holland focus
as Dutch as apple pie
the rommelpot January/February/March 2016
photo front page: the Illuminade, photo Odi Busman
CONTENTS ARTICLES______________________ 3 solar cars exposition, Sydney 4 Daar is de orgelman 6 As Dutch as apple pie 12 Koningin Juliana in ere hersteld, boek 14 Melkkoker 18 English respectability versus Dutch astuteness 22 the Netherlands to chair the European Union 26 Music in the Daily Life of Vermeer, the Rommelpot 35 De Torrie Van Mattie, boek 36 Light Festival Amsterdam 39 New research Nicas unites art and science 42 exacte locatie ‘Straatje van Vermeer’ 50 former standars back in Scheveningen Bath 58 Blood that Unites Us, book
A TOUCH OF DUTCH shop and café
Come and enjoy traditional, and not so traditional Dutch food. We proudly serve Douwe Egberts coffee and Pickwick tea in our cafe. a touch of Dutch for only the best and the latest in Dutch groceries and products.
REGULARS___________________ 11 Dutch/Flemish movies - Schneider vs. Bax 16 Gedicht Belicht - Frans Hertoghs 17 Kaaskoppen - refugees 32 de leesplank kids 34 Taals Taaltje - ik hou van jou 40 Tegenvoeter - Wonderkind, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in The Hague - Ruud Hisgen 46 Kiwikorrels - Vlagvertoon 49 Dutch Cuisine - jenever and strawberries 56 Verbeeldingen - de boekbinder
Experience a cup of excellent Douwe Egberts coffee and Dutch apple-pie in our cafe and shop in our Dutch grocery store next door. Shop 3 & 4 Village Arcade 46-50 High Street, Berwick, VIC 3806 Tel. 03-9769 7999 Open Mon-Fri shop 9am - 5pm; café 8am - 4pm Sat-9am - 3pm check out our facebook page for café specials and updates
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Innovative Holland – Solar Cars Exposition Het Consulaat-Generaal in Sydney heeft de eer gehad twee Nederlandse teams van de Bridgestone World Solar Challenge te ontvangen. Op uitnodiging van het Consulaat-Generaal stonden de finalist van de World Solar Challenge -Nuon Solar Team van de TU Delft- en de runner up -Solar Team Twente- op woensdag 28 oktober met hun zonneauto’s Nuna8 en Red One op Martin Place. Op deze fenomenale locatie middenin het drukke zakencentrum van Sydney werd het innovatieve karakter van Nederland gepromoot. Een dag later, op donderdag 29 oktober, werden de zonneauto’s getoond op The University of Sydney. Hier werden de hoge kwaliteit van het Nederlands Hoger Onderwijs en de mogelijkheden voor studeren in Nederland benadrukt. Ga naar https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZIkgQm6myk om het compilatiefilmpje van deze twee evenementen te bekijken.
Innovative Holland – Solar Cars Exposition The Consulate-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Sydney invited the winner and runner-up of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, Nuon Solar Team and Solar Team Twente with their cars Nuna8 and Red One to Sydney for two events. On 28 October the teams and their cars were displayed in the business centre of Sydney, at Martin Place, to show the innovative character of the Netherlands. The next day the Dutch teams and their cars were present at The University of Sydney. Here the Consulate-General and the teams promoted the opportunity for Australian students to study in the Netherlands. Go to https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=GZIkgQm6myk to watch a compilation video of these events.
GOURMET
TEFAL Gourmet en Raclette Sets verkrijgbaar bij SYNCRO AUSTRALIA www.syncroelec.com.au
176 Old Bowling Green Rd, Palmwoods Qld 4555 Australia tel: +61 (0)7 54788663 de sfeervolle en lekkerste manier om gezellig samen te zijn. Tevens uw adres voor alles op het gebied van radio communicatie, CB's, amateur en marine radio's. Iets op afstand te bedienen, wij maken dat voor U.
kroketten, bitterballen en frikandellen altijd te bestellen even Cees of Anneke bellen
Brisbane en omgeving: 07-5546 3361 / 0433 133 622 Fresh Warana Waters 239 Nickling Way, Sunshine coast 07-54932860 Available at Fresh sensations; shop 20, Capalaba park shopping centre 07-32452596 Of kom gezellig even langs bij Eugenie op de Chandler markt (Sleeman sports complex) bij de POFFERTJES SHOP waar wij alles in voorraad hebben!
Daar is de Orgelman Zo eenvoudig en zo doelmatig, dit bakje uit geel en rood koper. Ten eerste: de koperen lus om de wijsvinger door te steken, het afgeschermde gedeelte waardoor de munten in het bakje blijven, de duurzaamheid van koper en dan ook nog het plezierig rinkelend geluid van het geld dat gedeponeerd wordt. Het bakje dat wij in onze verzameling hebben, is waarschijnlijk meegebracht als souvenir (vaak verkocht- en gebruikt als asbak), als herinnering aan het dierbare verschijnsel van het draaiorgel, oftewel pierement, want zulke bakjes waren een onafscheidbaar onderdeel van de werkuitrusting van de orgelman. Zoals Wim Sonneveld het zong in de persoon van Willem Parel in zijn beroemde lied “Daar is de Orgelman”: Vergeet ‘t centenbakkie niet, want ook een orgelman is maar een mens, rel de rel del del del
begrepen heus wel dat de mensen geen zin hadden, helemaal naar beneden te komen om geld daarin te doen. Ze zonden meestal hun kinderen naar beneden die dat enthousiast deden, of anders werd een rol munten, stijf in papier gewikkeld, naar beneden gegooid om, als de muzikant behendig was, in zijn pet belandde of moest van de straatstenen opgeraapt worden. Wat ons opviel was de beleefde manier waarop de muzikant herhaaldelijk: “Dank u” zei en met een vinger aan zijn hoofd tikte. Net als Willem Parel zijn mansers, want, zoals hij zegt, die: danke’ zeer beleefd en tikke’ an d’r pet.
Willem Parel stelt zichzelf op de volgende manier voor: Als zoon en kleinzoon van een orgeldraaier staan ik hier Ik demestreer de parelslag en ieder heb plezier En is vol lof voor zijn mansers; zijn geldophalers: Me mansers danke’ zeer beleefd en tikke’ an d’r pet Wij make’ van het leve meer een geintje, weet u det.
Mijn middelbare school was in Amsterdam-Zuid, een deftige buurt waar je niet vaak een draaiorgel hoorde. Dus hadden een paar meiden uit mijn klas genoeg geld onder ons opgehaald om een orgelman te verlokken vlak vóór de school zijn mooie liederen te komen spelen. En zo geschiedde het dat gedurende een diep gevreesd meetkundeproefwerk gezellige deuntjes door de klassenramen naarbinnen dartelden.
Het was zwaar werk voordat èn het pierement zelf èn de draaizwengel gemotoriseerd werden. De manser was er toen niet alleen voor het geldophalen, maar grotendeels om het zwengelen af en toe over te nemen. Vroeger waren de aria’s zeer geliefd en in mijn straat in Amsterdam werden ze wel eens meegezongen op warme zomeravonden door buren die uit de ramen hingen. Net zo goed als wij kinderen meezongen met de straatzanger die de onsterfelijke aria uit Rigoletto zong. Onze versie was ook onsterfelijk en ging zo: Lach dan, Paljasso Vang een haring met een lasso Doe de deur dicht, Want het tocht zo.
Ja, het pierement is een onvergetelijk onderdeel van mijn herinneringen en gelukkig nog steeds een gewaardeerde meespeler in het stadsbeeld. En zoals u ziet, kan een eenvoudig voorwerp in onze verzameling veel herinneringen loswoelen.
Ook kwam de pianist op de bakfiets wel eens langs en speelde, tot de ontroering van de hele straat, heerlijk romantische muziek. Na zo’n concert waren de toehoorders dan ook altijd bereid wat in het centenbakkie te storten. De pianist en de straatzanger hadden alle twee zo’n bakkie, maar
Janna Hilbrink DAHC 4
leuke spreuk
accommodation in Australia
Wees jezelf want een origineel is altijd meer waard dan een kopie
Lelystad
Komfortabele appartementen te huur Volledig ingericht met TV, telefoon en internetaansluiting. 45 min. van Schiphol en Amsterdam. Wasmachine en 2 fietsen aanwezig. 1 pers: 36 euro per nacht. 2 pers: 44 euro per nacht. incl. lakens en handdoeken. Korting vanaf 1 week.
accommodation in the Netherlands
Brochures en foto’s: Ria Luikink- van Uum Moezelstraat 12 8226 LA Lelystad. The Netherlands Tel: +31 320 254316 Email:
[email protected] www.luikink.nl
APARTMENT FOR RENT
Luxury 3 person apartment 60 Euro per night mobile: +31 629095974 Corry van den Broek Prins Clauskade 39 2405 CA Alphen aan den Rijn
Email:
[email protected] Website: www.appartementalphen.nl
SLUITHEK B&B
Short or long stay luxury apartment in Central Holland Also for disabled guests Your Dutch pillow
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www.sluithekbnb.nl
as Dutch as apple pie
Apeldoorn canal
photo Paola Westbeek
There is a saying I find very amusing. Perhaps you’ve heard of it: “As American as apple pie.” But, you see, apple pie isn’t American at all. Sure, it may be one of the country’s most loved pies, yet a native creation it is certainly not. In fact, apples did not exist in America until they were introduced to the new land by Dutch and English colonists. Along with their apple and other fruit trees, they also brought recipes for richly filled pies that were passed on from generation to generation and soon became part of American food culture. And although, it was probably the English who we can thank for making the first apple pies (the earliest recipe was found in an English cookbook dated 1381), it is actually the Dutch who are worthy of the aforementioned phrase. Let me tell you why I think it should actually be: “As Dutch as apple pie.” words Paola Westbeek
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Apple pie – though not the traditional one with a lattice crust – was the first thing I ate when I came to the Netherlands. My mother-in-law officially welcomed me to her home (and country) with a small, triangular shaped apple pastry called ‘appelflap’. It was served with a very strong cup of coffee, and it was the first of many more apple pie experiences to come. You see, apple pie (and now I am referring to the thick variety served with whipped cream) is almost as synonymous with the food culture of the Dutch as their love for coffee, beer with bitterballen (ragout-filled, deep-fried meatballs), and their almost iconic breakfast of ‘boterham met hagelslag’ (bread with chocolate sprinkles). I can’t think of an occasion in which apple pie, or appeltaart, would be out of place. It can be served with mid-morning coffee or afternoon tea, it does exceptionally well as pastry of choice at birthday parties
Apple Peeler by Cornelis Bisschop 7
and all other kinds of celebratory gatherings and family reunions, and it can be found on the menu of almost every restaurant in the country. Ask my Dutch husband what his favourite dessert is when we go out to dinner and he’ll probably say ‘appeltaart’. By the way, if you’re wondering, for the best, real Dutch apple pie there’s no better place to be than Amsterdam, or more specifically, Café Winkel 43 on the Noordermarkt. I have many fond memories of rounding off a stroll through the Saturday market with a thick slice of appeltaart and a glass of wine at this lively corner café in the city centre. Their apple pie is everything it should be: thumb-sized chunks of firm and slightly sour apples, a buttery crust and a good dollop of whipped cream that isn’t overly sweet. The first Dutch apple pie probably dates back to 1514 and can be found in the cookbook Notabel Boecxken van Cokeryen. It was quite different to the one we know
A Woman Peeling Apples by Pieter de Hooch
today. The apples were baked under a thick layer of pastry, and after baking, some of this layer was removed and the hot apple filling was mixed with crumbled suyckercoecken (sugar cookies). These small cookies, not sweetened with sugar as the name suggest, but honey, were flavoured with warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. After the cookie crumbs were mixed through the steaming apples, a drizzle of single cream would follow to give the pie a more refined flavour. By the 17th century, the Dutch cookbook De Verstandige Kok (1669) featured six different recipes for apple pies (accounting for one-quarter of all the pie recipes in the book) as well as a variety of other apple recipes. Apples were so much enjoyed that even poet Jacob Westerbaen wrote about common varieties back then such as the guldeling and the aagt: “Mijn guldelingh en aeght, van liefelijcken aert (My guldelingh and aeght, of a sweet nature), Die geven lecker moes en spijse tot een taert (They make delicious sauce and can be used in a tart)”. Most apple pies in the book featured a filling that was either made of applesauce or finely chopped sour apples, as the sweeter ones were eaten instead of being used in recipes. The apple pie recipes also called for currants, cinnamon and sugar.
