Johannes	06-09-1881	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	Gasthuisstr. 3	Bredevoort
Ubbink	Johannes Josephus	25-08-1886	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	Gasthuisstr. 3	Bredevoort
Uebbing	August Johan	06-12-1893	Wever	Lieprijgh (?)	Misterstr. 21	Bredevoort
Uffink	Hendrikus Johannes	11-10-1877	Wever	Frentrop	Steile Dalweg 8?	Aalten
Veenhuis	Gerrit Jan	16-11-1863	Wever	Frentrop	Landstr. /Stationsstr. ?	Aalten
Veldkamp	Hendrikus Antonius	04-03-1880	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	Landstr. 18	Bredevoort
Verstege	Wilhelmus	22-01-1864	Veldarbeider	Baron van Barlo	Koppelstr. 29	Bredevoort
Vries, de	Bernardus Hendrikus	03-02-1883	Spinner	Von Velsen	Landstr. 20	Bredevoort
Vries, de	Henrich Joseph	01-12-1892	Wever	Frentrop	Landstr. 20	Bredevoort
Vries, de	Johannes Bernardus Josephus	29-12-1881	Spinner	?	Ambthuiswal 16	Bredevoort
Waal, van der	Johannes	24-12-1886	Spinner	Schwartz	Dijkstr. 5?	Aalten
Walvoort	Johannes	14-06-1881	Spinner	Beckmann	Ormelstr. 24	Aalten
Wansing	Wilhelm	06-09-1879	Spinner	Schwartz	Patrimoniumstr. 9	Aalten
Weenink	Johan Gerhard	16-05-1877	Timmerman	Knufman	Loohuisweg 3	Haart
Weikamp	Catharina Johanna	30-10-1876	Wever	Frentrop	Damstr. 22	Aalten
Weikamp	Gerhardus Hendrikus	21-06-1880	Fabrieksarbeider	Rothe Erde	Industriestr. 3	Aalten
Wensing	Bernard Gerhard	13-01-1889	Spinner	Schwartz	Stationsstr. ?	Aalten
Wensing	Hendrika Elisabeth Maria	28-06-1891	Spinner	Rothe Erde	Stationsstr. ?	Aalten
Wensing	Johanna Gesina Maria	11-04-1894	Spinner	Schwartz	Stationsstr. ?	Aalten
Wensink	Franciscus	19-02-1879	Wever	?	Hozenstr. 16	Bredevoort
Wensink	Johannes	24-05-1874	Wever	Frentrop	Vischmarkt 11	Bredevoort
Wensink	Johannes	11-03-1874	Wever	?	Hozenstr. 26	Bredevoort
Wentink	Hendrik Jan	22-05-1893	Spinner	Schwartz	Boomkampstr. ?	Aalten
Wevers	Hendrikus	30-06-1862	Wever	Gebr. Driessen	Dijkstraat 34	Aalten
Wichers	Johannes Theodorus Josephus	25-12-1887	Wever	Cosman Cohen	Landstr. 24	Bredevoort
Wiggemans	Geerart	01-12-1883	Voerman	Osbergen (?)	Varsseveldsestr.	Aalten
Wiltink	Johanna Elisabeth	29-10-1887	Krasser	Gebr. Weyl	Bocholtsestr. 50	Heurne
Wiltink	Johanna Willemina	13-08-1889	Spinner	Rothe Erde	Damstr. 26	Aalten
Wolferink	Herman Bernard	01-12-1884	Spinner	Schwartz	Stationsstr. 29?	Aalten
Wubbels	Bernadus Engelbartus	13-09-1881	Fabrieksarbeider	?	Gasthuisstr. 7	Bredevoort
Wubbels	Bernardus Gerhardus	09-11-1890	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	‘t Zand 19	Bredevoort
Wubbels	Johannes Hendrikus Bernardus	07-07-1889	Wever	Gebr. Braunschweig	‘t Zand 19	Bredevoort
Zeevalk	Harmen	30-10-1870	Metselaar (knecht)	Beltink	Lankhofstr. 2-4	Aalten

Companies in Bocholt

Below is an overview of companies in Bocholt where workers from Aalten were employed around 1900. This list is also incomplete:

Franz Beckmann & Cie.

Cotton mill

Founded in 1895, this firm grew into one of the city’s largest spinning mills. The company was acquired by the firm Flender in 1967. The original factory building has been renovated and restored to its former glory.

🔗 industriewerk.eu

Gebr. Braunschweig

Cotton mill

Founded in 1873 on Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße. In 1897, a dye works and a fabric finishing department were added on Frankenstraße. In 1921, the firm was removed from the commercial register.

🔗 bocholt.de

Gebr. Driessen

Cotton mill

The first large industrial enterprise in Bocholt, founded in 1857. After a fire in 1888, the factory was replaced by a larger new building. The company ceased operations in 1978. The 34-meter-high chimney was preserved and now stands in the middle of the Arkaden shopping center.

🔗 industriewerk.eu

A. & L. Ketteler

Cotton mill

No further information available.

Wwe. B. Messing

Poetswolfabriek

Around 1900, the firm Wwe. B. Messing was active in Bocholt as a producer of cotton waste. The factory was located in the current Weber Quartier, behind the Kinodrom on the river Aa.

🔗 digital.slub-dresden.de

Albin Tangerding & Comp.

Fur weaving mill

Founded in 1864. No further information available.

Brauerei Tangerding

Steam beer brewery

The Hirsch-Brauerei of Franz Tangerding in Bocholt-Stenern produced various types of beer, soft drinks, and fruit lemonades. The ruins of the original brewhouse from 1896 are still present on the former brewery site.

🔗 marius-lange-geschichte.de & tus-stenern.de

Gebr. Weyl

Steam weaving mill

“At the entrance of the current Karolingerstraße stood the factory of Cosman Cohen, and further south were the factories of Gebr. Weyl and Braunschweig.”

🔗 st-josef-bocholt.de

J. Beckmann

Weaving mill

In 1859, Josef Philipp Beckmann started a steam weaving mill on Kreuzstraße with his sons. In 1891, the company split into J. Beckmann Nachfolger and Heinrich Beckmann Söhne. Both companies later merged again into IBENA.

🔗 ibena.de

Cosman Cohen & Comp.

Weaving mill

Founded in 1862 on Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße. In 1897, the factory burned down. A new factory was built at Industriestraße 7. In 1929, the weaving mill was sold to the neighboring company H. Beckmann Söhne and is now owned by IBENA.

🔗 ibena.de

Gebr. Felix

Steam-powered sawmill

No further information available.

Frentrop & Co.

Steam weaving mill

No further information available.

Rothe Erde

Cotton mill

In 1898, the Aktiengesellschaft Baumwollspinnerei Rothe Erde had a factory built between Werther Straße and the Aa. The spinning mill with the adjacent weaving mill was one of the largest companies in the city.

