AALTEN, July 1968 – Aalten’s annual fair, also known at the time as the ‘marksmen’s festival’, was traditionally a highlight for local residents and visitors from the surrounding area. In 1968, however, the festivities were marked not only by conviviality and tradition but also by unrest and violence. A series of incidents involving an international sports show and a boxing booth behind the Feestgebouw caused considerable commotion and required police intervention.
A boxing booth had been set up behind the Feestgebouw as part of an international sports show. On Friday evening, trouble broke out between a group of rowdy young men from Aalten and members of the show. Admission was free, but the atmosphere was anything but relaxed. One of the German boxers suffered a black eye, and tensions rose further when an Aalten man who had accepted a challenge won the fight in the ring but was not paid the promised prize of 25 guilders. For many of those present, that was the final straw.
During Aalten’s annual fair in 1968, then also known as the marksmen’s festival, fights broke out on the evening of Friday 5 July between young men from Aalten and staff from an international sports show with a boxing booth behind the Feestgebouw. The unrest began when a free boxing demonstration turned into a dispute over an unpaid prize of 25 guilders. A local winner did not receive his money, after which the mood changed sharply.
A dance was taking place inside the Feestgebouw, and according to eyewitnesses the atmosphere had been threatening from the start. Young men challenged the boxers and judokas who were present, and the organisers had considerable difficulty persuading the troublemakers to leave the hall. Outside, the conflict escalated: around midnight, between fifteen and twenty-five people were fighting, with even car jacks being used as weapons. Aalten police arrived shortly before midnight to restore order. During the disturbance, a 24-year-old man from Aalten smashed a window in one of the fairground vehicles.
Meanwhile, the dance inside the Feestgebouw continued. An eyewitness later stated that the evening had begun in a threatening atmosphere from the outset. Tempers were running high, and it was not long before the quarrels spread into the hall. Young men from Aalten challenged the participating boxers and judokas, after which the management of the Feestgebouw narrowly succeeded in preventing the disturbance from escalating indoors. The quarrelling parties were talked outside, but there the conflict only intensified.
At around midnight, as the marksmen’s festival was coming to an end, an open confrontation broke out between about five Aalten men and the boxers. The fight was fierce: witnesses said that as many as twenty-five people eventually became involved. Bystanders saw car jacks being wielded as weapons. The situation became so serious that Aalten police arrived shortly before midnight to restore order.
The arrival of the police calmed matters somewhat, though not without further trouble. One of the fighters, a 24-year-old Aalten man identified as K., smashed a window in one of the fairground vehicles in a fit of anger. The evening ended in chaos, leaving behind frustration and bewilderment.
The following morning, Saturday 6 July, the operator of the boxing booth visited several of those who had taken part in the fight. The difficulties were discussed and apparently settled, because there were no further problems during Saturday’s festivities. The fair continued peacefully, although memories of the disturbances lingered.
The incidents of 5 July were not isolated. According to reports, the same instigators had been involved a week earlier in a large-scale fight near the Reformed youth centre. This suggests a broader pattern of unrest among part of Aalten’s youth, particularly directed at outsiders and organised events.
During Aalten’s 1968 fair, a boxing booth stood behind the Feestgebouw.
On Friday evening, 5 July, a dispute arose there between rowdy young men from Aalten and staff taking part in the international sports show. It was a free performance, during which one of the German boxers ended up with a black eye.
An Aalten man who had accepted a challenge won the fight in the boxing ring, but the promised sum — reportedly 25 guilders — was not paid. That was when matters really erupted.
A dance was taking place in the Feestgebouw. An eyewitness stated that the atmosphere had been threatening from the very beginning.
At around midnight, as the marksmen’s festival was ending, a fight broke out between about five Aalten men and the boxers from the boxing booth.
Quarrels broke out in the hall when young men from Aalten challenged the boxer and judokas participating in the show. After considerable effort, the management of the Feestgebouw managed to persuade the troublemakers to go outside. The fight then continued there and became extremely fierce. According to reports, as many as twenty-five people may have been involved. Bystanders saw car jacks being used. Aalten police arrived shortly before midnight.
After the police arrived and questioned several of the fighters, 24-year-old Aalten resident K. smashed a window in one of the fairground vehicles.
On Saturday morning, the operator of the boxing booth visited several participants in the fight. The difficulties were then talked through, and there were no further problems during Saturday’s festivities.
The instigators had reportedly also been involved a week earlier in a large fight near the Reformed youth centre.