Paintings also attest to the appreciation for apples back in the Golden Age. Two beautiful examples are Pieter de Hooch’s A Woman Peeling Apples (1663) found in London’s Wallace Collection, and Cornelis Bisschop’s Girl Peeling an Apple (1667) found at the Rijksmusem. A century later, apple pies were on their way to becoming an integral part of Dutch food culture, though at first they were a pleasure mainly reserved for the upper class. It was during this time that the tradition of serving apple pie with coffee (also a drink for the affluent) was born. Today, every Dutch household has their own favourite recipe for appeltaart, though sadly, in this age of convenience, many resort to the ease of ready-made mixes. My recipe is made from scratch, and I must say I am quite picky. The crust must be buttery without being stodgy or becoming too wet, the apples must be tart and preferably goudreinet (golden reinette), and the apple chunks musn’t be too small. Finally, to serve, nothing but freshly whipped cream will do. Oh, and of course, a nice cup of coffee. Eet smakelijk! Note: Though we Americans love our apple pie, we also love cherry pies, blueberry pies and pumpkin pies. It is by no means as big a part of our food culture as it is here in the Netherlands. Not many Americans would serve apple pie for their birthday as the Dutch do! 88
Paola’s ‘Hollandse Appeltaart’ Serves 8
to keep the thirteen rusks that come in a roll fresh. For this we can thank Verkade, Ingredients: the Dutch company from 50 g currants Zaandam that first started selling their rusks in a tin 50 g raisins in order to preserve their 6 tbsps brown rum freshness. 300 g all-purpose flour Although, I must admit to 125 g brown sugar not owning a tin myself, and to not eating a whole 1 tsp baking powder lot of rusks, I still have a pinch of salt weakness for them and will 200 g cold butter, diced happily indulge in them 1 egg yolk, plus one from time to time. Especially if they’re topped in whole egg (whisked) one of the following ways. 2 tbsps. ice water Perhaps a bit of inspiration, 1 kilo (approx. 3) goudreinet should apples,you peeled, wantcored to tryand roughly chopped something other than the 1 ½ tbsps custard powder more traditional toppings. 2 tbsps vanilla sugar Beschuit Vitello Tonato: Tuna salad, thinly sliced veal and 2 tsps ground cinnamon capers 2 tbsps‘Cupcake’: breadcrumbs Beschuit Cream cheese flavoured with sugar and vanilla, sliced jam strawberries and freshly-grated dark 3 tbsps apricot chocolate freshly whipped cream, to serve Green Mean Beschuit: Sliced avocado, lime juice, olive oil and garden cress Beschuit Italiano: Pesto, mozzarella, cherry tomato and basil Sunshine Beschuit: Soft goat’s cheese, baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes Beschuit Parisienne: Scrambled egg with black truffle Beschuit Elvis: Peanut butter and sliced banana Spanish Beschuit: Sliced Manchego cheese and figs Nordic Beschuit: Cream cheese, smoked salmon and goudreinetten chopped chives Nutty Nutella Beschuit: Nutella and chopped hazelnuts
THE CLOG BARN Experience the colour & charm of Holland without leaving Coffs Harbour
Rinse the currants and raisins. Place them in a small bowl, add the rum and allow the dried fruit to soak for two hours. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and continue to press on the pulse button until the mixture starts to resemble coarse breadcrumbs or oatmeal. Add the egg yolk and the water and continue pulsing until the dough comes together. Remove from the bowl and shape into a ball. Wrap it in cling film and allow it to rest in the fridge for at least an hour. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C and remove the dough from the fridge. Drain the currants and raisins. Mix the apples with the custard powder, vanilla sugar, ground cinnamon and the dried fruit. Butter and flour a 22 cm springform pan. Roll ¾ of the dough on a well-floured surface to a circle of about 32 cm. Press this into the prepared pan, sprinkle the bottom with the breadcrumbs and fill with the apple mixture. Roll the rest of the dough out to a circle of about ½ cm thick. Cut into strips of about 1 cm wide. Place the strips on top of the apples in a criss-cross pattern. Carefully trim the edges and brush with the whisked egg. Bake the pie on the lowest part of the oven for approximately 60-75 minutes. If the crust is getting too dark, you may want to cover it with tin foil. Once the pie is ready, remove it from the oven and place on a wire rack. In a small pan, gently heat the apricot jam until it becomes liquid. Brush the top of the hot pie with the jam and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before releasing from the form and serving with freshly whipped cream.
Clog Barn Take a leisurely browse through the Clog Barn, where you will discover a treasure of souvenirs - e.g. Delft blue pottery - and special gifts and fascinating daily clog making demonstrations. You can also view the North Coast’s largest collection of Diecast Collectable cars and motorbikes. Clog Making Demonstrations 3 times daily 11am, 2pm and 4pm.
www.clogbarn.com.au
Dutch Village
Don’t miss OMA’S COFFEE HOUSE Delicious meals Dutch pancakes, Croquettes, Uitsmijter, Bitterballen, Poffertjes
Take a delightful stroll around the model Dutch Village with working windmills and working trains! Free admission to the Dutch Village.
A Family Fun Adventure
215 Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour phone: 02 6652 4633 open 7 days from 8 am
HAT TOURS FOR
CYCLING and SAILING HOLIDAYS
Cycling is fun! For over 25 years now the Dutch tour operator HAT Tours in Haarlem organizes Cycling and Sailing Holidays in Holland and abroad. The best way to get to know a country or region is by bike! “Bike & Barge is a fabulous concept and a fantastic way to see the countryside and to meet local people.”
Bicycles: For all cycling holidays in the Netherlands we supply fine bikes of good quality. These are provided with hand brakes, speed gears and a pannier. The bicycles in France are equipped with 24 gears. E-bikes are also available on request.
Guided Cycling & Sailing Holidays in Holland Stay: During each Cycling & Sailing Holiday you’ll be staying and eating aboard a sailing hotel barge. This ship travels from port to port and will transport your luggage, meaning you’ll have a ‘light’ cycle tour! All ships have double cabins that are provided with private facilities, an attractive dining room, a sundeck and - on some ships - a separate bar.
Tour guidance: All Cycling and Sailing Holidays will be accompanied by an enthusiastic and multilingual tour leader. He/she guides you along the chosen itineraries, informs you and will invite you for some interesting city walks. “Guide was cute, flexible, easy to work with, enthousiastic, good sense of humor.”
Fellow travellers: During these personal small-scale tours you’ll be travelling with 18-24 fellow travellers of all ages and nationalities. People who love to meet other travellers and to experience an active but also relaxed holiday. “My family has found new friends!” - “Great country, great companionship!”
Crew: The crew of the ship will ensure that your stay aboard is as pleasant as possible. The captain is responsible for the safe transportation of the passengers and their luggage. The chef and his assistant take care of the preparation of your meals. “Well organised and extremely friendly staff.”
Daily activities: The daily cycling trips (average appr. 45 km) are fit for anyone that knows how to cycle. The cycling speed will always be ‘easy going’. You are leisurely pedalling from appr. 09:00 - 16:00 hrs. There’s enough time to take a break and to do some sightseeing along the route. “This tour was interesting, scenic and a way to use muscles that have been dormant for some time!”
Tours: In the Netherlands you may choose the Highlights of Holland or cycle Around the IJssel Lake. An interesting tour (partially) abroad is Holland meets Belgium (Amsterdam - Bruges). In France the Loire Valley and Burgundy are recommendable! Our attractive tour called Paris and Beyond covers the region from Compiègne till castle Fontainebleau! “The week barging & biking has been memorable and will be a highlight of our life!”
Fullboard: Each day starts with a large biker’s breakfast. You prepare your own packed lunch (bread, fruit and drink) at breakfast. After your cycle trip, when you have freshened up, you may enjoy a good 3-courses dinner. “The food was fantastic and plentiful! I appreciated making and taking my lunch.”
See advertisement elsewhere in this digital issue of Holland Focus!
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Dutch/Flemish movies Schneider vs. Bax words Darren Arnold
laugh in Schneider vs. Bax, as Van Warmerdam has devised his film as a black comedy. Easy comparisons can be made with the work of the Coen brothers, where bungling hitmen and gallows humour are frequently found, but van Warmerdam has put his own unique stamp on this, and he’s as good value in front of the camera as he is behind it. It’s a well written and slickly made film, and a major contributing factor to its success is the location where most of the action unfolds; Bax’s cottage is situated in marshland in a nature reserve that Van Warmerdam discovered in North Holland, and it really is a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop for his deliciously dark, comic fable to play out against. At the time of this article being written, Schneider vs. Bax has just been released on DVD in the Netherlands, and you can order a copy from bol.com via the Holland Focus website. Also, keep in mind that you can read reviews of other films that played at the festival at: letterboxd.com/hollandfocus/films/diary .
October 2015 saw the 59th London Film Festival (bfi. org.uk/lff) take place, and one of the most interesting titles on offer was Alex van Warmerdam’s Schneider vs. Bax. Haarlem native Van Warmerdam had previously delighted attendees of the festival with his 2013 film Borgman, and his followup was similarly wellreceived. Schneider vs. Bax is a fairly descriptive title for what occurs on screen, as the film pits two contract killers against one another. We start with Schneider (Tom Dewispelaere), a loving father and husband who, just like his sparring partner, keeps his real occupation hidden from his loved ones. Schneider has been contacted by his boss Mertens (Gene Bervoets), who has given the hitman the job of killing Bax; Schneider has no idea who Bax is, and is simply told that the man he’s due to kill is a low-life criminal. Bax, played by the director himself, lives a chaotic life fueled by drink and drugs, and as a result has completely forgotten that Mertens has ordered him to kill Schneider. Following all this? Anyway, Schneider heads for Bax’s isolated cottage, but once his target gets a reminder of the job he’s supposed to be doing, Bax is able to get himself just about ready for the deadly game that commences once the two get within firing distance of one another. If this all sounds a bit tense, rest assured that it is, although thankfully you’re never too far away from a 11
Koningin Juliana in ere hersteld
Volgens haar leraar Johan Huizinga had ze een oorspronkelijke geest, maar de ministeriële verantwoordelijkheid snoerde haar de mond. Ze hield van haar man, maar eigenlijk wilde hij alleen maar van haar profiteren. In Greet Hofmans zag ze een trouwe vriendin, maar volgens anderen had ze een kwade invloed op Juliana. Maar was dat wel zo? Nee luidt de conclusie in mijn boek ‘het geloof van Oranje’, met als ondertitel ‘’vrijheid, verbondenheid, tolerantie.’ Vanaf 15 december is dit boek te koop bij Bruna, bol.com en andere boekwinkels. Ook is het uigebracht als e-book. Arubaanse kunstenaar Gustave Nouel In het boek, geïllustreerd door de beroemde Arubaanse kunstenaar Gustave Nouel ga ik in op de Vocation Divine. Dat is de goddelijke roeping van waaruit Oranjevorsten hun taak vervulden en vervullen. Zo zwoor ook Koning Willem-Alexander tijdens zijn inauguratie trouw aan God.