🔗 industriewerk.eu

Ludwig Schwartz

Textile factory

From 1857, Ludwig Schwartz had several steam weaving and spinning mills built on his estate Haus Woord. After his death, the company was continued by his widow Theodora Schwartz and later by their sons. The firm ended its activities in 1971. The current Schwartzstraße in Bocholt serves as a reminder of this textile enterprise.

🔗 wikipedia.org

Vagedes

Weaving mill

The firm Vagedes was located in the Biemenhorst district. In 1990, the company was on the verge of liquidation. Two former employees then founded Setex-Textil and continued Vagedes’ activities.

🔗 wikipedia.org

August Vallée

Construction company

No further information available.

🔗 presse-service.de

Von Velsen & Cie.

Cotton mill

In 1889, Max Hugo von Velsen, former director of Ludwig Schwartz’s spinning mill, founded his own cotton spinning mill. The factory, located between the Westend and the river Aa, included a spinning mill, twisting mill, and finishing department. The company closed in 1934.

🔗 explore.gnd.network & bocholt.de

Factory locations

Below you will find a map showing the (presumed) locations of the aforementioned factories in Bocholt.

Interesting facts

Commuters from Aalten crossed the border six days a week, mostly on foot, by bicycle, or by horse and carriage. In 1910, relief came with the construction of a tram line between Aalten and Bocholt, which significantly shortened travel time. Working days were long: 12 to 14 hours was no exception.

Border workers from Aalten received their wages in German Marks. This money was circulated in the local Aalten economy. Around 1900, German money was therefore the daily currency in Aalten. However, this was formally prohibited in 1914.

A local branch of a German textile union was even active in Aalten, the Zentralverband Christliche Textilarbeiter, Ortsgruppe Aalten.

Those who wish to learn more about the history of the textile industry in Bocholt can visit the LWL-Museum Textilwerk. Here, the city’s rich textile past is brought to life with original machinery and various exhibitions.

Sources

Heritage Centre Achterhoek & Liemers ↩︎

15 May 1905

Reformed Almshouse
Haartsestraat 14-18, Aalten

The Almshouse (‘Gasthuis’) was an institution run by the Reformed diaconate (charitable board) located on what was then Gasthuisstraat, now known as Haartsestraat, in Aalten.

On the 1832 land registry map (cadastre) shown on the right, the exact location is visible, situated approximately where Haartsestraat 14 to 18 stands today.

Bovenstaande foto toont de Gasthuisstraat rond 1900. Rechts, voorbij de burgemeesterswoning – het latere postkantoor – zien we nog net een gedeelte van het Gasthuis. Helemaal achteraan zien we ook nog net het Luutenshuus.

The Almshouse contained ten rooms on the street side and ten on the garden side, each with a floor area of 17 to 22 m². Each room was equipped with two box-beds (bedsteden). Occupants shared a privaat (toilet) between several rooms. In the garden, many residents also kept a ‘sikkestal’ (a small shed for a goat).

The residents were not only among the poorest members of the population but were also generally the least educated. Consequently, the Almshouse and its surroundings were frequently the scene of shouting matches and petty quarrels. The residents were often the targets of harassment by the local youth of Aalten.

One of the residents would deliver wheelbarrows of fine white sand door-to-door for a penny, which people used to strew across their stone floors. Once he had earned a few pence, he would quickly spend it on a borrel (a small glass of gin) before starting to ‘save up’ for the next one.

In 1904 werd het Gasthuis afgebroken. De oudjes er op dat moment nog woonden verhuisden naar het Rusthuis aan de Hogestraat.

Owners

This overview is incomplete.

Year Plot Owner Description
1832 I1116 – I1135 the Reformed Poor of Aalten

House Numbering

In the population register, every room or household is listed on a separate family card. The overview below provides links to the first family card in the population register for each period that corresponds to the almshouse on Haartsestraat. From there, one can browse further to find all residents for that specific timeframe.

An extensive table listing all residents is planned for the future to assist genealogists in identifying former occupants. Please note: records may contain errors.

1823 1838 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900
235 263 263 263 290 333 329 395

Catholic Almshouse

Aalten had vroeger ook nog een katholiek gasthuis. Het Armenpad tussen de Hogestraat en de Stationsstraat, één van de typisch Aaltense Gängeskes, herinnert hier nog aan.

Features

Cadastral no. I-8761/8762/
13144/13140
Function Almshouse
Year of construction unknown
Demolition 1904

Land Registry 1832, Source: hisgis.nl

Fragment cadastral map, 1905

Zutphensche Courant, 19 March 1883

Nieuwe Winterswijksche Courant, 25 May 1904

Aaltensche Courant, 9 July 1904
Sources
- Aaltensche Courant, 9 July 1904 (Delpher)
- ‘Aalten in oude ansichten’ – part 2, E.M. Smilda
- ECAL
- Cadastral map
- Nieuwe Winterswijksche courant, 25 May 1904 (Delpher)
- ‘From Aalten’s past’, G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 19 November 1937 (Delpher)
9 July 1904
Plans for a steam tram line
Aaltensche Courant, 29 September 1900

Steam tram Gelderland No. 406 in Aalten

On Friday evening, approximately 40 interested parties gathered at the Sociëteit to learn more about the tram, while most also appeared to have come to contribute to its realization by purchasing shares.

In response to a question from one of those present as to whether the Prussian government would also provide a subsidy for the section on German territory, the answer was believed to be in the negative. The desirability of a connection to the station in Bocholt was also discussed, but it was thought that the residents of Bocholt would see to this themselves once the line was established. Another expressed doubt about this, as much expense is currently being spent on the Aa and it is not being counted upon, so that many costs would arise from it later.

These and several other points were discussed following the reading of the report, of which we provide some excerpts here:

On February 19 last, a route map with description was sent to His Excellency the Minister of Water Management, Trade and Industry, and in an accompanying address, support was requested for one-third of the construction costs, including rolling stock. The plans, budget, description, etc., of the Dutch-Prussian border–Bocholt steam tram section were prepared by Mr. Regierungsbaumeister G. Küchler, and these documents have been sent to the Mr. Regierungsrath-Präsident in Munster; we have already received word that these documents were submitted to the Mr. Landrath in Borken and to the Mayor of Bocholt for assessment, etc. The “landespolizeiliche Vorprüfung” (state police preliminary examination) of the plans by the relevant authorities took place on Monday, August 27 last.

The choice of the direction for the Lichtenvoorde–Dutch-Prussian border line gave rise to some difficulties. In the first place, we considered it important to include Bredevoort in the plan; to satisfy this, the purchase of a house in the center of the village was necessary. Before marking out the line through Bredevoort, we secured possession of a portion of the house.

Secondly, whether to go around or through Aalten. After various leveling surveys were conducted near and in Aalten, we became convinced that, in view of the steep slopes which would later present many difficulties during the operation of the steam tramway, the route to the east of Aalten should be preferred over the one through the center of the municipality. There was much opposition to that direction from the Municipal Executive of Aalten and private individuals. After discussions with a Committee from the Council, it was again investigated how the objections could be met.

