If you can’t stand the heat…

Posted on September 19, 2021 by wordpressgrethe

Op zaterdagochtend 18 september heeft de VVD-fractie Noord-Holland bij meerderheid van stem besloten mij uit de fractie te verwijderen. Wat was hiervoor de aanleiding?

De VVD in de coalitie Noord-Holland
Het pad van de VVD Noord-Holland is spannend omdat gekozen is voor een ‘linkse’ coalitie (met Groen Links, PvdA en D66). Voorliggende besluiten leiden VVD-intern soms tot de nodige vraagtekens en discussie. Niet iedereen is in gelijke mate blij met of geïnteresseerd in die vraagtekens en discussie. Mij is meerdere keren te verstaan gegeven dat ik nog eens moest nadenken of ik wel geschikt ben als politicus; enerzijds omdat gedeputeerde Loggen vindt dat ik mijn vraagtekens niet of onvoldoende onderbouw, anderzijds omdat ik mij inzet om de stijl en cultuur waarbinnen de discussies plaats vinden te verbeteren en omdat ik ervoor pleit meer met ‘het VVD-veld’ samen te werken in een meer verbindende bestuursstijl in plaats van keer op keer tegenover elkaar te staan in kranten en andere publieke media.

Loyaal aan de VVD
Ik heb mij nooit in het openbaar over deze intern gevoerde discussies uitgelaten. Op het moment dat de fractie standpunten naar buiten bracht, heb ik altijd loyaal het VVD fractiestandpunt, het VVD verkiezingsprogramma en het NH coalitieakkoord gesteund. Dus de intrigerende vraag komt naar voren, waarom uit de fractie gezet?

De wortel of de stok
Op 24 augustus bespraken we als fractie het provinciale Masterplan Wonen dat een oplossing moet bieden voor de enorme woningnood waar onze provincie voor staat. Dit Masterplan bevat opties voor grondbeleid en/of een woning-opkoopprogramma voor tenminste 100 miljoen elk (geen provinciale kerntaken), in de context van provinciebeleid waar mobiliteit en infra (wel provinciale kerntaken, en mijn portefeuille) onder druk staan: reeds 214 miljoen aan mobiliteitsreserves is in deze coalitieperiode omgebogen naar andere beleidsterreinen en 151 miljoen wordt daar met de komende begroting nog aan toegevoegd, naast de tientallen miljoenen die gereserveerd waren voor concrete projecten die inmiddels zijn gestopt of ter discussie worden gesteld. Ook het Masterplan Wonen kent een mobiliteitsparagraaf waar ik kritische vraagtekens bij had. Gedeputeerde Cees Loggen gaf ergens in de discussie aan dat de provincie werkt ‘met de wortel en niet met de stok’. Ik antwoordde dat dat in het veld nog weleens anders wordt ervaren. De gedeputeerde reageerde als door een wesp gestoken. Hij onderbrak mij en vroeg om een voorbeeld. Toen ik dat zo gauw niet wilde noemen, begon hij een in mijn ogen fel betoog waarin hij zei dat ik geen voorbeeld gaf omdat ik dat niet kon, en dat ik vaker ononderbouwde meningen en standpunten heb en dat dat niet passend is voor een VVD statenlid. Ik heb meteen aangegeven dat ik de sfeer waarin wij vergaderen niet passend vind en dat het voor mij zo niet gaat. In (app)overleg met de fractievoorzitter de volgende dag kwamen we overeen dat ik zou proberen een uitpraatgesprek hierover te hebben met gedeputeerde Cees Loggen. Dit gesprek werd gepland op 17 september.

Vervolggesprek via de app
In de fractievergadering van 7 september (de gedeputeerden waren afwezig wegens een ander overleg) heb ik aangegeven dat ik deze cultuur niet lang meer verdraag. Er vond een mij onbekende terugkoppeling plaats uit die fractievergadering naar gedeputeerde Cees Loggen en dat leidde ertoe dat hij mij appte op 9 september dat hij niet meer met mij persoonlijk wilde praten omdat dat ‘geen zin zou hebben’. Hij gaf daarin ook aan dat de voorzitter van het bestuur van de VVD Noord-Holland bij de afspraak aanwezig zou zijn, zonder dat ik daarin zeggenschap of keus had. Op grond van welke informatie of motivering wilde hij niet zeggen, net zo min als wie hem de terugkoppeling had gegeven. Mijn aandringen op een gesprek van mens tot mens, omdat dat volgens mij de beste manier is om er samen uit te komen, legde hij terzijde. Toen ik op 13 september aangaf dat ik vanwege het belang van de kwestie de afspraak dan toch wilde laten doorgaan en dat ik mij daarbij wilde laten ondersteunen door een vertrouwenspersoon, zegde hij de hele afspraak af en appte de zaak voor te leggen aan fractie en bestuur.
Ik heb laten zien dat ik geen gedoe wil voor de VVD en de zaak persoonlijk met gedeputeerde Cees Loggen wilde uitspreken en dat is mij niet gegund.