Marianne Visser van Klaarwater 12
Gewoon mevrouw Bij Juliana gaan mijn gedachten naar de keer dat ik haar na haar aftreden ontmoette in een modewinkel. Uiteraard herkende de verkoopster haar. Toen ze voor de zoveelste keer ‘majesteit’ zei, vond Juliana het welletjes. Verontwaardigd zei ze: ‘Kind, houd daarmee alsjeblieft op. Ik heb die onzin mijn leven lang moeten aanhoren, Ik ben gewoon een mevrouw’. Voortvarend vorstin In de week van haar overlijden schreef ik een boekje over haar voor de serie Actuele Onderwerpen. Ik noemde het ‘Juliana: portret van een voortvarend vorstin’. Voortvarend, dat was ze. Beïnvloedbaar? Misschien en beetje. Maar zoals Willem Drees, destijds ministerpresident, al zei: “Greet Hofmans had nooit zo’n grote invloed op haar als verondersteld.” Eigengereid Daarvoor was ze te ’eigengereid’. Tijdens haar studie wees Johan Huizinga erop dat ze vooral wilde weten. ‘Was een onderwerp uitvoerig belicht dan volgden haar vele vragen.’ Uit die studie bleek al dat Juliana zich niet liet beïnvloeden. Zeer tegen de zin van haar nogal overheersende moeder, koningin Wilhelmina, besloot Juliana toch om te gaan studeren. Ook wat het geloof betreft was ze niet zo volgzaam. Hoewel het huis van Oranje vanouds sterk verbonden is aan de Hervormde Kerk, besloot Juliana om ook hierin haar eigen weg te gaan. Moeder van het volk Tja, het is hoog tijd om Juliana in alle eer te herstellen. Daarom ben ik blij met het toneelstuk ‘Juliana, moeder van het volk’, waarmee de theatergroep Julius een hommage brengt aan deze ten onrechte beschuldigde vorstin. Stichting Julius Leeft! presenteerde haar 10-jarige jubileumvoorstelling ‘Juliana, moeder van het volk’ in het weekend van 19 en 20 december in de Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam. Juliana is de tiende voorstelling in de reeks van muzikale theaterreadings in de regie van John Leerdam. Na Claus! (2010), die in de aanwezigheid van toenmalig Koningin Beatrix in première ging, is dit opnieuw een muzikale reading over een lid van het Nederlands Koningshuis.
Ze voelde er niets voor Ze voelde er dan ook helemaal niets voor om na de oorlog voor de zoveelste keer in Amerika te bedanken voor de aan ons land geboden Marshallhulp. Integendeel: ze weigerde de door minister Stikker geschreven tekst voor te dragen. Ze vergeleek het met een in de psychiatrie gehanteerde methode. Daarbij fluistert men een geestelijk gehandicapte nietszeggende zin in alleen om deze persoon een prettig gevoel te geven. Dat vertikte Juliana. Ze ergerde zich enorm aan de toenmalige in Amerika heersende klopjacht op communisten. Een ieder die maar enigszins verdacht werd, verdween achter de Amerikaanse tralies. En dan moest Juliana hen alleen maar lof toezwaaien? Never en nooit.
Voor meer info over dit boek: http://www.10tips4trips.info/2015/05/het-geloof-van-oranje/ Het boek is vanaf de officiële presentatie op 15 december in Den Haag ook te bestellen in Australië, zie voor meer info de website van Holland Focus. Titel: Het geloof van Oranje: vrijheid, verbondenheid, tolerantie Auteur: Marianne Visser van Klaarwater Illustraties: Gustave Nouel Aantal pagina’s: 292 incl.15 pagina’s illustraties Prijs: €27,50 - ISBN: 978 90 8759 0 - NUR 688
Der Spiegel Intussen zag prins Bernhard de kans om haar verdacht te maken. Met een groot interview in Der Spiegel maakte hij haar verdacht. Ze zou onder invloed staan van de toverkol Greet Hofmans, zoals in Rusland destijds de tsaar onder invloed stond van Raspoetin. Als Juliana dat inderdaad stond dan was ze onbekwaam om te regeren en kon hijzelf de macht overnemen. 13
Melkkoker Nergens anders gezien, dit o zo praktische stuk keukengerei. Overal wordt er melk gekookt, maar alleen in Nederland schijnen er specifieke melkkokers te bestaan. Wij hadden er geen thuis; mijn moeder vertrouwde op haar eigen waakzaamheid, maar bij de buren en bij vriendinnetjes thuis zag ik ze wel eens. Dat wil niet zeggen, dat ze ook dagelijks gebruikt werden, want ik vermoed dat de melkkoker een onafscheidelijk onderdeel van de keukenuitzet was: hij kwam gewoon mee met de pannen en in sommige huishoudens bleef hij vaak op zijn plaats in een keukenkastje staan. Waar er kleine kinderen waren, zal de koker beslist gebruikt zijn, maar in de meeste gezinnen was hij er alleen maar voor de koffie. Want bij de koffie hoorde warme melk – we hebben het over het tijdperk voordat men koffieroom en koffiemelk in flesjes bij de supermarkt kon krijgen en voordat men koffiemelk in piepkleine ronde blikjes (zo echt Hollands, “cups” genoemd) bij de koffie in café’s en restaurants en vliegtuigen geserveerd kreeg. Voor de oningewijde komt nu de vraag: en waarom werd/ wordt melk speciaal gekookt in een geëmailleerde kan met een groot oor, een tuit en een deksel met gaten? Als kind dacht ik dat hij “koker” genoemd werd vanwege zijn ietwat kokerachtige vorm, maar nee, we hebben het over koken, en vooral over overkoken. Eén van onze leden heeft de speelse, en volgens mij, geniale, inval gehad, met een prop watten het gebruik van de koker aan te duiden. Want, zoals Nederlanders weten, is een melkkoker eigenlijk een melk-nietoverkoker. Wie van ons kent niet de vreselijk vieze lucht van aangebrande melk? Samen met de lucht van aangebrande aardappelen, staat hij hoog op de lijst van ‘rampen te vermijden in de keuken’. 14
Als men wil vermijden dat melk overkookt, kan men ook een stuiter op de bodem van een gewone pan doen, maar die maakt zo’n lawaai en trouwens, dat voldoet eigenlijk niet aan de Nederlandse passie voor precisie, want aan die passie danken wij de melkkoker, geloof ik. Ergens heeft een keukeningenieur zich over het probleem van overkokende melk gebogen en, na veel technische tekeningen en geëxperimenteer in het keukenlaboratorium, is er toen een dag aangebroken waarop hij ‘Eureka!’ kon roepen. Of misschien riep hij gewoon: “Ja, dàt is‘t!”, maar in ieder geval, het Nederlandse volk was vanaf die dag een praktisch stuk kookgerei rijker. Wij hebben er een mooi exemplaar van. Komt het zien, mensen (wij zijn er de meeste dinsdagen) en breng uw kinderen en kleinkinderen en Australische vrienden mee zodat zij in bewondering kunnen geraken over dit voorbeeld van Nederlandse vindingrijkheid. Janna Hilbrink DAHC
p e o r op Vriendelijk verzoek aan de heer JOHAN HASSELMAN, geboren te Enkhuizen (Nederland) op 15 april 1938, om zich z.s.m., liefst voor 31 januari 2016 te melden bij TeekensKarstens advocaten notarissen (mevrouw mr. M.L. Beerman), Vondellaan 51, 2332 AA Leiden, tel +3171 5358056, inzake de nalatenschap van zijn broer, de heer Cornelis Hasselman, geboren te Enkhuizen op 26 december 1936, laatst gewoond hebbende te Amsterdam (Nederland), overleden op 5 september 2015.
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Het is een vreemd soort taal, gedichten. Normaal gebruiken wij onze taal alsof het geld is: je geeft het uit en je ontvangt het. Maar je kijkt er eigenlijk nooit naar. Je werkt ermee, maar je ziet het niet. In gedichten gaat dat anders: Dan kijk je in het hart van de taal. In het hart van de mens.
elicht als niemand luistert naar niemand vallen er doden in plaats van woorden Taal is het krachtigste wapen van de mens. Taal heeft ons geleerd orde te scheppen in de chaos van onze wereld. Taal heeft ons in staat gesteld ons innerlijk met elkaar te delen. Taal helpt ons onze emoties te uiten, te verwerken en te delen. Taal is mensheid. En poëzie is de krachtigste vorm van taal. Hier worden inhoud en vorm samengesmolten tot juwelen en wapens, tot troost en bezinning. Dit gedicht is van Jana Beranová (rechts, foto van Hans van Zuiden), in Tsjechië geboren en naar Nederland gevlucht. Daar schreef ze in 1983 dit ijzeren gedicht. Twaalf woorden als mokerslagen, die niets te raden overlaten. Ook dat is poëzie. Amnesty International maakte er een poster van (zie links). Terecht. Laten we beginnen met luisteren.
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Networking for Business
KAASkoppen discusses actual affairs that keep the Nederlanders busy
a glance at the current Netherlands
refugees Hundreds of thousands of people flee from (war) violence in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Somalia, right now. Many hope to find a safe place in European countries, including the Netherlands. Swiftly, temporary constructions have been erected to accommodate the enormous flow of people. They are received in sport halls, town halls, empty prisons and in refugee camps. The facilities have to be constructed and furnished fast. As soon as possible, the council have to inform the people that live in the areas where the refugees would be accommodated, about the fact that (often) within a few days sometimes hundreds of people will arrive in the community. Sometimes, in some communities this resulted in -occasionally quite aggressive- protests and police and ME had to intervene. Especially those conflicts received the attention of the media and dominated the front pages. Photos of refugees in suburbs with banners (written in perfect Dutch) on which they expressed their dissatisfaction with the poor facilities and provisions offended many people and they thought that the refugees were very ungrateful. When zooming in it appears that suddenly a very different image is evident on
words Yolanda Edens
the photos: the first banner says ‘Dutch, Thank You!’ The other banners were handed to the refugees by opponents with the message that said ‘thank you’ too. At different information meetings in the Netherlands very often the same faces of opponents, who vehemently protested in name of the population, were seen. They found out that a group from Rotterdam attended these meetings all over the country. There is also another image: Like the spontaneous action in Apeldoorn, where people invited refugees at home for a meal. On a Friday night, more than 150 refugees, staying at a sport hall, were picked up by Apeldoorners in their own car and were brought back ‘home’ after the meal. Volunteers, police and parishioners made sure everything went smoothly. In the large refuge on Heumensoord near Nijmegen are 3000 refugees accommodated. Weekly, students from the ROC (Vocational Training) sport with large groups of refugees, a handicraft club has been formed, clubs organise performances and toys and clothes are being collected. Everything happens spontaniously, without anyone asking for it. There are numerous examples like this, throughout the country. Of course, incidents happen in the refuges. That is understandable when -obligatory- that many (often traumatised) people live so close together. Especially the waiting, not knowing for what and what is going to happen, causes a lot of stress and unrest. And then there are the Dutch that prefer the refugees to stay away. Slowly a more refined report is emerging. Like the news programme where some opponents referred to articles and photos in the media. “We are afraid for our safety”, was shouted in one voice. The answer from the reporter stunned them though: “That is exactly why they are refugees. What are you afraid of?” No answer was given. 17
ENGLISH RESPECTABILITY VERSUS DUTCH ASTUTENESS in exploration
A tongue in cheek history
words Monica de Knecht 18
previous page: William Dampier on a small canoe to Aceh (Indonesia) (print by Caspar Luyken 1698); left: Portrait of William Dampier (Gutenberg); below: painting of William III (NPG, London)
Therefore he was court-martialled in 1702 and thrown out of the English Navy, where he turned to cut-throat piracy. After that, the English ‘wiped their hands’ of him and did not take much account of his discoveries. If they had, at least they would have been credited with discovering Australia in the same century as the Dutch; even if it was about 90 years later.
William Dampier was the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today, Australia and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. He has also been described as Australia’s first natural historian. After that he surveyed the east coast of New Guinea and was also the master and pilot of an expedition (1708-11) which rescued Alexander Selkirk, who was the model for Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe”. Interestingly, the real Selkirk was born at Largo, Fifeshire, Scotland where there is a life-size statue of him as the fictional Robinson Crusoe (Howell 1829). Unfortunately, Dampier was also a very cruel man and men were ill-treated or actually died under his command.