The result was that two new directions were submitted to the Council for judgment. These directions could likewise not obtain the approval of that Council; it maintained its desire that the steam tramway should, if possible, be constructed through the Kerkstraat. After we had the requested route through the Kerkstraat surveyed again, and although it has once more become apparent to us that the consequences of more expensive operation with this route will be inevitable, we felt that, in view of the success of the undertaking, we had to yield to the wish of the Municipal Executive of Aalten.

Tram stop Domme Aanleg

As a result of these considerations, the Lichtenvoorde–Bocholt route will be as follows: The line begins at the junction formed by the Lichtenvoorde–Groenlo gravel road and the Lichtenvoorde–Aalten gravel road, so that a connection is obtained both in the direction of Lichtenvoorde N.W.S. station and in the direction of Zeddam. From the aforementioned junction, the tram line follows the right shoulder of the gravel road to Aalten as far as the “de Domme Aanleg” inn, from there the right shoulder of the gravel road to Bredevoort until approximately 100 meters before the “het Nieuwe Bouwhuis” farm, where it crosses the road and leaves it to continue on its own track in a nearly easterly direction. Then, turning southwards, the Kloosterdijk is crossed and the tramway returns to the left shoulder approximately 300 meters before the center of Bredevoort. The line runs through Bredevoort and leaves the town via the southern shoulder of the gravel road to Aalten. Thereafter across the Markt through the Kerkstraat, subsequently following the east side of the Bocholterweg. Near the border, the road is crossed and the west side of the road is followed on German territory until Bocholt.

A customs station will be established on both Dutch and German territory. At the western end of the village of Lichtenvoorde, a shed for locomotives and carriages will be built, with a workshop and residence (also an office), furthermore a station and goods shed along with a residence for the station master; near Zeddam, an auxiliary shed for locomotives and carriages has been designed. In Aalten and Bocholt, sheds for locomotives and carriages will also be built. In addition to the aforementioned locations, passing places have been designed near Harreveld, in the Heelweg, Varsseveld, Westendorp, and Etten. Furthermore in Bredevoort and at the Dutch-Prussian border. In Lichtenvoorde, Varsseveld, Zeddam, Aalten, and Bocholt, simple facilities will be made for the water supply of the locomotives, as well as halt buildings, etc., where these shall later prove necessary.

A telephone line will be installed along the designed tram lines (of which, however, the public may not make use for the time being).

Tram station Aalten

It is proposed to acquire: 8 locomotives, 10 passenger carriages, and 45 goods wagons. Negotiations have been opened with the Geldersche Stoomtram-Maatschappij in Doetinchem regarding the shared use of the section of that Company’s steam tramway and of the Gendringen tramway company near Terborg, while negotiations are also being conducted with the “Ouden IJssel” Water Board and with the managers of the Terborg–Etten road regarding the conditions for the steam tram crossing the Ouden IJssel bridge.

We have contacted the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij in Amsterdam regarding the crossing of the G.-O. local railway at Aalten and at Terborg and regarding the laying of rails on the station yard at Lichtenvoorde.

The construction costs for the Lichtenvoorde–Zeddam line are estimated at ƒ453,000, from which interest-free advances from the state and province amounting to ƒ196,300 are deducted, so that a share capital of ƒ260,000 in round figures must be found. Those for the Lichtenvoorde–Bocholt line are estimated at ƒ360,000. It is expected that the state and province will grant an interest-free advance totaling ƒ104,000, so that for this line too, a capital of ƒ260,000 in round figures must be found. During the first twenty years, an interest of 3¼% per annum is guaranteed on the corporate capital of ƒ520,000 through the already promised and the yet to be requested interest guarantee of ƒ16,900.

Since very early times, many commercial relations have existed between the municipalities of Lichtenvoorde, Aalten, and Bocholt, and that these have not yet disappeared but continue to exist is evident from the substantial receipts (± M. 80,000) of the German border office. At this moment, a large number of workers from Bredevoort and Aalten go to the factories in Bocholt, either on foot, by bicycle, or by wagon. These workers will undoubtedly make use of the tram if worker trains run, because they will then not need to set out before dawn and can be home again in good time in the evening. Daily transport of at least 200 workers to Bocholt can be confidently counted upon, in addition to a significant transport of foodstuffs to Prussia. The city of Bocholt is a very flourishing manufacturing town with an ever-growing population. Significant traffic between Aalten and Bocholt is to be expected.

The designed steam tram lines can, as far as location etc. is concerned, be considered approximately equal to the Gendringen Tramway. According to the report of the Director of the Geldersche Stoomtram-Maatschappij (operator of the Terborg–Gendringen steam tramway), the receipts of the said tramway for the 1899/00 financial year per day-kilometer were: passengers ƒ2.76, goods ƒ3.49, totaling ƒ6.25.

Although we can find no reason to expect lower revenue for the designed lines, we wish, for the sake of caution, to reduce the revenue per day-kilometer of Terborg–Gendringen of ƒ6.25 by 25%, thus taking ƒ4.69 as the standard for the new lines, making for 49.2 kilometers x ƒ4.69 x 365 days (rounded) ƒ84,300; the operating costs, generously estimated, will amount to ƒ50,200, and depreciation of 1% of construction ƒ8,100, totaling ƒ58,300, so that a credit balance of ƒ26,000 remains, i.e., 5% of the share capital.

From the foregoing it may therefore appear that, even if the outcome in the first years should not be as favorable as can be deduced from the fairly accurate calculations, the undertaking will prove to be a fairly solid investment for the shareholders, and for the region a pleasant and fast means of transport, which will certainly give a powerful boost to the development of local and tourist traffic and cause trade and industry to increase.
The name shall be: Geldersch-Westfaalsche Stoomtramweg-Maatschappij.

After some discussion among themselves, several lists placed on the various tables were taken up and filled in, but the request was made to see the list on which the members of the committee had signed, and a number of persons then placed their signatures on it with the number of shares to be taken. The list was read out upon request, and it then appeared that an amount of ƒ24,500 had been subscribed.

When the members of the committee, in response to the question from Mr. W.H. Lammers, declared that they did not intend to go around to the residents with the lists in order to place even more shares, the latter thought that not much would come of the matter. He and a few other gentlemen, however, declared themselves willing to take lists with them to attempt to further increase the number of shares placed, after which the meeting was closed.

N.B. The photos on this page have been added for illustration purposes and were not part of the original article.
Source
- Delpher
29 September 1900

Year	Plot	Owner	Description
1832	I1116 – I1135	the Reformed Poor of Aalten

1823	1838	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900
235	263	263	263	290	333	329	395

Roman Catholic Almshouse

Armenpad / Hogestraat, Aalten

Het Armenpad, dat de Hogestraat en de Stationsstraat met elkaar verbindt, is één van de typisch Aaltense Gängeskes. De naam herinnert aan het rooms-katholieke gasthuis (armenhuis) dat hier ooit stond.

