There was more than skating in 1890
In my web I have reported that in the winter of 1890/91 many people were skating the “Elfstedentocht”. I paid special attention to the tour of Pim Mulier who later was a driving force with his association for physical development (organisatie voor lichamelijke ontwikkeling) behind the development of an Official organization for the “Elfstedentocht”. However there were hundreds of people more doing the tour in that winter because it was a very severe winter. The frost started November 26 and continued till January 22. For rich people this winter meant a lot of fun, they could skate their tours.
There was, however, also another side to this situation. There were all over the country people who had no property and they worked only as day laborers for the rich farm owners, if there was work. In normal winters the weather changed regularly and in the periods that it was no freezing there was work to do for them. In the winter of 1890/91 there were no such periods and so there was no work. After some time the saved money was gone, they had no wood anymore to heat their houses and there was no food left for the many children they had. The number of people in this situation was growing by the day.
Herman de Man describes in his story “De barre winter van negentig” (the severe winter of the 90th) that a religious oriented person, Gerrit Bonteval, spoke to his people with the words of the bible: “ Give and you will be given”. He believed that if they would ask the farmers for help, the farmers for whom they normally worked and who had plenty of wood, food and money would help them because of their religious orientation. That was indeed true. They came back with car full of gifts.
But there was also a man called Bart Ypma who was known to read “ungodly” books and he told the people that “property is theft”. Asked about his property, a boat, he spoke with more nuances and said:” property is only theft if there is more than one need for survival. The bread that the worker eats is not stolen. But the money that the farmer collects by profit on the workers loans that is theft.” When the winter continued and the day laborers became desperate he said: Now you see that rich people let you die. You may eat your own children; thet will be the end. The farmers will not give you what they have stolen from you. Come and let us go to get the food where it can be found in shameless abundance.” These words made a big impression and many desperate people followed him. The first act of them was that they took from the religious people the car with gifts collected by them and these gifts were shared between the members of their own group. After that, they went through the country forcing the farmers to share their supplies with them. If they did not do so it was taken by force which led to the death of many farmers.
Comment
I tell this story to show that the fun of skating tours like the “elfstedentocht” was at that time especially an activity for the well to do citizens of the Netherlands. The activity of Pim Mulier and his association was not connected in any way with the life of the poor people at that time even though these people also skated. This I will report in the next story.
Herman de Man describes in his story “De barre winter van negentig” (the severe winter of the 90th) that a religious oriented person, Gerrit Bonteval, spoke to his people with the words of the bible: “ Give and you will be given”. He believed that if they would ask the farmers for help, the farmers for whom they normally worked and who had plenty of wood, food and money would help them because of their religious orientation. That was indeed true. They came back with car full of gifts.
But there was also a man called Bart Ypma who was known to read “ungodly” books and he told the people that “property is theft”. Asked about his property, a boat, he spoke with more nuances and said:” property is only theft if there is more than one need for survival. The bread that the worker eats is not stolen. But the money that the farmer collects by profit on the workers loans that is theft.” When the winter continued and the day laborers became desperate he said: Now you see that rich people let you die. You may eat your own children; thet will be the end. The farmers will not give you what they have stolen from you. Come and let us go to get the food where it can be found in shameless abundance.” These words made a big impression and many desperate people followed him. The first act of them was that they took from the religious people the car with gifts collected by them and these gifts were shared between the members of their own group. After that, they went through the country forcing the farmers to share their supplies with them. If they did not do so it was taken by force which led to the death of many farmers.
Comment
I tell this story to show that the fun of skating tours like the “elfstedentocht” was at that time especially an activity for the well to do citizens of the Netherlands. The activity of Pim Mulier and his association was not connected in any way with the life of the poor people at that time even though these people also skated. This I will report in the next story.