William III was on the English throne at the time of William Dampier. He was the Dutch Stadthouder – William of Orange. You would have thought that would have given Dampier a bit of lee-way. Not on your life! William may have been a Dutchman, but 10 years before he had fought his own Catholic father-in-law (James II) for the English throne. He had put himself on, with the grace of the English Protestants, and from thereon he had integrated into a thorough English hypocrite. He thought like an Englishman. He had even been in cahoots with pirates and freebooters as, for instance Captain William Kidd; but quickly disowned him, when it suited him, especially if he had not got enough share of the spoils (Zachs, 2002); leaving the hapless Kidd to be hanged. No one would have been the least surprised if William had also entered into negotiations with Edward Teach, better known as ‘Blackbeard’ (Groushko, 1990), who was operating around the same time as Dampier. But Dutch William became England’s godly Protestant hero with as much flair and hypocrisy as any 17th century Englishman. Jacob Roggeveen was similar to Dampier in that he had first been employed by the VOC as a Raadsheer van Justitie (Council Lord of Justice) in Batavia, but afterwards 19
When Cook claimed the eastern side of New Holland for the English Crown, he was so respectable, the English happily credited him with discovering the whole continent, even though he had never claimed the western part at all, as in part of his journals he writes: …..on the western side I can make no new discovery, the honour of which belongs to the Dutch navigators, but the Eastern coast from the latitude of 38 degrees south down to this place I am confident was never seen or visited by any European before us; and notwithstanding I had in the Name of His Majesty King George the Third took possession of the whole Eastern coast from the above Lat. down to this place by the name of New South Wales…. (Extract from the Journal of Captain James Cook)
had become embroiled in religious controversy with the predikanten of the Dutch Reformed Church and the city council fathers, as he was too free thinking for their liking. After this he had to be content to be employed by the Dutch West India Company who dealt in less respectable trading. Even though they dealt in slave trading, they exploited Roggeveen to find Terra Australis, but, in his travels, he only chanced upon Rapa Nui or Easter Island as he called it, having discovered it on Easter Sunday, 5th April, 1722. The Dutch did not quibble about his dubious employment. They credited him with the discovery straight away, unlike the strait-laced English, who would have ignored his achievements, in the same way as they had Dampier. We never learned in Australian history that William Dampier had been the first Englishman to discover the Great South Land. No that honour went to the respectable middle-class Englishman, James Cook. 20
Every other nation on God’s little earth do not seem to care about whether their captains or merchants were respectable. The VOC certainly didn’t – What did they care for respectability as long as they got trade, treasure and spoils. The English did the same things, but they cloaked it under respectability. Even their traders were eulogised as pious martyrs in, for instance, the Massacre of Ambon, where the wicked Dutch had tortured the poor English traders and given them such dreadful deaths.
The English needed to wait until it was correct and proper to discover, claim and colonise, even if they had to be a little loose with the truth. The Dutch certainly didn’t colonise much because they saw how much the British had to pay to keep the “Empire on which the sun never sets.” The Hollanders never bothered to claim much either, as it didn’t bring them any trade advantage, they weren’t interested. However they certainly discovered one third of the world’s land surface and they didn’t care who it was that made that discovery. Gentlemen or thief, aristocrat or rogue, king or slave!! BIBLIOGRAPHY The Journals of Captain James Cook, in Captain Cook in Australia edited by A.W. Reed, published by A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne. REFERENCE A report published by authority of the English East India Company, 1624. Massacre at Ambon Bach, J., A Maritime History of Australia, Nelson Boxer, 1965, The Dutch Seaborne Empire, Hutchinson of London Finkel, G., 1975 The Dutchman Bold – The Story of Abel Tasman, Angus & Robertson Groushko, Mike, 1990 Treasure, Lost, Found & Undiscovered, Quantum Howell, 1829 Robinson Crusoe’s Life and Adventures Zachs, R., The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd, published by Hyperion, N.Y., 2002.
Do you think the VOC would have cared who discovered and claimed a country as long as they got their ‘fingers in the pie’. Abel Tasman was a gentleman sailor who discovered Tasmania. The VOC went berserk because he claimed it for the Netherlands Government first. He should have claimed it for the real ruling power, the Verenigde Oost Indishe Compagnie. The Gentlemen Seventeen were also really incensed that Tasman had spent so much time and effort for a few pearl shells. There was no trade, no spices and no money. Who cares if Tasman was a kindly gentleman (Finkel, 1979).
images previous page: top: Edward Teach (Blackbeard) by J. Basire; bottom: Roggeveen; this page: top: James Cook; below: Captain Kidd
21
The Netherlands to chair the European Union
words Erik Feenstra 22
From January 1st till June 30th2016, the Netherlands will chair the European Union (EU). Every half year another EU member state chairs the EU Council, and will initiate negotiations between the 28 member states of the EU. The chair also looks after interests of all member states while negotiating about new policies with other European institutions. The Netherlands takes over the chairmanship from Luxembourg; on July 1st Slovenia will take over.
Belgium and Luxembourg. After World War II, European integration was regarded as thé remedy for extreme nationalism, which made Europe one big battlefield, over many centuries. The founding of the ECSC was the first step towards a federation of Europe. The successes lead to the Treaty of Rome in 1957, signed by the six states. It formed the EEC: for the first time ever, rules between a few European countries had been liberated. The six countries also signed a pact creating the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), about developing nuclear energy. Both treaties came into force the year after.
The chairing country could focus on problems of its own national interest, but is also responsible for taking over and finishing running issues of former chairs. The Netherlands chairs for the twelfth time and has been responsible for a few milestones in the EU. In 1992 the Treaty of Maastricht registered basic values and goals
In 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the UK joined the EU, Greece followed in 1981, Spain and Portugal in 1986. The three Mediterranean countries freed themselves from
every member state should obey to. In 1997 the Treaty of Amsterdam paved the way to expanding and welcoming new member states. Like any chairing country, the Netherlands will have to deal with current hot issues, like: the refugee crisis, terrorism, the aftermath of the shock in the financial system, the civil war in Syria, problems with Ukraine and Russia. Some EU-members, like Poland and Hungary with ultra-right governments, are in a way ‘violating’ EU human right standards and some other countries fiddle with financial boundaries. Meanwhile in many EU states nationalism and intolerance against minorities are growing rapidly. It might get tough, in 2016…
dictatorial regimes and soon after becoming a member of ‘the European democratic family’, the living standards in these countries improved rapidly. In 1990 East and West Germany united, which meant that the former German Democratic Republic (DDR) stepped into the EU as well. In 1992 the Treaty of Maastricht was basically the founding of the EU as we know it today. It paved the way to the Economic and Monetary Union. In Maastricht the members decided that the euro would become the common currency. The Treaties of Schengen (a small town in Luxembourg) opened the boundaries between member states, which meant free travelling of peoples and goods within the so-called ‘Schengen states’. In 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden became members of the EU. On January 1st 2002 the EU’s twelve member states and Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City introduced the euro. Denmark, the UK and Sweden decided to keep their own currency, but the other member states changed their national currencies for the euro: it was the biggest
How did it all begin? The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed in 1951 and 1958 by six countries: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, 23
monetary change in human history. It made trading a lot easier.
Bank and the European Court of Auditors (to control the finances of the EU).
In 2004 the EU was expanded by ten new member states: Cyprus, Hungary, the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined. The Treaty of Lisbon in 2007 made sure that this vast Union stayed manageable, by amending the Treaties of Rome (1958) and Maastricht (1992). In 2013 Croatia became the 28th member state of the EU. Some new members changed their currencies to the euro as well: Slovenia in 2007, Cyprus and Malta in 2008, Slovakia in 2009 and later on the Baltic States too.
The EU receives income from the member states. The EU spends 130 billion euro a year, about 1% of the yearly gross budget of all members together. Around 40% goes to the farming sector, but a great deal of money is also spent on education, restructuring and poorer regions within the Union.
Some member states own ‘dependencies overseas’, like the Canary Islands (Spain), the Azorean Islands and Madeira (Portugal) and French overseas departments: they ‘belong’ to the EU. Other countries and ‘dependencies overseas’ from the UK and France, the Dutch Caribbean Islands (the Netherlands) and Greenland (Denmark) have certain connections with the EU, others do not like Guernsey, Jersey, Man (UK) and the Faeroe Islands (Denmark). Any European state can ‘join the family’, as long as all members agree. Five countries are ‘on the waiting list’: Turkey, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro. European Institutions Within the EU are seven institutions: the European Parliament, the European Council (the 28 member state government leaders), the Ministers Council (by ministers from the 28 countries, depending on the subject), the European Commission (the ‘government’ so to speak, with 28 commissioners, one per state member), the European Court (the EU judiciary), the European Central
Brussels is more or less ‘the capital of Europe’, being the headquarters of the EU, but the Parliament has to travel between the Belgian capital and Strasbourg to hold their meetings: a remnant from the past – when France wanted to have an important part within the EEC – but nowadays a costly affair, causing discussions regularly. The general secretariat is situated in Luxembourg. The Parliament consists of 766 members, chosen every five years. Often the turnout for these elections is disappointing. The European citizens Unfortunately, the EU is not very popular with many European civilians. They regard ‘Brussels’ as an overruling body, destroying regional culture and lifestyle. Opponents seem to forget one important thing: Europe and the Europeans live in peace for 70 years now, and that is by far the longest period in European history. In the meantime, two generations have grown up on a continent without wars (apart from regional conflicts in former Yugoslavia and terror attacks). In these turbulent times, anti-EU resentments, nationalism and hostility against ‘foreigners’, refugees and various minorities is growing rapidly. It is quite frightening. Back to the Netherlands So: the upcoming half-year will be tough for the Netherlands as chair of the EU. Many functions will take place in Amsterdam. The Scheepvaartmuseum will host meetings by ministers and the neighbouring Marineterrein will host meetings on a lower level. This area is situated on the east side of the inner city, and had been in use since 1655 by the Admiraliteit van Amsterdam and its followup, the Dutch Navy (Marine). Recently the navy decided to leave the area and hand it back to the city. In the 17th century, the Scheepvaartmuseum was ‘s Lands Zeemagazijn, the national warehouse of naval and war equipment, to protect Amsterdam, the Republic and trade-ships with their costly merchandise, in a 24
photo page 23: Place du Luxembourg, European Quarter of Brussels (Belgium). View of the European Parliament (western side), including converted station entrance in front) with statue of John Cockerill in foreground. (J.H. Logan)
time when protectionism was common. Let’s hope that this 17th century hotspot of protectionism will become the location where the EU members will come to their senses and make one big united European fist against nationalism, intolerance and hate against minorities.
photo page 24: Luxembourg (City) Main Building of the BCEE, former seat of the ECSC’s High Authority (by Borsi112) Headquarters of the High Authority in Luxembourg.
Would you like to know what’s going on in the Netherlands? Please visit www.eropuit.blog.nl (in Dutch), or www. wereldnieuws.blog.nl, if interested in main news.
25
Founding act in Dutch signed by Queen Juliana
A Lady Seated at a Virginal Johannes Vermeer National Gallery London
Music in the Daily Life of Vermeer The Rommelpot words Adelheid Rech 26
The Rommelpot German: Reibtrommel – Brummtopf, Italian: puttiputi, French: tambour à friction At first sight the rommelpot would merely seem a children’s toy, but it is a true musical instrument and can be classified in the Hornbostel-Sachs system as a membranophone. This means that the sound of the rommelpot is primarily produced by the vibration of a tightly stretched membrane, a friction drum. Friction drums were known in Africa, South Asia, and South America (particularly in Brazil). Because of the unearthly sound it produces, it is often associated with religion, ceremony and similar rites. Its connection with specific occasions in European traditions dates from the 16th century. In the Netherlands, the rommelpot has many different names, used in different regions, especially in Belgium, where it is also called foekepot, probably an onomatopoeic syllable for the froeping sound of the instrument. One of the meanings of rommelen is ‘to produce a dull noise’ which is the main characteristic of the rommelpot. In Brabant a folk dance is also called ‘Rommelpot’, which must be accompanied by the instrument that lends the dance its name.