Dit armenhuis bestond uit acht kamers van elk 4 bij 4 meter en stond op grond van Dr. Hartman. De bewoners ontvingen steun van de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk, die hen voorzag van kleding en voedsel. Daarnaast hadden ze een klein tuintje, waarin ze bijvoorbeeld een geit konden houden. In 1937 kwam er een einde aan het gasthuis, toen de familie Hartman besloot de bewoners niet langer op hun grond te laten wonen.¹

Around 1912, the eight dwellings were reconfigured into four dwellings.

Behalve het katholieke gasthuis had Aalten vroeger ook een hervormd gasthuis aan de huidige Haartsestraat.

Newspaper reports ²

Features

Cadastral No.³	I-11345
Function	Almshouse
Year of construction	1860
Demolition	1937

Owners

Overview is incomplete.

Year	Plot	Owner	Description
1860	I-2540-2547	the Roman Cath. poor of Aalten	14 m² house-yard (8x)
1883	I-2540 (87) I-2541 (87a) I-2542 (87b) I-2543 (87c) I-2544 (87d) I-2545 (87e) I-2546 (87f) I-2547 (87g)	the Roman Cath. poor of Aalten	14 m² house & yard (8x) including house numbers, between brackets after plot number)
1894	I-4581	the Roman Cath. poor of Aalten	1.600 m² almshouse, barn & yard
1913	I-4581	the Roman Cath. poor of Aalten	1,700 m² house, almshouse, barn and yard
1914	I-5615 I-5616	the Roman Cath. poor of Aalten	40 m² almshouse 1.660 m² house, barn and farmland

Residents

The overview below contains a link to the corresponding family card in the population register for each period and room/household from 1860 to 1910.⁵ ⁶ What we noticed: it appears that residents occasionally changed rooms; the residents were mostly single women (widows); and many had Bocholt as their place of birth. Our research is still ongoing, errors excepted!

1860	Resident(s)	1870	Resident(s)	1880	Resident(s)	1890	Resident(s)	1900	Resident(s)	1910	Resident(s)	1934	Resident(s)
88	M. Kalb, A. Huls	87/1	A. Huls	97/1	A. Bekink, J.A.H. Bloemers	90/1	J.A.H. Bloemer, J.G. Stritholt, B.J.M. Berendsen & 5 kinderen	112/1	J.A.H. Bloemer	A142/1		A143a
		87/2	A.H. Huitink	97/2	A.H. Huitink	90/2	J.A.H. Bloemer	112/2	E. Geuring	A142/2	A.J. Hubers	A143b	A.J. Hubers
88	H. Buiel, G. Veenhuis	87/3	G. Veenhuis, J.A.H. Bloemers	97/3	W. Jansen	90/3	J. Stöckert, J.C. Antink	112/3	J.G. Stritholt	A142/3	M.M. Boekwinkel	A143c	Wed. A.H. Sauer
89	H. Unland	87/4	H. Unland	97/4	H. Unland	90/4	P. Lorijn, J.G. Stritholt	112/4	T. Huls	A142/4		A143d	Wed. J.G. Albers
89	L. ten Haken	87/5	L. ten Haken, A. Bekink	97/5	Harmina Bennink	90/5	H. Bennink, T. Huls	112/5	No mention (found).	A142/5
89	J.E. Benning	87/6	J.E. Benning, J.E. Bokkers	97/6	J.A.H. Bloemer	90/6	C. Bartholomeus, E. Geuring	112/6	A.E. Doinck, A.J. Hubers & W.G. Hubers	A142/6
				97/7	J.E. Bokkers	90/7	No mention (found).	112/7	Harm Bakker
		87/6	A.H.E. Gintherr	97/8	A.H.E. Gintherr	90/8	A.E. Doinck	112/8	No mention (found).

Sources

R. de Boer, in response to Facebook page Old Aalten ↩︎
Delpher ↩︎
Cadastral map ↩︎
Land Registry ↩︎
WieWasWie (WhoWasWho) ↩︎
ECAL ↩︎

1 January 1900

Aalten gets electricity
Aaltensche Courant, 18 February 1899

All sorts of true and false rumors regarding the establishment of an electric factory in the municipality of Aalten are going around; for which reason it may be well to bring the following to the public’s attention. The Company “De Laval” in Amsterdam does indeed have the plan to establish an installation for light and power transmission in the municipality of Aalten.

Last week, it already sent its engineers for preliminary discussions and investigations, for which purpose those gentlemen also had a lengthy interview with our honorable Mayor.

Is such an installation of importance to the municipality of Aalten? It is well known enough that electric lighting is not only beautiful and convenient, but also greatly reduces the fire hazard.

“Yes, but the costs! Electric lighting will cost the municipality money!”

Mr. Rittershaussen, engineer of the “De Laval” Company, declared to the undersigned that his Company will provide electric lighting for the municipality for the same price that petroleum lighting currently costs. Thus, better lighting without additional costs.

“But, for private individuals, that new light will be too expensive!”

Philips light bulb advert

The engineer assured that for ƒ 12.00 per year, which is just over three cents per day, one can burn a lamp of sufficient intensity to one’s heart’s content; if desired, the Company will also install a lamp in the bedroom, which can be used alternately with the lamp in the living room without a price increase. With such an arrangement, the costs of a meter are saved.

“But that business will not be able to exist here!”

Mr. Rittershaussen answers that if it encounters no opposition, his Company will have the installation ready within six months, and he is certain that within two years it will have placed enough lamps in Aalten and Bredevoort to run its business successfully. He considers it entirely unnecessary to request applications for connections beforehand. However, of even greater importance to our municipality is that the “De Laval” Company, alongside electric lighting, also provides the opportunity for anyone who so desires to rent power to set machines in motion.

In this way, small-scale industry, which is slowly perishing due to competition with the steam factories in our municipality as elsewhere, will be able to flourish vigorously once again. Wood, pipe, and button turners, millers and flour manufacturers, tobacco carvers, wood sawyers, printers, shoemakers, laundries—in a word, all who need driving power for their business—can be enabled by the electrical installation to withstand the competition without great difficulties.

The aforementioned engineer declared that his Company is also inclined to establish the long-desired Lievelde–Bocholt tram connection through the construction and operation of an electric tram. That the Company, in its application for concessions, is not seeking to make money from such concessions but to actually carry out the plans, is evident from the fact that it already has over 1,500 Laval Turbines with approximately 33,000 effective horsepower in operation.

From all this, it is clear of what importance an electrical installation for light and power transmission is for our municipality.

With polite thanks for the publication, I have the honor to be, Mr. Editor,

your humble servant
B.S. MULDER, Pastor.
Bredevoort, Feb 15. 1899.

Aaltensche Courant, 9 September 1899

Letter to the Editor – A contribution and explanation regarding the electric lighting of Aalten and Bredevoort.

The editorial team accepts no responsibility.

It is now several months ago that the Company “de Laval” in Amsterdam made the plan to provide our municipality with electric light and electric power transmission to give the residents the opportunity to light their houses beautifully, cheaply, and conveniently, but above all to expand or facilitate their industry by means of electricity. After all, this saves a lot of labor and allows one to work much more cheaply than by means of steam engines or motors, which are relatively expensive and involve a lot of labor.

