Evert Maarten Smilda was born on 10 June 1928 in Utrecht. He passed away on 11 November 2020. Smilda played a major role of significant social importance in Aalten. Among other achievements, he made a vital contribution to putting Aalten’s history firmly on the map.
The Dutch East Indies
He was working in a laboratory as an instrument maker when he was deployed as a soldier to the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia). He completed his military training in Arnhem and trained as an armourer (geweermaker) in Zaandam. This was to be his role in Indonesia. Evert was just twenty years old when he departed for the East. The voyage by boat lasted a month.
Smilda served in Indonesia for two years. Following the departure of the Japanese, the task of the Dutch military was to attempt to restore peace and order. They moved from village to village. Once “ordinary” daily life resumed in a place, the young men moved on.
Bij terugkeer in Nederland was er voor de oud-Indiëgangers veel niet goed geregeld. Evert was zijn baan kwijt. Hij pakte echter de draad op en volgde een opleiding voor amanuensis. Later haalde hij een graad in de wiskunde, natuurkunde en scheikunde en gaf jarenlang les op de LTS in Aalten.
Shortly after leaving the military, Evert met his future wife, Itte. In 1959, he and his wife moved to Aalten so he could take up a position as a laboratory technician at the Christian Comprehensive School (Christelijke Scholengemeenschap). Through evening study, he worked his way up to become a teacher at the evening secondary school (avondmavo) and the LTS.
Local history
Smilda had a profound interest in history. Early in the 1916s, he already recognised the importance of Aalten’s beautiful historic village scene. He lobbied the province of Gelderland to get various characteristic properties listed as heritage sites (monumentenlijst) that would otherwise have been demolished. Thanks in part to these efforts, the centre of Aalten became the very first Protected Village Conservation Area (Beschermd Dorpsgezicht) in Gelderland.
In 1962, he was involved in the founding of the historical working group ADW. Around the same time, he joined the board of the Aalten Museum (Oudheidkamer). He served on the board for forty years, nineteen of which as chairman. Together with others, he laid the foundations for what is now the Nationaal Onderduikmuseum.
In 1964 schreef hij ‘Twee eeuwen tussen Es en Slinge‘, over de koperslagers in de Peperstraat. Later verzorgde hij de uitgifte van ‘Aalten in oude ansichten‘ en twee delen ‘Aalten, zoals het was zoals het is‘ in samenwerking met G.J. Timmer.
Toen de plaatselijke Joodse gemeenschap het onderhoud van de Aaltense synagoge niet meer kon betalen nam Evert, op dat moment voorzitter van de Vereniging Oudheidkamer Aalten, het initiatief om de synagoge tot Gemeentelijk Monument te laten verklaren en richtte hij in 1983 samen met anderen de stichting ‘Vrienden van de Aaltense synagoge‘ op.
Op het toenmalige asielzoekerscentrum Groot Deunk in Barlo verzorgde Smilda lessen Nederlands. Ook was hij 22 jaar lid van de Gemeentelijke Monumentencommissie in Aalten. Samen met met Duitse historici werkte hij aan de uitgifte van tweetalige geschiedwerken.
In 2005, Smilda became a member of the Aalten Evergreen Choir. On his 92nd birthday, the choir surprised Evert with an outdoor musical tribute (aubade) at the Zuiderkerk. This was also intended as a farewell gift for Smilda, who had indicated earlier that year that he wished to step down as a choir member. Seated in an open landau carriage pulled by two beautiful horses, Evert and his wife took a tour through the village. The presence of his family made the surprise complete.
Smildapad
On the site of the former Technical School, 56 residential homes are being built. A street will be constructed between the southern and northern sections of the development plan on Ludgerstraat. Historical circles and supporters of the synagogue requested that this street be named after Evert Smilda, in recognition of his extensive public service. In October 2022, the municipality responded favourably and decided that the street will bear the name Smildapad.