Making and playing the rommelpot Making the rommelpot has always been a children’s game. All that was needed was a pot or earthenware jug - even a soup bowl or a flower pot would do - and a wooden stick. The most exotic element of this humble construction was a pig’s- or cow’s bladder to be used as the membrane stretched over the pot. Bladders were quite easily to come by at the butcher shop. First, the bladder had to be soaked in water. Then the friction stick was lightly pushed through the middle of the skin and tied to it. The membrane was stretched over the pot and tied with a wet cord, becoming very tight when dry. In some areas the pot was half filled with water or dried peas to increase its diabolical sound. The rommelpot is played as simply as it is made: by rubbing the stick with wetted fingers, cloth or sponge (in former times players simply spat in their hands) pulling it to and fro. The membrane vibrates and the pot serves as the resonating chamber. Pressure on the stick varies the pitch. Sometimes the stick was smeared with fat or wax to ease sliding. Playing the rommelpot. The player uses a wetted piece of cloth to ease the sliding while rubbing the stick.
The Battle of Carnival and Lent Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1559).Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
27
Rommelpot, Frans Halls (Kimbell Art Museum, Texas)
Traditions of the rommelpot in Flemish/Dutch iconography In the 16th century, the rommelpot was originally an adult’s instrument. One of its first depictions appears in Pieter Brueghel the Elder’s comprehensive ‘Battle of Carnival and Lent’ juxtaposing feasting on Shrove Tuesday and fasting 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter. After Brueghel’s death his son Pieter (the Younger) made a fine copy of this painting, emphasising the encyclopaedic aspect of the contents. It is housed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels. In one of the scenes to the left-hand side of the composition Shrove Tuesday, symbolised by Prince Carnival, he is sitting on a large beer barrel. A figure near the barrel, wrapped in a black-patterned cape, plays a reddish rommelpot, a typical Carnival instrument with its ‘foolish’ sound. The figure appears to accompany a fool’s bell-ringing.
The rommelpot was often chosen by beggars who lacked appreciable skills since it was so easy to play. They either accompanied their own singing or provided the rhythmic grounds to the play of other fellow-musicians. Frans Hals set the roving rommelpot-player an everlasting monument with a renowned painting, of which a good seven variations are known today (S. Slive, catalogue 1974). He may have made two versions of the picture, one with five children and another with six, all cheerful listening to the smiling beggar’s music-making and storytelling. Since Hals had ten children some may have modelled for the boys and girls. Hals’ treatment of the theme was pioneering for his time. Never before had the merriment of children and a beggar (beggars were traditionally represented in dismal circumstances and in bad humour) been the unique focus of a painting with all the figures shoved to the foreground. Hals’ novel interpretation inspired numerous 28
The rommelpot Jan Steen 1660-62 City Art Gallery, Manchester
Twelfth Night Jan Steen 1668 Staatliche Museen, Kassel
copies made in- and outside his own workshop. These copies have caused problems of attribution to art historians. Even after the thorough restoration of the socalled “Kimbell-version” in 1988, Frans Hals scholars are still in disagreement as to its authenticity. The original version with five children is probably lost. A lovely contemporary version of Hals’ composition comes from his best pupil Judith Leyster, who married the successful genre painter Jan Miense Molenaer. Her version may originate in the 1630s. Another Dutch painter who depicted the subject at least twice was Jan Steen. During his stay in Haarlem 16611670 he may have seen one of the numerous copies of Hals’ work inspiring his own version, a genre interior with three figures. Like many other of his genre paintings, Steen portrayed himself as the rommelpot player, accompanied by his wife Margriet on the recorder while a third, obscure person in the background raises a glass. But contrary to Hals’ innocent group of cheerful children surrounding an elderly musician, Steen’s depiction is overflowing with jocular eroticism. In his popular Twelfth Night Steen again takes up the motif of the fool playing the rommelpot derived from the Brueghel-painting. In the seventeenth century, Twelfth Night (Driekoningen), which marks the end of Christmastide, was celebrated with family and friends. The person who found a bean in his cake during the gathering was elected ‘king’. The highlight of the event was the king’s first draught, taken to the call De Koning drinkt!. In Steen’s ‘Twelfth Night’ the young boy who has become the king, proudly wears his paper crown and takes his first sip of alcohol under the eyes of his tipsy mother. A woman dressed as a Beguine nun, most likely the lad’s grandmother, assists the scene in silence. Steen portrays himself as a low-life figure singing away while seated at the table. His wife Grietje smiles at the fool as a priest serves to remind the distracted viewer that the Twelfth Night was indeed a Catholic feast. In predominantly Protestant Holland, this holiday was resolutely disapproved by Calvinistic clergy as it frequently ended in riotous carousals, so well known from Steen’s paintings. Steen’s paintings were popular despite the censure.
In Jan Miense Molenaer’s cheerful Two Boys and a Girl Making Music the rommelpot is at last represented as a children’s instrument. One boy plays a violin while the girl wears a soldier’s gorget and beats a pair of spoons on a helmet. The boy clad in red, evidently quite proud of his maturity, keeps the rhythm with his home-made rommelpot. The three children clearly belong to the lower class. Molenaer, whose work displays an enormous range of motifs, specialised in low-life genre scenes throughout his career. One of the great popular traditions of the Netherlands dates back to the Middle Ages. On evening of Twelfth Night, groups of three children dressed up as the Three Kings went from door to door singing a sterrenlied and asking for a bit of money. In earlier times this procession usually took place with pupils of a convent school, guided by a priest. By the seventeenth century this custom had more and more been adopted by children of the lower class who must have accompanied their joyous revelry with the rommelpot. On Oudejaarsavond (New Years Eve) or St. Maarten (11th November) Dutch children went from house to house singing rommelpot-songs asking a few coins or sweets. Beforehand, they had no doubt eagerly built their rommelpotten, each one trying to make the ‘best’ one that would make the most bizarre sound. After the two tragic wars and the gradual urbanisation of the Netherlands, many of traditional rites disappeared; however, rommelpot-songs have resisted and are still quite popular among today’s children. The rommelpot remains a popular instrument among many Dutch folkgroups to accompany rustic boerenliederen (peasants’ songs). Music in Vermeer’s Life: Conclusion When Vermeer was a boy, he must have taken part in the endless cycle of public feasts and processions. Years later, after he had grown up, married and moved with his family to his mother-in-law’s house in the Papenhoek at the Oude Langendijk, children knocked on his door as he had done before, singing their songs to earn a favour. Vermeer knew songs and dances which were accompanied by music of the fiddle, bagpipe, hurdygurdy or shawm. We know that he was raised in his 29
Two Boys and a Girl Making Music Jan Miense Molenaer 1629 National Gallery London
father’s inn Mechelen on the Markt in Delft where most of the festivities took place. Music must have been all around. The rustic low-life scenes staged in inns and taverns, peasants’ traditional festivities or private ‘merry’ gatherings of the great Dutch/Flemish genre masters, like Adriaen van Ostade, Adriaen Brouwer and David Tenier, were familiar to all. But Vermeer took a different route, one more artistically noble and potentially lucrative, one that brought him into contact with the refined and sophisticated daily-life activities of the upper class. From his relatively humble origins, the courting Vermeer may have gained personal access to the upper crust of society through the patrician connections of his mother-in-law Maria Thins, through his patron Pieter van Ruijven, one of the wealthiest burghers in Delft or perhaps, through his official post as Dean of the St. Luke’s Guild, to which he was elected twice. This artistic decision was his own personal one, and his paintings, unsurpassed in their art, are the unequivocal evidence that he was right. As we know, music-making took considerable part in his œuvre. The side-by-side comparison below with a work by Vermeer’s colleague Jan Steen may prove instructive.
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Merry Family Jan Steen, 1668 Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Steen depicted his own family cheerfully engaged in making noisy music. Four musical instruments are to be viewed in the painting: the bagpipe, the fiddle, the transverse flute and a horn.
wrote: “The musical world of Jan Steen is completely different from that of painters such as Johannes Vermeer or Pieter de Hoogh: not only is it more rowdy and more multifaceted, but also more personal and more specific. This can be explained by Steen’s intentional focus on popular culture and by the inspiration that he drew from literary and musical humour. It is through these factors that this music is able to teach us something about Jan Steen as well as the culture of which he was part.” And this ‘popular culture’ was exactly the same Vermeer had grown up and was in constant touch with throughout his short life. essentialvermeer.com
Vermeer depicted an ideal harmonious combination of two ‘classical’ instruments: the viola da gamba (though never actively played in Vermeer’s oeuvre) with its human-like sound, together with the soft-toned virginal, here symbolising the harmony of two hearts in love. Both masters depicted a considerable variety of musical instruments in Dutch 17th century art, and the remarkable proportion of music making in their respective œuvres is of nearly the same percentage. Although their personalities and artistic styles are so contrasting, they shared their fondness of music. In his introduction to the CD De Muzikale Wereld van Jan Steen (1626-1679) musicologist and master-musician Louis Pieter Grijp
Dutch Clocks in Oz • Zaanse, Sallanders, Schippertjes, Frisian Tail Clocks • and a variety of other clocks from Holland located in Springwood, Qld, 4127
visit by appointment only ring Rob Schmidt on 0432 832 800 www.dutchclocksinoz.com.au 31
Welkom bij
‘de leesplank kids’
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Sinterklaasfeest
Alieska
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TaalsTaaltje door Frans Hertoghs
Ik hou van jou Ook veel andere talen noemen de liefde gewoon bij zijn eigen werkwoord. In de Romaanse talen komt dat van het Latijnse amare, ‘beminnen’. Te amo, ti amo, je t’aime.
Toen ik nog een groentje was in de liefde nam ik me voor maar één keer in mijn leven tegen één meisje te zeggen: “Ik hou van jou”. Want dát is natuurlijk pas echte liefde. Vond ik. Helaas ben ik vergeten tegen wie ik die historische woorden voor het eerst gezegd heb. En dat is misschien maar goed ook.
Is het typisch Nederlands en Fries om geheim te houden wát je dan wel van iemand houdt? Ach, onze simpele woorden ik hou van jou worden magisch door vorm en inhoud. Wij houden niet van beminnen, wij houden van houden van. Van doodgewone dingen als appeltjes, pannekoeken, schaatsen en zonnebaden. Alléén als je zegt “ik hou van jou”, dan zijn die gewone woorden ineens magisch. En waarom?
Wat een rare uitdrukking trouwens: ik hou van jou. Wát houden we dan precies? Dat zeggen we niet! Is dat niet raar? In Brabant zeggen ze: Ik zien oe gère, ‘ik zie je graag’, wat behoorlijk cool is. In de liefdesverklaringen hebben de Brabanders Beierse buren. Die verzuchten: I mog di narrisch gern, ik mag je dolgraag. Op z’n Brabants.
Onze liefdesverklaring is een echt gedichtje, compleet met rijm en ritme! O Nederlandse taal, ik hou van jou!