Our esteemed Municipal Council has devoted several sessions to whether or not to grant permission for the establishment of this institution, which is so useful for our municipality. However, nothing has been decided so far and, in my opinion, matters are worse than a few months ago, for delay so easily becomes cancellation, and thus we would cause ourselves harm. The main reason for this standstill, however, is that some Council members are under the misconception that electric light would be dangerous; even Council member Mr. Th. Driessen is of this opinion, although his factory is lit by electricity.

The opposite is true, however; let the following serve as proof:

1°. Electric light can be provided by means of cables which are insulated, i.e., by cables which are so wound or covered that they do not present the slightest danger upon contact with humans or animals. Therefore, there is no danger from this side in laying cables from Bredevoort to Aalten and vice versa, or in making conduits along the houses in Aalten and Bredevoort.

2°. When connecting the buildings to be lit with the main cable, the greatest precaution is observed by placing a piece of lead wire or other soft metal at the point where the current enters the house, through which the current enters the house. If the current becomes too strong, the inserted soft metal melts and all danger (which, incidentally, is not great or dangerous) has vanished. By means of another piece of soft metal, one can easily bring the meanwhile tempered current into contact with the lamps.

3°. Electric light is actually only a current passing through very thin wire, which wire is located in a vacuum glass bulb or pear. Should this bulb or pear break, that thin wire immediately comes into contact with the air; it carbonizes in a minimum of time, whereby the current is broken and no more danger is present.

I believe I have sufficiently proven herewith that electric light does not present the slightest danger, but does bring a very great advantage; for the sometimes very high prices of petroleum remain without influence on our municipality and, moreover, one can have beautiful light for the very low price of ƒ 12 for the entire year, and everything works very easily, namely by simply pulling a lever, and everything is ready.

The greatest advantage, however, lies in the fact that one can drive all kinds of machinery by means of electric power, not to mention a tram. It can serve to set in motion looms, lathes, mills, etc. etc., as is already widely done in Germany. Only by means of electricity can one nickel-plate and gild cheaply and beautifully, and light various apparatus such as large microscopes etc. by means of carbon rods.

Proof enough that electric light and power transmission is not only advantageous but highly desirable for our municipality. Everywhere in Germany one finds electric trams, which even run along cables that are not insulated, as for example in Duisburg, Oberhausen and surroundings and from Krefeld to Dusseldorf etc.; furthermore, one also has electric light and electric labor everywhere there.

I hope and expect that Mr. Driessen, as well as the entire Council, has come to other views and that after the next council meeting an affirmative answer be sent to the Company “de Laval,” so that delay here does not become a refusal. Should the Council, however, not be convinced or not believe these proofs, then I hope they will go and take a look at the specified German places.

Bredevoort, Sept 4, 1899.
a QUERCU.

Arnhemsche Courant, 19 February 1900

Aalten, Feb 17. – A concession has been granted to the firm Hofstede Crull, in Borne, by the Council of Aalten for the installation of electric lighting there.

‘The coming light’ – De Nieuwe Aaltensche Courant, June 29, 1923 (click to enlarge)
Sources
- Aaltensche Courant, 18 February 1899 (Delpher)
- Aaltensche Courant, 9 September 1899 (Delpher)
- Arnhemsche Courant, 19 February 1900 (Delpher)
- De Nieuwe Aaltensche Courant, 29 June 1923 (Delpher)
18 February 1899
Vagrant from Bredevoort sent to Veenhuizen as punishment
Bernardus Hendrikus Bloemers was born on March 12, 1845, in Bredevoort, house number 7a, in the vicinity of the Misterstraat and Bekendijk. He was a son of Johannes Arnoldus Hendrikus Bloemers and Theodora Sessink. The family lived briefly on the Ambthuiswal, but departed for Terborg in December 1847.

Bernard’s life was no bed of roses. In 1896, he was arrested for vagrancy and, as punishment, admitted to the State Workhouse Veenhuizen I in Drenthe.

A wandering existence

The population register shows that Bernard certainly did not lead a settled life. From the age of sixteen, he stayed in numerous places, interspersed in his younger years with temporary returns to the parental home in Terborg:
- 1861–1862: ‘Esheren in Prussia’ (Esserden near Rees?)
- 1862–1864: Vethuizen, municipality of Bergh, as a farmhand on a farm
- 1867: Tegelen, Limburg
- 1867–1868: Beek near Sterkrade in Prussia (now Duisburg-Beeck)
- 1869: to Sterkrade again
- 1870: working as an iron molder near Ulft, after which he left for Isselburg
- 1872: Liège, Belgium.
Around 1873, Bernard married Johanna Francina Kok, born on January 21, 1848, in Oer near Ulft, presumably in Dinslaken. In 1877, he was recorded as “Bernardus Hendrikus Blummer” in the population register of Oosterhout near Tilburg, where he lived with his family, with the profession of sand molder. A few years later, they lived in Nijmegen, on the Steenstraat.

As far as is known, the couple had four sons:
1. Johannes Hermanus (Dinslaken, 1874 – 1876)
2. Johannes Arnoldus (Dinslaken, 1875)
3. Johannes Hermanus (Oosterhout, 1877 – Rotterdam, 1962)
4. Bernardus (Nijmegen, 1880 – Rotterdam, 1949).
In December 1883, the family left for Breda, and only a month later for ‘s-Hertogenbosch. In the population register, there is a difficult-to-read note behind Bernard’s name, possibly: “tried on October 9, 1884, in Utrecht”. Later, the family appeared in Rotterdam, where they seemed to settle permanently. Johanna passed away there in 1909.

It is striking that Bernard reappeared in Nijmegen in 1895 — without his family, coming from Zwolle. Why he left his family remains a matter of speculation. Poverty likely played a significant role. The frequent moves possibly point to an uncertain existence, in which one constantly sought better prospects — or fled from debts and problems.

In any case, Bernard’s life was no bed of roses, and the fact that he had fallen on hard times was confirmed shortly thereafter.
Description card of Bernardus Hendrikus Bloemers, Veenhuizen I, June 22, 1896

Admission to Veenhuizen

On June 22, 1896, Bernard was admitted to the Veenhuizen I State Workhouse for vagrancy. Upon entry, a description card was drawn up, featuring photographs, fingerprints, and a precise description of his appearance.

It is also mentioned that at that time he had no fixed place of residence (Nijmegen was noted as his last place of residence). His profession was ‘iron molder’, he had no identity papers, and was unmarried (!). He had been convicted of vagrancy in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. He had already been convicted twice before for the same offense.

The description card contains a detailed account of his physical characteristics, including his height (1 meter 51.9). His nose was broad, protruding, ‘with much blood showing through from below’ and with a scar on the right nostril.

What happened to Bernard after that remains unknown. We do not know if he ever left Veenhuizen, nor where or when he died.

