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| Townhall of Zierikzee |
Zierikzee (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈzi.rɪk.ˌseː]) is a small city, located on the former island of Schouwen in the Dutch province of Zeeland.
Zierikzee received city rights in 1248 and was an independent municipality until 1997. The city is connected to the Oosterschelde by a 2 km long canal.
In 1953, Zierikzee was damaged by the catastrophic North Sea flood of 1953. The English town of Hatfield sent help and a friendship has developed. The two towns have been twinned.
In 1953 and 1954 I was asked to spend part of my holidays in Zierikzee to help cleaning houses , removing the mud and dirt caused by the flood in the winter of 1953. We were with a group of students from all over the world in a workcamp, working side by side during the day. In the evening we sat around a campfire and each of us sang a song of our own country. It was great fun. Every morning we worked from breakfast to lunch. In the afternoon we were free to do our own things. Like walking, swimming, discussing all kind of subjects concerning traditions, religion, politics....We also made trips and were invited to join some mussel-fishermen, catching starfish, because they are the enemy of mussels.
In the second workcamp in 1954 we had a terrible accident, which caused the death of one of the two Danish brothers. Some of the campers were swimming, while they didn't know that some places in the water were rather deep and if you got into one of those holes you had to get out by swimming . Our Danish camper got in such a hole, but couldn't swim. Other campers tried to safe him but in vain. He was 18 years old and his brother was 21. He and his parents came to Holland several times and stayed with us. They died several years ago and their other son died in 2007.
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Pump in front of the townhall |
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Zeeland |
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The tower (Sint-Lievensmonstertoren) of Zierikzee was planned to be twice as high as it was eventually built. Lack of money was the reason that the building was stopped. |
With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . Thank you Roger for all the work you are doing for us.This week we are looking for words beginning with Z.
Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar. Thank you Team of O. W. T.!
25 comments:
A lovely place with an amazing history, Wil!! I'm so glad that it has survived the horror!! Thank you, as always, for sharing with us!! Have a great new week!!
Wonderful shots, Wil.
You have done so much! We are lucky to know you
ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= <3
What a wonderful old town and what a great connection you have with it although at the time it was linked to a tragedy and brought another with it, it seems to hold many good memories for you.
Thank you for taking us into your life and world.
Such hard work! And a sad story...
ROG, ABCW
Wonderful post! Thank you,for shar ing with us!Have a nice week!
Beautiful series of shots of an old town ~ such history for OWT ~ thanks, ^_^
artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
Thank you for the wonderful images of your home country Wil.
What a charming town!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful town. Sad to hear about the tragedy. I hope this place holds mostly happy memories for you! Lovely photos and scenery. Have a happy day!
When there is a ZEAL to live the toughest hardships can be faced quite easily
PhenoMenon, ABCW
http://phenomenal-cuisines.throodalookingglass.com/2014/07/zing-on-the-tongue/
Thanks for introducing me to Zierikzee. Didn't know of the place. Great pics, Wil :)
Beautiful photos, Wil, and I do love the architecture.
Leslie
abcw team
Wil, you have such an amazing country.
I really wish I could come and explore it. Since that probably won't happen I will just keep looking at your blog and enjoying every thing you share.
You are a fascinating, compassionate, very wise woman.
I am a better person by getting to know you through ABC Wednesday.
Sue
Wonderful photos Wil, - a bitter sweet story of the flooding troubles, the help of the young people and the drowning tragedy. The town has survived for so many centuries and is quite beautiful.
Amazing place...almost dreamlike!
http://amitaag.blogspot.in/2014/07/zen.html
A place I'd never heard of and what a joy to share your memories (joy and sorrow actually). I appreciate so much that you share your life with us.
Beautiful pictures. I'm so sad for those two Dutch campers; so many places in our lives have both beautiful and terrible memories.
Such a pretty place with a tragic past. The flood is still remembered in eastern England where I sometimes go on holiday but of course it hit Holland the hardest.
Helping in the workcamp would have made a big difference in how you saw the tragedy. So many of Americans suffered a terrible experiece here in Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
Ann
Wil, Thank you for sharing your life experiences with us - the wonderful and happy, as well as the tragic. You have led a very full, and interesting life.
Cheers,
Susan
a very interesting post today :)
That was so interesting!!
I was 10 when this catastrophe happened and I still can remember a picture of Queen Juliana in boots sitting in a boat, trying to help. I saw the picture in my mother's magazine and it remained graved in my mind !
What touching and factual post Wil.
I remember the floods in S.E. England, the devastation and loss of life the people suffered.
Then, the even more dreadful loss of land and life the people of The Netherlands suffered.
I was aged 7 at the time and remember praying in school assembly, My class teacher was called Mrs Knieverson, and openly wept whilst prayers were being offered, you see, her family lived in The Netherlands.
In those days people couldn't just get on a plane and fly home to their family, firstly too costly and secondly one had a sense of duty to their employers an especially in the teaching profession, their small charges.
So, my poor teacher had to wait for the school holidays before she could get home to her besieged family and friends.
The buildings look quite exquisite in the various islands.
You certainly have led an interesting life and I really am pleased to have made your acquaintance through abcwednesday...long may it flourish,
Best wishes,
Di.x
What a wonderful and informative post! The next time we go to The Netherlands, we will definitely visit Zeeland. That was such a touching story about the young man who drowned. Thank you for sharing the beauty and history of your country. It is especially interesting to me because my husband was born there, too. In fact, I chose to write about a Z place we visited during our holiday there, too!
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