Het Afrikaans houdt het simpel met: Ek het jou lief, wat ik persoonlijk wel erg mooi vind. In de Scandinavische talen, in Engels en Duits gebruik je het werkwoord voor liefhebben: Jeg elsker dig, I love you, en Ich liebe dich is gewoon ‘ik lief jou’. In het Nederlands bestaat het werkwoord lieven niet. Het ligt misschien te dicht bij ik blief jou. Om op te vreten?
ik hou van jou 34
De Torrie Van Mattie In 2011 kwam het boek ‘De Torrie van Mattie’ uit. Het is geschreven door een pastor, Daniel de Wolf. Hij heeft jaren voor Youth for Christ als jongerenwerker gewerkt en ook in Charlois, Rotterdam-Zuid. Hij leerde daar de straattaal van jongeren. Het boek is een combinatie van straattaal, met veel woorden uit anderde talen, zoals Marokkaans, Engels, Surinaams, Turks en Antilliaans, die veel in de tachtiger jaren gebruikt werden en woorden gebruikt in MSN en SMS. Het boek is een ‘vertaling’ van het Bijbelse boek Matteüs en bedoelt om de Bijbel leesbaar te maken voor hongeren. Het bevat de meest relevante verhalen voor jongeren uit het Evangelie van Matteüs, van Jezus geboorte tot Zijn sterven aan het kruis en Zijn opstanding. Een stukje uit het kerstverhaal: “Maria, een meisje van misschien veertien jaar oud, was uitgehuwelijkt aan een kill die Jozef ‘Jowie’ Davids heette. Ze waren verloofd, zeg maar. De gewoonte was toen om geen seks voor het huwelijk te hebben. Maar ze bleek ineens pregno te zijn. Jowie kwam erachter en hij was omin depressed, want hij dacht dat ze The Lost White Tribes of Australia Part 1: met een ander gebald had. (…) Maar Jowie was een rustige boy en hij wilde 1656 The First Settlement of Australia geen buzz en redu en haters praatjes A small community, all as white as over Maria en hij dacht erover om himself, he said about 300; that they hun relatie in stilte te verbreken, lived together within a great wall to je weet toch. Gewoon net doen of defend them from black men; that hij van nix wist en het uitmaken. their father came here 170 years ago Hij werd moe van al die hoofdpijn from a distant land across the sea … en ging dagga. Toen kreeg hij een Lt Robert Dale 1832 WA droom.” De Wolf vroeg aan jongeren om het te proeflezen: ‘Ik stuurde de proefhoofdstukken naar jongeren en zij gaven daar feedback op. Grappig is dat ik soms de reactie terugkreeg: ‘Daniel, dit kun je echt niet maken. Dit is te grof.’ Daar heb ik uiteraard wel rekening mee gehouden.’ Het boek is alleen nog tweedehands te koop, bij o.a. Bol.com
An Ideal Gift
Includes Free $20,000 scratchie (NSW Lotteries) Free gift wrapping and autograph upon request. Only $44 Parcel Post or $48 Express Post. Multiple copies to the ONE address: Two books: $74 Three books: $104 Send cheque to: Henry Van Zanden PO Box 49N Campbelltown North NSW 2560
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Pay by PayPal, visit: australiadiscovered.com.au
Light Festival Amsterdam
Princess Beatrix opened the Light Festival
The walking route Illuminade (part of the Light Festival) took you past 20 light artworks through the culturally rich neighborhoods Weesper and Plantage. The outdoor exhibition showcased artworks that have been created specifically for Amsterdam Light Festival by (inter)national talent. From bright projections on historical buildings to dynamic lighting systems in city parks to works that you can actually walk through, the artworks add an extra dimension to the public space. Illuminade offered visitors the opportunity to enjoy contemporary culture and the beauty of light, for free. See Amsterdam in a whole other light and be sure to share this special experience with family and friends. Illuminade took place from 10 December 2015 to 3 January 2016. photos Odi Busman
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New research Nicas unites art and science On September 25th 2015 a new research centre, the Netherlands Institute for Conservation, Art and Science (NICAS) was launched. At NICAS PhD student Aerospace Structures and Materials Leila Sauvage researches the effect of vibrations on pastel paintings. Her research can lead to new guidelines for transporting these fragile works of art. The NICAS research centre brings together art history, conservation and restoration with the natural sciences, with the aim of improving the preservation of cultural heritage. In this video, a number of scientists elucidate the research projects which will be established within the NICAS. NICAS is a collaboration between the NWO, the Rijksmuseum, the University of Amsterdam (UvA), the Cultural Heritage Agency and Delft University of Technology. NICAS website: http://www.nicas-research.nl. Watch the video about the work of Sauvage and her colleagues: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EH7Is6Y7n7U
words Department of Communication photos Odi Busman 39
Wonderkind, (child prodigy)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in The Hague On 11 September 2015 it was exactly 350 years ago, that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arrived in The Hague. Mozart was only nine at the time. At the age of five Mozart (Salzburg, 27 January 1756 – Vienna, 5 December 1791) proved to be a talented composer and agile performer on keyboard and violin. His family made several European journeys in which he and his sister Nannerl performed as child prodigies. They scored much success as ‘wonderkinderen’ (een wonderkind, literally ‘miracle child’). In 1762 his father took them on a long concert tour which lasted three and a half years. The family visited the courts of Munich, Mannheim, Paris, London, The Hague, again to Paris, and back home via Zurich, Donaueschingen, and Munich. In The Hague Wolfgang became so ill that he almost died there. Here are some of the diary notes that the prodigy could have written during his stay in The Hague. The Hague, a very strange place indeed Wednesday, 11 September 1765 It is very strange here. There is water everywhere. We
travelled by barge from Rotterdam to The Hague along all kinds of canals and past many villages. They have a stadtholder here in The Hague. He is a kind of king, and his name is William, Prince of Orange, but he is not really in charge like King George III of England or Holy Roman Emperor Francis I Stephen, who died last month. Stadtholder is from a German word that means ‘deputy’, but what king or emperor does he replace? None, for this is a Republic run by an assembly of great men. Mama finds everything very beautiful and clean here, but Papa says they have no taste, and little musical accomplishment. He hates the hotel La Ville de Paris on Fluwelen Burgwal where we are lodging. Dutch is not a difficult language Wednesday, 18 September 1765 We have now been in The Hague for a week and Nannerl is very ill. So ill that I had to perform without my dear little sister. Today’s newspaper said this about me: ‘Currently residing in The Hague is the famous musician J.G. Wolfgang Mozart of Salzburg, who is only eight years old, yet performs the most difficult concertos and solos by the famous masters, as well as several compositions
Family portrait: Maria Anna (“Nannerl”) Mozart, her brother Wolfgang, their mother Anna Maria (medallion) and father, Leopold Mozart, date circa 1780 photo: http://www.schillerinstitute.org
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of his own. Thus, this young musician has displayed his extraordinary talents to the Stadtholder’s Court etc. to the admiration and approval of all.’ Dutch is not a difficult language. It is very similar to German. ‘Wonderbaar’, ‘meester’, ‘concerten’… so I can read it. Funny that the newspaper writes I am eight. That is because of Father. ‘The younger they think you are, the higher the fees!’, he says. Indeed, but it is still a lie. It does work though, for they applauded very loudly. Hopefully Nannerl will recover soon. Almost an Angel Wednesday, 15 January 1766 Just like Nannerl, I have been deadly ill for a month. I had a high fever and I was given an enema. I almost became an angel. Luckily good old Doctor Schwenke kept us both on this earth. He is also Princess Caroline’s personal physician. She is a woman of accomplishment, and the one who invited us here. She lives on beautiful Voorhout avenue, and in September she gave birth to a daughter. I am now ten! The Princess has commissioned me to compose arias for soprano. She has a beautiful voice. I play for her as she sings. We are to give a Grand Concert in Oude Doelen on 22 January, when we will play my compositions.
words Ruud Hisgen (earlier version published in The Hague, City Without Walls, 2012) photos this page by Ruud Hisgen
Musical nonsense Monday, 10 March 1766 Prince William V was sworn in as stadtholder on 8 March. What festivities! Golden coaches, flags, dinners, fireworks. All the houses had orange lanterns and orange candles. Everyone sang ‘Willem van Nassau”. I have composed seven variations on it, and a comic piece that I have called ‘Musical Nonsense’. A great success! Tuesday, 22 April 1766 Later we shall bid farewell to The Hague and dear Princess Caroline and her children. I have composed six new sonatas for piano. Nannerl and I have greatly enjoyed our walks to Scheveningen, by the sea and along the beach. Now on to Paris.
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exacte locatie ‘Straatje van Vermeer’
Rijksmueseum 20 november 2015 t/m 13 maart 2016 Uit nieuw archiefonderzoek is voor het eerst de exacte locatie van het wereldberoemde ‘Het straatje’ van Johannes Vermeer te herleiden. Het Rijksmuseum wijdt een tentoonstelling aan deze ontdekking. Professor dr. Frans Grijzenhout, hoogleraar Kunstgeschiedenis aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam, raadpleegde 17de-eeuwse archiefstukken die nog niet eerder voor dit doel werden gebruikt en die nu duidelijk uitwijzen waar de oorspronkelijke locatie van het straatje in Delft zich bevindt. Aan de ontdekking van ‘Het straatje’ van Vermeer is een tentoonstelling gewijd die van 20 november t/m 13 maart 2016 te zien is in het Rijksmuseum. Aansluitend is de tentoonstelling te zien in Museum Prinsenhof Delft. Pieter Roelofs, conservator 17de-eeuwse schilderkunst Rijksmuseum: ‘Het antwoord op de vraag waar het straatje van Vermeer zich bevindt, is van grote betekenis en zal diepgaande consequenties hebben, zowel voor de manier waarop we naar dit ene schilderij van Vermeer kijken als voor ons beeld van Vermeer als kunstenaar.’ Het adres Dankzij nieuw onderzoek heeft professor Grijzenhout het exacte adres kunnen vaststellen: de Vlamingstraat in Delft ter hoogte van de huidige nummers 40-42. In de loop van de tijd zijn verschillende andere Delftse adressen gesuggereerd, maar geen was overtuigend. De bron die Frans Grijzenhout raadpleegde en die tot de sluitende conclusie van zijn onderzoek leidde, is De legger van het diepen der wateren binnen de stad Delft uit 1667, ook
wel het Register op het kadegeld genoemd. In dit register werd bijgehouden hoeveel belasting iedereen in Delft die een huis aan een gracht bezat, moest betalen voor het uitdiepen van de gracht en het onderhoud van de kade voor zijn deur. Het register geeft een gedetailleerd en tot op ca. 15 cm nauwkeurig beeld van de breedte van alle huizen én van alle tussengelegen gangen (‘poorten’) aan de grachten in Delft in de tijd van Vermeer. Zo kon worden vastgesteld dat aan de noordzijde van de Vlamingstraat, een tamelijk smalle gracht in het destijds armere, oostelijke deel van Delft, ter hoogte van de huidige nummers 40-42, twee huizen stonden. De huizen waren elk zo’n 6,30 m breed met daartussenin in twee, direct naast elkaar gelegen poorten, ieder ca. 1,20 m breed. Aanvullend onderzoek naar de ligging van de huizen en tuintjes daarachter bevestigt dat de situatie ter plaatse volkomen overeen komt met het schilderij. Nergens anders in Delft in de tijd van Vermeer kwam deze constellatie voor. Professor Frans Grijzenhout raadpleegde verschillende bronnen voor zijn onderzoek dat nu tot deze spectaculaire ontdekking heeft geleid, waaronder documenten in de archieven van Delft (speciaal het Register op het Kadegeld) en ook Google Maps. De Penspoort De huizen die er tegenwoordig staan, dateren uit het laatste kwart van de 19de eeuw. Alleen het markante rechter poortje van Het straatje is nog steeds herkenbaar. Het onderzoek heeft verder uitgewezen dat het rechterhuis op Het straatje eigendom was van een tante van Vermeer, de weduwe Ariaentgen Claes van der 42
Minne, een halfzus van zijn vader. Deze tante voorzag in haar levensonderhoud en dat van haar vijf kinderen door de verkoop van pens. De poort naast het huis werd dan ook de Penspoort genoemd. Verder weten we dat Vermeers moeder en zus aan dezelfde gracht woonden, schuin aan de overkant. Het is daarom aannemelijk dat Johannes Vermeer het huis goed kende en dat er voor hem persoonlijke herinneringen aan verbonden waren.
lang woonde en werkte, bezit geen enkel werk van zijn hand. De presentatie over Het straatje is eerst in het Rijksmuseum en daarna in Museum Prinsenhof Delft te zien. De locaties die met het leven van Vermeer en Het straatje zijn verbonden bevinden zich allemaal in de directe nabijheid van het museum in Delft. Na een bezoek aan de tentoonstelling kan de bezoeker letterlijk in de voetsporen van Vermeer treden.