Stay in the State Workhouse in Veenhuizen

Dormitory Veenhuizen (photo: Prison Museum)

State Workhouse Veenhuizen 1 (the First Asylum) was a closed penal institution for men who had been convicted of begging or vagrancy. In this large-scale complex, discipline and labor were central.

The purpose of the institution was not only retribution, but also to effectively “combat vagrancy and begging” by purging society of individuals considered a nuisance and instilling discipline in them through forced labor.

Daily life was strict and sober under a military regime. Violations of the internal rules were punished with a stay in the punishment cell or a reduction in rations. The residents, referred to as wards, wore mandatory asylum clothing, slept in large communal wards, and were put to work six days a week. The labor consisted of heavy land reclamation on the heath or indoor work in workshops, such as weaving mats and repairing mailbags.
Sources
22 June 1896
Indian stories
In the course of the 19th century , more than 1500 people from Aalten emigrated to the United States. Many of them settled in Sheboygan County in the state of Wisconsin. Some later moved further west, to states such as Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wyoming. These areas had been inhabited for centuries by indigenous peoples, then called “Indians”. This sometimes led to tensions, as is evident from a story of the Somsen family, whose ancestors came from Aalten.

Immigrants and indigenous inhabitants regularly lived close to each other and also traded. Indigenous inhabitants exchanged fur for blankets, tobacco or other goods. Sometimes there were also conflicts between the original and the new inhabitants, especially over land, cattle or other possessions. In that context, the following family story from the descendants of an emigrant family in Aalten takes place.

The disputed horse of Henry Somsen

Henry John Somsen (1852–1936)

Hendrik Jan Somsen and Johanna Berendina Rensink, from the Japikshuis in IJzerlo, emigrated to America in 1851 with their four children and settled in Sheboygan. Their fifth child was born there in 1852: Henry John.

Around 1890, Henry lived with his family on a farm about ten miles north of Cokeville in the state of Wyoming. During that period, an incident took place with a group of indigenous inhabitants. His daughter Olive Somsen later described this in a biography of her father:

One day, Henry and his wife were away from home, while their three eldest children – Henry of twelve, Olive of ten and Frank of eight – had to look after the house.

A group of Indians stopped near the house. One of them came to the house and declared that a certain horse in the meadow belonged to him, and when they left he wanted to take the horse with him. The children knew that their father had bought the animal from a Native American trader a few days earlier, and they were determined not to let the horse be taken.

Frank, the youngest, climbed on the horse and rode it to the river, where he hid among the willow bushes. His little sister Olive hid in the cellar, while the eldest son, Henry, mounted another horse and rushed to Cokeville, where his parents were; about ten miles south.

The main group of Indians took the road to Cokeville, while two went along the river in search of Frank with the horse. They found him and, while holding bows and arrows at the ready, forced him to ride in front of them.

Eldest son Henry arrived in Cokeville after a quick drive and warned his father. Shortly afterwards they drove back to the farm with a number of armed men. On the way they met the group of Indians, with Frank on the horse in front.

They urged the Indians to stop and listened to their story. It is possible that the Indian, who had sold the horse to Somsen, had stolen it from the Indian who now claimed it. Anyway, they arrested the entire group and took them to Cokeville. The next day, their case went to court. He decided that Somsen would keep his horse and the Indian was assigned another horse.

Do you also know a story of an emigrant family from Aalten? Let us know!
Sources
- Around the old St. Helena’s Church, J.G. ter Horst, E.M. Smilda, 1986
1 July 1890
The Ecclesiastical Situation in Aalten
De Graafschapbode, 19 March 1887

Every now and then, the newspapers report fragments about the withdrawal of Gangel with his consistory, of suspension, dismissal, the keeping of church doors closed, riot, soldiers, hussars, etc., etc., and with all that, the matter continues at a snail’s pace. When will this change? One says it will remain so, another that the church may well remain closed for another 6 weeks, a third speaks of compromising, but despite all that: no progress is made. What can be done about this?

A clear explanation of the matters, decisive action, indeed taking possession of the church. All well and good, but show us the way to achieve this. Well, through this writing, we wish to attempt to set you on the right track and point out the path the congregation must take.

Mr. Gangel, former minister of the Dutch Reformed Congregation in Aalten, has seceded with his consistory, in other words, shaken off the Synodal yoke, as His Honor is pleased to call it. Previously, a part of the consistory, namely 3 persons who also functioned as churchwardens, resigned as members of the consistory, but retained their positions as churchwardens until the classical board, acting in the capacity of the consistory, suspended and later dismissed said gentlemen from their membership as members of the Dutch Reformed Church in Aalten.

It goes without saying that when someone has been dismissed as a member of the church, there can no longer be any question of being allowed or able to retain the management of the church, etc. After all, churchwardens are not owners of the church and its assets, but are merely elected by the notables as managers; see: General Regulations on the management of ecclesiastical assets and funds of the Reformed congregations in the Netherlands and the supervision thereof: 1 Oct. 1870.

These churchwardens are currently preventing the ministry of lawful ministers who must appear before the congregation, thereby withholding gifts from the poor and effectively preventing the collection of offerings for the maintenance of public worship.

For two Sundays now, the congregation has come to a closed church door, and twice lawful ministers have been prevented from performing their duties. We admire the calmness of the congregation in this matter, but we cannot guarantee that this will remain so for much longer. The parties are becoming increasingly sharp and hostile toward one another; it causes strife between members of the same household, and there is no longer any talk of brotherhood.

Who is the cause of this? None other than these churchwardens and the grieving consistory with their leader, Gangel.

But does the congregation have no rights? Certainly. The right rests with the members of the congregation, in the following manner: The lawful voting members elect the notables, the notables elect the churchwardens, and these take upon themselves the management. Where the churchwardens have now resigned of their own accord, or have been dismissed or removed from office, the election of new churchwardens must proceed without delay.

In the case of Aalten, the congregation will first have to supplement or completely renew the list of notables, and these new notables will appoint the Messrs. churchwardens. These new churchwardens take over the management from the old ones, and matters are settled. In the event of resistance to this lawful order, one can turn to the classical board and further to the provincial board.

If all this is of no avail, as seems to be the case in Aalten, and the dismissed churchwardens keep the doors of the communal property closed, then the members simply act as the rightful claimants and take possession of the church. By this, we do not mean to conquer the church by force, for there is no question of conquest when one is the rightful owner, but one should then call upon the judicial (civil) power. A church must not remain closed to the people on regular days of worship as long as there are churchgoers and lawful ministers to attend. See further on this the Church Regulations of 1 October 1870.

Dutch Reformed Church in Aalten

Zutphensche Courant, 14 March 1887

Zutphensche Courant, 14 March 1887

Tubantia, 16 March 1887

De Tijd, 16 March 1887

Bataviaasch Handelsblad, 19 April 1887
Sources
- De Graafschapbode, 19 March 1887 (Delpher)
19 March 1887
Fight in the Prison
On 27 February 1880, a man who had served his prison sentence in Bocholt was escorted by a gendarme to the Dutch border near Aalten. Thanks to the excellent cooperation between the Dutch and Prussian border police, he was duly received at the border crossing by rijksveldwachter (national constable) Schaars Prins from Aalten, to be handed over to the Dutch justice system, which also had a bone to pick with him.

The former prison on Prinsenstraat in Aalten

The transport to Aalten took place by carriage. Upon arrival there, the man was taken to the house of detention. Everything proceeded quietly and orderly, until an individual who – as it later turned out – had followed the carriage at a trot, entered the prison.

When asked what he was doing there, a life-and-death struggle suddenly ensued between the prisoner and his friend on one side, and Schaars Prins, municipal constable Heersink, and the coincidentally present municipal messenger Gerhard Rots on the other.

After a few truncheons had been shattered across the bodies of the attacking rogues, Rots dealt out several blows with a type of frying pan, which was bent completely out of shape as a result. In this fight, the constables sustained only a few scratches and bruises, but the stout-hearted Rots was actually bitten on his nose, his hand, and in a certain hind part of his body.

Schaars Prins, who a few years earlier had been decorated by the German Emperor following an encounter with criminals in Aalten – who, having escaped from the prison in Bocholt, were nabbed by that moustachioed officer – held his ground firmly once again, yet would have been cut down with his own sabre had it not been for Rots.

In the end, all turned out well – the audacious rescue attempt failed, and the friends were put under lock and key. They were transported to Zutphen to have their case heard there and, undoubtedly, to receive their just deserts.
Sources
- Zutphense Courant, 1 March 1880 (Delpher)
- Zutphense Courant, 2 March 1880 (Delpher)
27 February 1880

Administration of Justice in Aalten (1810-1877)

During the French occupation of our country (1795-1813), a significant change occurred in the existing legal order. After the Netherlands was annexed to France by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810, French legislation was also introduced here.

Justice of the Peace Court

By Imperial Decree of July 9, 1810, the Netherlands was divided into departments, districts, cantons, and municipalities. A justice of the peace court was established in every main town of a canton, including Aalten. The canton of Aalten consisted of the municipalities of Aalten and Dinxperlo.

The task of the justice of the peace was to resolve conflicts peacefully before they were brought before a ‘real’ judge, in order to save a great deal of expense. In addition, the justice of the peace had the authority to handle small, low-cost cases. Other powers of the justice of the peace lay primarily in personal and family law.

Cantonal Court

In 1838, the legal system was reorganized again, and the justice of the peace was replaced by the cantonal judge. The justice of the peace courts of Aalten and Winterswijk were then merged into the Aalten cantonal court. This court covered the fourth canton of the third district (Zutphen) of the Gelderland Court of Appeal and was classified as a fifth-class subdistrict court based on the Act of July 1, 1830.

The Aalten cantonal court held its sessions in the town hall on the Markt. In 1861, a cantonal house of detention was built in Prinsenstraat, with six cells and a jailer’s residence.

The Aalten cantonal court was abolished in 1877. From that moment on, the municipalities of Aalten and Winterswijk belonged to the canton of Groenlo. The municipality of Dinxperlo was transferred to the canton of Terborg.

Term of office	Justice of the Peace	Details
?	Jan Izak Huinink (1739-1822)
?	Abraham Casper Salomon ten Bokkel (1761-1831)	lawyer, notary, land clerk, justice of the peace, temporary mayor of Aalten, and deputy bailiff
?	?
Term of office	Cantonal Judge	Details
1838-1855	Joseph Gerard van der Schaaff (1798-1877)	formerly justice of the peace in Aalten, honorably discharged
1855-1877	Frederik Willem Jacob Immink (1822-1893)	formerly clerk of the Aalten cantonal court, subsequently subdistrict judge in Groenlo
Term of office	Clerk	Details
1811	Campegius Lambertus Vitringa (1786-1864)	formerly a lawyer in Arnhem, subsequently clerk in Harderwijk
	Jan Willem te Gussinklo (1787-1829)
1838-1839	Jan Derk Schepers (1800-1848)	formerly clerk of the justice of the peace court in Aalten, subsequently municipal tax collector in Dinxperlo
1839-1843	Jillis van Beuil (1803-1843)	formerly a letter collector in Aalten, died in office
1843-1852	Bernard Andries Roelvink (1818-1882)	formerly substitute prosecutor at the district court in Zutphen, subsequently notary in Aalten
1852-1855	Frederik Willem Jacob Immink (1822-1893)	formerly a lawyer in Borculo, subsequently cantonal judge in Aalten
1855-1877	Cornelis Philippus Jacobus Penning (1817-1888)	former position unknown, placed on redundancy pay in 1877 due to the abolition of the Aalten cantonal court

Sources

1 January 1877

Pioneers in Wisconsin – Huinink
Emigrants from Aalten to the US

In the 19th century, thousands of Achterhoekers emigrated to the United States in search of land, freedom and new opportunities. Among them was the Huinink family from Dale.

Derk Willem Huinink and Catharina Jentink (photo: Dutch Genealogy)

Derk Willem Huinink was born on March 9, 1827, at the (Oude) Maas farm in the Aalten rural district of Dale. He was a son of Jan Berend Huinink and Berendina Heesen. His father initially worked as a teacher but later switched to farming. The couple had five sons and two daughters. Mother Berendina died on August 1, 1848.

Derk Willem attended primary school and helped on the parental property. At the age of seventeen he learned the weaver’s trade, which he combined with work on the farm for ten years.

On 28 May 1858 he married Catharina Jentink, daughter of Hendrik Jan Jentink and Dora Hendrika Lammers. She was also born in Dale, on November 20, 1834. She was one of ten children, four sons and six daughters, six of whom emigrated with their parents to the New World. The Jentink family settled in Lima, Wisconsin.

Derk Willem’s sister, Janna Willemina Huinink, married Jan Berend Schepers on the same day.

Emigration to America

In the summer of 1869, Derk Willem, his father, wife and children left via Liverpool on the steamship Nestorian to North America. After eleven days, they arrived in Quebec and traveled on to Sheboygan County. On July 25, they reached Amsterdam (Sheboygan County). In the spring of 1870, Huinink bought 72 acres (29 hectares) of land in section 19 for $2,000. Later he added another 5 acres (2 hectares).

Map of Holland Township, Sheboygan, 1889 (image: University of Wisconsin–Madison)
Family life and work

Derk Willem and his wife built up a thriving farm with hard work. They had nine children:
- Jan Berend (born 20 May 1859), businessman in Cedar Grove
- Dora Hendrika (Aalten, 22 June 1861), married to farmer John Lohuis
- Hendrik Jan (born 15 October 1863), cheesemaker in Cedar Grove
- Christiaan (born 22 April 1866), veterinarian
- Berendina Gesiena (born 22 April 1868), married Harry Scott
- John William (born June 3, 1871), first child born in America
- Garret John (Cedar Grove, 25 May 1875)
- Catherina Wilhelmina (Cedar Grove, 6 December 1876)
- Derk William Jr. (Holland, 30 July 1880)
Community and death

The Huinink family (also spelled Huenink in America) was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Derk Willem played an active role in this and was an elder for more than nineteen years. Both he and his sons voted politically for the Republican Party, which was common among Protestant immigrants in the Midwest at the time.