“Het antwoord op de vraag waar het straatje van Vermeer zich bevindt, is van grote betekenis en zal diepgaande consequenties hebben voor de manier waarop we naar dit schilderij kijken en voor ons beeld van Vermeer als kunstenaar. ” Pieter Roelofs, conservator 17de-eeuwse schilderkunst Rijksmuseum. Vermeer Van Vermeer zijn ongeveer 35 schilderijen bewaard gebleven, waaronder maar twee stadsgezichten. Een daarvan is Gezicht op huizen in Delft, de oudst bekende naam van Het straatje, in het Rijksmuseum, het andere is Gezicht op Delft in het Mauritshuis in Den Haag. De drie andere schilderijen van Vermeer in de collectie van het Rijksmuseum zijn Het melkmeisje, De brieflezende vrouw en De liefdesbrief. De schilderijen van Vermeer zijn te zien in de Eregalerij van het Rijksmuseum waar ze dagelijks door duizenden bezoekers worden bewonderd. Delft, de stad waar de schilder zijn leven
:
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[email protected] 43
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SBS Radio Dutch Zaanseschans, photos Odi Busman
Wednesday and Saturday / 11am - 12pm SBS Radio 2 How to listen
3ZZZ, Dutch radio is on-air every Monday from 4 – 5 pm, and every Friday from 8 – 9 am. Please tune into 92.3 fm.
Sydney: Melbourne: Perth: Darwin: • • • •
97.7fm 93.1fm 96.9fm 100.9fm
Adelaide: Brisbane: Canberra:
106.3fm 93.3fm 105.5fm
Analogue or digital radio Digital TV Live and catch up at sbs.com.au/dutch SBS Your Language App
PRINS WILLEM ALEXANDER VILLAGE sbs_dutch_radio.indd 1 Netherlands Retirement Village Association Of Queensland Inc.
What are your plans for the future?
6/06/14 2:23 PM
Imagine living in an environment that reminds you of “back home”. Inspired by the traditional “Zaanse” style architecture, the village offers many choices in accommodation and lifestyle, from independent living to the highest of care. There are 74 independent living units, 44 Hostel units, 14 one bedroom apartments and a 64 bed Nursing Home. Enjoy our friendly and happy environment. Many members of our dedicated staff speak Dutch as well as English, because we realise the importance of the mother tongue. You may like to visit the village and discuss your options for moving into this ideal village facility. Just ring us first to make an appointment, so we can be available to discuss opportunities for you. Prins Willem Alexander Village 62 Collingwood Road, Birkdale Tel.: (07) 3822 0800 Email:
[email protected]
a new care facility is presently under construction
kiwikorrels
Vlagvertoon
Frans Hertoghs
Elk land dat zichzelf respecteert moet behalve een hopeloos ouderwets volkslied ook een eigen vlag hebben. Niet dat dat een wereldwijd voorschrift is. Maar je hebt het gewoon nodig. Als je landgenoot een heuse Olympische Medaille wint, dan ben je zelf toch ook ineens een winnaar? Wat zou er moeten klinken en wapperen rond de schavotjes? Niets anders dan je eigen Volksgezang en Vlagvertoon, toch? Nou dan! Oranje-blanje bleu In de Nederlanden hadden ze al in de zestiende eeuw een eigen vlag: het oranje-blanje-bleu van de Zeven Provinciën, de op een na oudste van de wereld. Op 1 april 1572 werd onder de Prinsenvlag Den Briel veroverd door de Watergeuzen. Toen Alva zijn Bril verloor, weet u nog? De vlag van de geuzen droeg de kleuren van Willem de Zwijger, de Frans sprekende Prince van Orangien. Vandaar ook de Franstalige namen van de originele kleuren van de
Nederlandse vlag. Later ging die naam verloren, samen met de bescheidenheid van de originele kleuren. Vlag op modderschuit Vooral op zee waren nationale vlaggen vroeger heel belangrijk, zelfs op modderschuiten. En dat zijn ze nu nog. Ook vandaag varen schepen letterlijk onder een nationale vlag, bijvoorbeeld de Panamese, of jawel, de Nederlandse vlag. In de zeventiende eeuw werden niet minder dan vier zeeoorlogen gestreden onder de Nederlandse en Engelse vlag. Ieder won er twee. Helaas won Engeland de laatste. Vanaf dat moment waren de Engelsen onbetwist heer en meester op de zeven zeeën. Ze veroverden met hun overmacht een ongehoord wereldwijd Imperium. Britse keizerrijk Een echt keizerrijk is dat nog nét niet geworden, al liet koningin Victoria zich in 1877 de niet erkende keizerskroon van India aanmeten. Maar wingewesten en overzeese gebieden had - en heeft – Engeland nog steeds in overvloed. En in veel daarvan wappert nog steeds de Engelse vlag. Lappendeken Die vlag is een combinatie van de nationale van Engeland, Schotland en Ierland. Wales mocht niet meedoen en Ierland is tegenwoordig beperkt tot Noord-Ierland. Kniesoor die daarop let. Drie kruisen vormen samen een lappendeken met een driekleurige constructie. Vanzelfsprekend ligt het rode Engelse kruis helemaal bovenop de andere kruisen. Deze Engelse vlag staat bekend als de Union Jack. Oh pardon, officieel moet je zeggen Union Flag, want jack is behalve een neutraal woord voor ‘krik’ ook een scheepsterm voor een kleine begroetingsvlag die vanaf de boeg gevoerd wordt. Foei toch! Brandmerk De Union Jack werd overigens pas in 1908 gebruikt als de officiële nationale vlag. En pas in 1933, het jaar van Hitler, werd dat officieel. Die vlag verscheen dus ook vrijwel automatisch op alle koloniën en deelgebieden. Als een soort stempel of brandmerk. De Engelse vlag bleef vaak min of meer automatisch hangen toen de koloniën onafhankelijk
corduroy road
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werden. Geen wonder dat een groot land land als Canada dat toch te gortig werd. Ze veranderden hem in hun eigen esdoornbladvlag, overigens pas in 1965. Tweelingvlag Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland hebben vrijwel dezelfde vlag: een Engelse vlag linksboven, waar je hem bij het wapperen het best kunt zien, en rechts het sterrenbeeld Zuiderkruis. Het is misschien veelzeggend dat dat sterrenbeeld in Australië één ster meer telt dan in Nieuw-Zeeland. In Australië heeft het Zuiderkruis vijf witte sterren, die overstraald worden door een driedubbel grote witte ster, die van het Britse Commonwealth ofwel Gemenebest. Elke ster straalt met zeven stralen. Opschepperij en muggenzifterij zeggen ze in NieuwZeeland. Daar heeft het zuiderkruis maar vier bescheiden rode sterren met maar vijf straaltjes. Ze lijken dus sprekend op elkaar. Van enige afstand zien de beide vlaggen er vrijwel hetzelfde uit. En het zijn lang niet de enige met het Britse stempel. In heel de Pacific vind je bijna dezelfde vlaggen zoals in Fiji, Pircairn en Tuvalu. Grote broer Begrijpelijkerwijs zit dat Nieuw-Zeeland al tientallen jaren niet lekker. Misschien is een enkeling er trots op dat het
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land ooit een Engels wingewest was. Het zijn ook niet alleen de Maori, de verslagen oorspronkelijke bewoners die met weinig plezier op die periode terugkijken. Ook de grote stromen immigranten zoals Nederlanders en Chinezen hebben maar weinig op met hun Engelse Vorstin en Vlag. Bovendien is de verhouding tussen grote broer Australië en kleine broertje Nieuw-Zeeland behalve vriendschappelijk ook een beetje stekelig. Stel je voor dat Nederland een vlag had die hetzelfde was als de Duitse, alleen met een paar kleine veranderingen die je op vijftig meter afstand al niet meer kunt onderscheiden! Je moet er niet aan denken! Nieuwe vlag? Sinds 1979 komt er ongeveer om de twintig jaar een voorstel om de Nieuw-Zeelandse vlag te veranderen. Rond 2000 kwam er naast de officiële vlag een nieuwe vlag bij. Een met een varenblad, de Silver Fern. De boomvaren is typisch voor Nieuw-Zeeland. En het zilveren varenblad op een zwarte ondergrond mag gebruikt worden als onofficiële vlag van Nieuw-Zeeland. Die vlag werd wel populair, maar mocht de officiële vlag niet altijd vervangen. Vijf jaar geleden begon het opnieuw te rommelen. En vorig jaar besliste premier John Key dat er spijkers met koppen geslagen moesten worden. En het had haast. Ook in Australië wordt al jarenlang gepleit voor een nieuwe
Beroering Het is boeiend om te zien hoeveel dit referendum losmaakt bij de goede burgers van Nieuw-Zeeland. Er is een grote en invloedrijke groep die banden voelt met Engeland en die er mordicus op tegen is dat het Engelse symbool voor dit land verloren gaat. Zeker nu er ook luide stemmen opgaan om met de vlag ook meteen het nergens op slaande God save the (English) Queen af te schappen. Want dat is naast het Nieuw-Zeelands volkslied God defend New Zealand óók nog het officiële volkslied. Veel andere kiwi’s zijn blij dat het koloniale tijdperk eindelijk ook uit de nationale symbolen verdwijnt. Trouwens, afgezien van de mening over het Engelse verleden haat elke rechtgeaarde het als zijn vlag voor de Australische wordt aangezien. Eerste Minister John Key heeft zijn eigen redenen om de vlag te willen veranderen. Hij wil graag de geschiedenis ingaan als de Man van de Vlag van Nieuw-Zeeland.
vlag. Het gevaar was groot dat Nieuw-Zeeland de vlag zou veranderen ná Australië! Key drukte door. Nog vóór de volgende verkiezingen moest er een referendum komen over een nieuwe vlag. Iedereen mocht een ontwerp indienen. Kies maar Honderden serieuze en fantastische, zelfs geestige vlaggen werden ontworpen door mensen uit alle lagen van de bevolking. Uiteindelijk werden er vier geselecteerd. Daar kwam op speciaal verzoek nog een vijfde bij. In november kreeg elke stemgerechtigde Nieuw-Zeelander een brief in de bus met vijf vlaggen. Die moet je een volgorde van voorkeur geven. En de vlag met de meeste voorkeuren moet het dan in april 2016 opnemen tegen de koloniale vlag. En die uitslag is bindend. Bij de neus Op een of andere manier voel je je bij deze gang van zaken toch bij de neus genomen. Waarom niet eerst stemmen óf er een andere vlag moet komen en als het antwoord van de meerderheid JA is, dan pas kijken welke dat moet zijn? De mensen die de aangeboden nieuwe vlaggen niet mooi vinden zullen die dan niet noodgedwongen kiezen voor de vlag van hun vaderen - en moederen? Ik voorspel nu al dat de uitslag zal zijn: er verandert niks.
Belastinggeld Al met al kost het hele gedoe voorlopig 26 miljoen dollar. Veel mensen vragen zich af of dat geld niet beter besteed had kunnen worden, bijvoorbeeld aan het bestrijden van de schijnbaar onuitroeibare armoede van bepaalde groepen van de bevolking. Gaat er eigenlijk wel iets boven Volksgezang en Vlagvertoon?