Derk Willem Huinink died in Cedar Grove in 1911 and Catharine four years later. They are both buried at Presbyterian Cemetery in Holland, Sheboygan.

Grave Derk Willem Huinink and Catharina Jentink, Presbyterian Cemetery, Holland, Sheboygan (photo: FindAGrave)
Sources
1 September 1869
The steamship ‘Nestorian’ (1869)
Emigrants from Aalten to the US

In the summer of 1869, a life-changing adventure began for more than a hundred Aalten residents. On board the steamship Nestorian, bound for Quebec, were hundreds of emigrants, including families from Aalten and the surrounding area. For them, this was the beginning of a new life in America, far away from the agricultural crisis and the limited future opportunities in the Achterhoek.

The Nestorian was an iron steamship of the Allan Line (officially the Montreal Ocean Steamship Company), built in 1866 in Glasgow. The ship was about 97 meters long and 12 meters wide. For extra safety, the ship had three masts with sails, in case the steam engine failed. There was room for 115 passengers in first class and 600 in third class (the tween deck).
The choice for the Allan Line and Québec

Steamship Nestorian (1867)

Around 1869, the Allan Line advertised intensively in Dutch regional newspapers. Local intermediaries, such as in Arnhem, acted as sub-agents for the main agency in Antwerp. The shipping company convinced Achterhoekers with two strong arguments:
- The shortest sea route
  By sailing to Quebec instead of New York, emigrants spent less time on the open ocean. Once the ship reached the Straits of Belle Isle, they sailed the rest of the way on the sheltered Saint Lawrence River.
- The cheapest option
  Between 1860 and 1890, Liverpool was a popular port of departure for European emigrants due to its lower rates. Poorer emigrants were willing to tolerate the inconveniences of shipping through England in order to save on the transatlantic ticket. A ticket for the crossing (tween deck/steerage) cost about 60 to 80 guilders around 1869.
Arnhemsche Courant, 11 September 1869
The journey and the route

Including the journey from the Achterhoek and the transfer in England, an emigrant was on the road for about 2.5 to 3 weeks. Here’s what their trip must have looked like:

To Antwerp

Achterhoek emigrants first traveled by horse and cart to a suitable pick-up point, such as Zevenaar or Arnhem. From 1855 it was possible to travel from there to Antwerp. In Antwerp, the emigrants were received by the agent of the Allan Line.

The crossing to England

In Antwerp they changed to a boat to Hull (England), a crossing of 12-24 hours. From Hull they took the train to Liverpool (4-6 hours). At that time, Liverpool was the heart of the flow of emigrants to America, with offices of shipping companies, agents and emigrant houses where travelers could wait for their departure.

Where to stay in Liverpool

Representatives of the Allan Line picked them up on arrival in Liverpool and took them to guest houses, often owned by the shipping company. Emigrants spent one to ten days there, waiting for their ship to the US or Canada.

Departure from Liverpool

The Nestorian departed from the Prince’s Landing Stage in Liverpool. The crossing from Liverpool to Quebec took an average of 10 to 12 days.

Stay on board the Nestorian

Although the Nestorian was known as a solid and fast steamship, luxury was hard to find. Most emigrants from the Achterhoek traveled in the ‘tween deck (steerage), where families slept in large, stuffy rooms in wooden cages with straw mattresses.

The ticket price included the legally required rations (soup, potatoes, bread and salty meat). Passengers had to bring their own tin plate, cup and cutlery.

The days were filled with card games, singing, praying, and talking about the future in America. There was a ship’s doctor on board, but resources were limited. Seasickness was universal, and infectious diseases spread quickly in the poorly ventilated dormitories. In outbreaks, the sick were isolated.

Arrival and onward to Wisconsin

On July 19, 1869 , the Nestorian reached the port of Quebec. The passenger list included well-known names from Aalten such as Eppink, Huinink, Jentink, Neerhof and Wassink. However, the journey was not over yet.

From Quebec, the emigrants traveled west to Sarnia (Ontario) by Grand Trunk Railway . There they transferred to a steamer that transported them across the Great Lakes (Lake Huron and Lake Michigan). This trip took 1 to 2 days, depending on the weather and connections.

Eventually, they set foot in the harbor of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Most emigrants from Aalten settled in this region. In later years, some of these families moved further west to the fertile lands of Iowa and Minnesota, among others.
Also read:
Sources
- Ancestry.com – New York Passenger Lists (1820-1957)
  https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7914/?name=_Neerhof&count=50
- Bonsor, N.R.P. (1955) – North Atlantic Seaway: An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New. Part 1, p. 311
- Merseyside Maritime Museum
  
  Emigration to USA and Canada
  liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/archivesheet13
  
  Photograph of the Nestorian
  liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/photograph-of-nestorian-allan-line
- National Archives (USA) – Microfilm T715
  archives.gov/research/immigration/19th-century
- Olive Tree Genealogy – Ships to New York (1850-1874)
  olivetreegenealogy.com/ships/tousa_ny185074.shtml
- Swierenga, R.P. (1997) – Going to America: Travel Routes of Zeeland Emigrants
  swierenga.com/Middelbg_pap.html
19 July 1869

Function	Tram line
Opening	1910
Discontinuation	1953

Category: Doleantie

The First Generation

Work in Germany

Flight to Aalten (1915)

A New Life in Aalten

Later Generations

Current Company in Aalten

Willem Monasso

Sources

Source

The French Period

Heavy Sacrifices

Fighting for Napoleon

“Oranje boven” (Orange up/Long live Orange)

Source

Arts

Gallery

Sources

Sources

Plans

Holländische Arbeiter in Bocholt

Dampfeisenbahn Bocholt–Aalten

Festive Opening

Features

Sources

Stops

Court case

National news

Sources

Sources

Who were the people working in Bocholt?

Companies in Bocholt

Franz Beckmann & Cie.

Gebr. Braunschweig

Gebr. Driessen

A. & L. Ketteler

Wwe. B. Messing

Albin Tangerding & Comp.

Brauerei Tangerding

Gebr. Weyl

J. Beckmann

Cosman Cohen & Comp.

Gebr. Felix

Frentrop & Co.

Rothe Erde

Ludwig Schwartz

Vagedes

August Vallée

Von Velsen & Cie.

Factory locations

Interesting facts

Sources

Owners

House Numbering

Catholic Almshouse

Features

Sources

Source

Newspaper reports 2

Features

Owners

Residents

Sources

Sources

A wandering existence

Admission to Veenhuizen

Stay in the State Workhouse in Veenhuizen

Sources

The disputed horse of Henry Somsen

Sources

Sources

Sources

Justice of the Peace Court

Cantonal Court

Archive

Judges and clerks of the justice of the peace and cantonal court in Aalten 1811-1877 (still incomplete)

Sources

Emigration to America

Family life and work

Community and death

Newspaper reports ²