AMSTERDAM, BRUGES, PARIS & BEYOND Our guided CyCling & Sailing HolidayS show the real Netherlands: attractive old Dutch towns & sceneries. After a wonderful day of cycling on quiet roads and bicycle lanes you find your hotel barge, with your luggage aboard, waiting in the next port. Enjoy Holland in full bloom on the 4-day Tulip Tour in April & May! The Bike & Barge Tour Holland Meets Belgium shows you the ‘Lowlands’ between Amsterdam and Bruges. In Burgundy or the Loire Valley in France you may end your cycling day with a good glass of wine. The City of Light is literally the romantic centre of our attractive Paris & Beyond tour! Visit our website for the complete tour program 2016 or ask for our free brochure. Your own group on your ‘own’ hotel barge? Let us make you a tailor-made offer!
www.hat-tours.com • T: +31 85 8880 880
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Dutch Cuisine jenever and strawberries 500gr strawberries 60gr sugar 1dl jenever-gin 50gr butter Black pepper Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream Optional: Thickened cream, sprigs of mint and/or crepes Wash strawberries and dry with paper. Cut strawberries. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the strawberries with the sugar and keep on stirring. Add the jenever and flambé in the pan. Divide the mixture on 4 plates and add ice-cream. Sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with sprigs of mint, pancakes and a dollop of thickened cream.
eet
k j i l e k sma
49 www.tnbtulips.com.au
former standards back Recently, the Scheveningen Pier in the North Sea has been partly opened again. After the full renovation of this famous building has finished, Netherlands’ best known bathing resort will get back some of its former standards. In the 17th century, Scheveninven was already a popular party spot for the people of The Hague. The opening of the small bath house by Jacob Pronk in 1818 (later the Stedelijke Badhuis), was the start of Scheveningen to become a bathing resort. In 1885, on the same spot the Kurhaus was built, which was rebuilt after a fire in 1887.
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Christopher A. Dominic
in Scheveningen Bath At the very end of the promenade was an octagonal pavilion, which could seat 1200 visitors. In the pavilion one could enjoy music, theatre and acrobatics. On the outside of the pavilion were some shops selling fruit, cigars and delicacies. Due to building of hotels, the installation of a tramline in 1907 and the rising of the car ownership, Scheveningen became ‘the place to be’ for the elite who could afford those luxuries.
Queen Wilhelmina Walking Head Already in 1866 the first plans were made to construct a Pier. Only in 1897 the MZS (Maatschappij Zeebad Scheveningen) was founded, which commissioned architect WB van Liefland and constructor W Wyhowski to design the Queen Wilhelmina Walking Head: the first pier in Scheveningen. Building started in 1899 and consisted of a wooden construction on a steel base directly behind hotel Het Kurhaus. From the terrace the hotel guests could, via a bridge, walk over the 372 metres long promenade.
words Yolanda Edens
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1901
Kurhaus
Fire In 1942 the Germans used the pavilion as a storage place and placed defensive weapons on the pier. Because they feared that the English would use the pier to invade the country, 30 metres of the promenade was removed and replaced by a suspension bridge. On 26 March 1943 the Pier burned down. It never became clear whether the Germans did this on purpose or by oversight. After the fire the Germans demolished the Pier by sawing of its legs. In 1955 the last parts were taken out of the water. Despite the missing of the Pier, people kept on visiting Scheveningen 52
NPOGeschiedenis
Joop van Houdt
in large numbers. But something was not right, a feeling of something that used to be there: Scheveningen without a Pier was not complete. In 1948 the first drafts were made for a new Pier; the build started in 1959. The new Pier existed of a walking corridor with 3 islands, one of which with a watch tower. On the ‘tower-island’ were also a cafeteria, a fish ring, a sports hall and a children’s playground. Also visitors could go to different attractions and (souvenir) shops on the other islands.
visitor! In 1964 a fourth island was dragged to the Pier and anchored there. In 1965, on this island a building was established with the theme: Underwater Wonderland. In 1978 followed by the theme 20,000 miles under sea, where the visitors could watch mock fish in a mock submarine. Also a (mock) vicious giant octopus who frightened visitors by tapping on the window with a tentacle.
Giant octopus The new Pier was placed somewhat north of the previous one, because one did not like the concrete constructions too close to the stately Kurhaus. Also in the past, hotel guests thought that the Pier hindered their view of the sea. On 19 May 1961, the new Pier was opened by Prince Bernard. Already after 2 days the 100,000th visitor was welcomed and on 23 September 1961 the one millionth
Decline At the end of the 80s the Pier deteriorated rapidly: some business owners went broke and important investors withdrew their money. Plans to cover the pier and built new constructions on the four islands were terminated. Facilities and attractions closed their doors. In 1991, restaurant boss Van der Valk took over the pier for the symbolic amount of 1 euro. Van der Valk invested
Kurhaus
geschiedenis.nl
guests stayed away. In about 1970 the building was declared derelict and demolition was imminent. The people of The Hague protested successfully against the demolition. In 1972 the renovation of the Kurhaus was started. In 1975 the building became a monument. Nowadays the Kurhaus is part of the Amrǎth Hotel Group.
a lot (more than 20 million euro) in the renovation of the construction, the reconstruction of the walking promenade and the refurbishing of attractions and facilities. Countless misfortunes like fires in 1994 and 2011 happened. In 2012 Van der Valk decided to sell the Pier. However, a buyer did not come forward. Because the building was considered not fire safe, the pier was closed on Friday 22 October 2013. Also the stately Kurhaus did not fare well: because in the 60s foreign holidays became more and more popular,
Renovation In 0ctober 2014 the Pier was bought by a joint venture of KondorWessels Vastgoed and Investment firm Danzep 54
ceiling Kurhaus
artist impression new Pier
and the renovation was started. The renovations will be done in different phases. In the meantime the top deck has been renovated, the pancake restaurant, the lookout tower and the Bungy Jump have been opened to the public. New restaurants have opened in the covered part. In winter, visitors could, sitting close to an open fireplace, enjoy a drink and a snack with a view towards the sea and the beach. Above the glass roof the seagulls glide over. In summer different terraces are open on the Pier where one can enjoy the warm weather. Also soon the build of a Ferris wheel with a height of 42 metres will start. presently On the 22nd of December 2015 the council of The Hague informed that in 2016 they will start a big renovating programme ‘De Kust Gezond’ (The Coast Healthy) in Scheveningen Bath. One of the most important spots that will be dealt with is the North boulevard, in the direction of the Zwarte Pad (Black Path). With the arrival of the
new owner of the Pier and interest from businesses to renovate the dated buildings on the North boulevard, the council will start with the renovation of the boulevard. A new design will be made for the surroundings of the Kurhaus with more room for pedestrians and more vegetation. As the sea climate limits the planting of trees, they chose for marram grass and burnet roses, these plant varieties are excellent for the salty surroundings. Councillor Boudewijn Revis (Scheveningen Bath, Buitenruimte): “Over the last few years very much has been invested in Scheveningen. The new South boulevard has been opened, the harbour has had an overhaul and we are working hard on improving the traffic flow. Scheveningen has to regain its classic charisma. With the realisation of this, Scheveningen will strengthen its position as a tourist attraction and the second economical heart of The Hague.” (sources: Gemeente Den Haag, NPO Geschiedenis Pier Scheveningen) 55
Jan en Kaspar Luiken: Het Menselyk Bedryf
De boekbinder Amsterdam was in de zeventiende eeuw een echte boekenstad. Wat overal ter wereld verboden was kon hier vrijuit worden gedrukt en uitgegeven. De magistraten zagen het door de vingers en grepen alleen maar in als er in de stad grote onrust zou kunnen ontstaan. Er werden grote stapels boeken gedrukt en elk boek moest met de hand gebonden worden. Rond 1680 waren er in het gewest Holland niet minder dan vierhonderd boekbinders. Deze boekbinder zit in het volle licht van een onzichtbaar raam schuins aan zijn stevige tafel. Hij gebruikt een massief houten bindtoestel met houten schroefdraad. Nu naait hij de rug van een boek, waarvan hij een paar bladzijden omhoog houdt. Zijn gezicht kunnen we niet zien. Hij heeft een voorschoot aan voor als hij gaat lijmen. Lijmpot en kwast staan klaar aan zijn voet. Achter hem bewerkt een helper met een zware hamer of bijl materiaal op een massief hak- en snijblok. Rechts op de voorgrond, mooi in het zicht, staat een indrukwekkende halfronde klem. Een tweede klem en het schoteltje in de prent zijn in de ets vervangen door een potje inkt met een veer. De prent wordt er inderdaad ruimtelijker en intiemer van. Groot is de werkplaats niet. Maar veel werkruimte heeft een binder ook niet nodig. Links zien we boekenplanken tot aan het hoge plafond. Ramen en deuren staan wagenwijd open. De houten luiken onder de ramen zijn helemaal omhooggeschoven. Van de hoge glas- in-lood bovenlichten zijn een paar ruitjes gebroken. Daarachter drijven de hoge zomerwolken. Buiten staat een man met een breedgerande hoed en een pofbroek. Achter hem zien we een smal grachtje met daarachter de Amsterdamse huizen. Een paar details versterken de historische echtheid van de prent. Zoals de laarzen van de man buiten en de stangen waarmee de geveltjes aan de daken verankerd zijn.
Het oog van ‘t eeuwig Wezen Kan uw hart als een boek lezen.
Lag weten weggestopt in hoeken Van hoe men naar de hemel snelt, Men zou de wereld goed doorzoeken, Maar nu het helder wordt verteld In ‘t Heilig Boek, door God gegeven, Nu walgt men van het heilig leven.
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The bookbinder In the seventeenth century, Amsterdam was a real book town. The books that were forbidden in the rest of the world could be freely printed and published here. The magistrates tolerated it and only intervened when turmoil would stir up. Large piles of books were printed and every book had to be bound by hand. In about 1680, no less than four hundred bookbinders were resided in the region of Holland. This bookbinder sits slanting on his sturdy table, in the full light of an invisible window. He uses a solid wooden binding device with wooden screw thread. He now sows the back cover of a book, of which he holds up a few pages. We cannot see his face. He wears an apron, needed when he uses glue. Glue pot and brush are placed at his feet, ready to be used. Behind him a helper, swinging a hammer or axe, works on material on a massive chopping- or cutting block. On the front right, nicely in view, an impressive half-round clamp has been placed. In the etching, a second clamp and the saucer have been replaced by an inkwell and a feather. It makes the print roomier and more intimate. The workplace is not large. But a binder does not need a lot of room. On the left bookshelves reaching the high ceiling are visible. Windows and doors have been opened wide. The wooden blinds under the windows have been opened wide too. A few glass panels have been broken in the high stained glass windows. Behind it the high summer clouds are drifting by. A man wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a pair of knee breeches is standing outside. Behind him a small canal is visible with behind that some houses of Amsterdam. A few details strengthen the historical value of the print. Like the boots the man outside is wearing and the poles that anchor the façades to the roofs. .
In the Eternal Being’s look Your heart reads like an open book
If hid in nooks and crannies were The knowledge of the Road to Heaven Then Man would sift through everything; Though now it has been plainly written In the God-given Holy Book, A pious life fills him with loathing.
57 Frans Hertoghs
Blood that unites us
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ABN 40 118 310 900 editor and publisher iet fuijkschot
What happened to the people who survived the shipwrecks of the Batavia (1629), De Vergulde Draeck (1656) and the Zuytdorp (1712)? Common belief is that they perished in this harsh and inhospitable land. This book describes the writer’s journey over the past 15 years, researching archives, publications, maps, excerpts from captains’ log books, etc. complimented by accounts from expeditions to inland Australia and his own personal experiences. It shows that these Hollanders produced offspring supporting the anecdotes about natives with blond hair and blue eyes. A “must read” for anyone interested in Dutch-Australian Cultural Heritage. Send email to Editor:
[email protected] for more information.
contributors to this issue: Alieska, D. Arnold,, O. Busman, Y. Edens, E. Feenstra, F. Hertoghs, J. Hilbrink, R. Hisgen, M. de Knecht, A. Rech, M. Visser van Klaarwater, R. van Voorst, P. Westbeek
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DISCLAIMER: Any views and opinions expressed within Holland Focus are solely those of the individual author or other information source and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Holland Focus. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. © holland focus ISSN 1833-4253
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