Niet eens een vonkje maar een herhaling van zetten
In de wandelgangen van de Provinciale Statenvergadering op 13 september sprak de fractievoorzitter mij aan. Gedeputeerde Loggen had om een fractievergadering gevraagd op korte termijn. Hij stelde voor zaterdagochtend 18 september om 9 uur. Ik beloofde er te zijn. Daarop lichtte hij alle aanwezige fractieleden in dat er zaterdagochtend een extra fractievergadering zou zijn.
Aan het begin van de vergadering op 18 september meldde de fractievoorzitter dat hij de agenda gisteren had rondgestuurd, ik had die niet ontvangen. Hij bleek in ibabs, het documentsysteem te zijn gezet. Ook meldde hij dat er twee fractieleden afwezig waren maar dat ze telefonisch standby waren aan het eind als dat nodig zou zijn. Wat weten zij dat ik niet weet, vroeg ik me af, waarvoor moeten ze standby zijn? Bij mij nam de spanning toe. De fractievoorzitter gaf mondeling een uitgebreid ‘feitenrelaas’ weer vanaf augustus. Ik moest ter plekke instemmen of wijzigingen aangeven. In die spanning en zonder iets op papier te hebben, kon ik dat zo snel niet. Uiteindelijk volstonden we ermee dat het ‘min of meer’ klopte. Daarna volgde een langdurig betoog van gedeputeerde Cees Loggen:

Deze discussie moest naar de fractie, aangezien hij van intimidatie wordt beschuldigd door een van de fractieleden met een onderbouwing die kant noch wal raakt;
Het gebeuren tijdens de fractievergadering van 24 augustus was niet eens vonkje maar een herhaling van zetten. Hij heeft Grethe al een aantal keren moeten aanspreken op uitspraken zonder onderbouwing. Hij zal blijven ageren tegen uitspraken zonder onderbouwing, zonder aanziens des persoons. Dat zegt hij niet alleen als VVD-lid maar ook als partijleider.
Hij gaat nooit meer een 1 op 1 gesprek met Grethe, ook niet 1 op 1 telefonisch of schriftelijk. Hij voelt zich niet veilig bij iemand die zo makkelijk het woord intimidatie in de mond neemt en zo makkelijk in de slachtofferrol gaat. Van een normale werkverhouding is geen sprake meer. Hij loopt voor niets weg maar hier loopt hij voor weg en dat vindt hij bizar.
Er zit bij Grethe geen steile leercurve in. Alle coaching is tevergeefs. In de 24 jaar dat hij politiek actief is, 12 jaar als dagelijks bestuurder en 10 jaar als fractievoorzitter, heeft hij dit nog nooit meegemaakt. Iedereen is coachbaar, op 1 individu na.
In de coalitie / Gedeputeerde Staten vormt Grethe gelukkig geen probleem als ze iets zegt want dat wordt afgedaan met ‘ach het is Grethe maar’. Collega-gedeputeerde Esther Rommel kan dat bevestigen. Dat is voor je geloofwaardigheid als politicus killing en voor het aanzien van de VVD fractie niet goed. Verder wordt elk van de fractieleden gerespecteerd, er wordt met gezag en respect naar een ieders inbreng geluisterd.
Hij leest, godzijdank in het provinciale sufferdje, dat Grethe de bestuurscultuur wil veranderen, terwijl de VVD hoofdverantwoordelijke is voor bestuurscultuur. De vraag wat je als VVD wil veranderen, die kan Grethe niet onderbouwen. Hij heeft geen enkel voorstel gezien om de bestuurscultuur te veranderen, maar het wordt wel opgetekend in een vraaggesprek met de provinciale communicatiemedewerker.
Hij constateert dat de VVD 8 teamspelers heeft maar 1 niet. Dit kan de fractie niet langer laten voortbestaan.

Toen was ik aan de beurt
Daarna kwam ik aan de beurt om een respons te geven op deze lange lijst. Ik moest mij nu voor de voltallige fractie verdedigen voor de (ervaren) intimidatie die ik in de beslotenheid met de gedeputeerde persoonlijk had willen bespreken. Dat heb ik slecht gedaan. Ik kwam niet veel verder dan aangeven dat ik mij steeds aan het verkiezingsprogramma en het coalitieakkoord heb gehouden, en dat ik verder het oordeel aan de fractie liet. Individuele fractieleden hebben op dat moment zeker pogingen gedaan meer informatie uit mij te krijgen, echter, de gedeputeerde had de vertrouwensvraag al op tafel gelegd en mijn woorden werden op een goudschaaltje gewogen.
Mij is nog wel gevraagd of ik mij in deze setting ook geïntimideerd voelde waarop ik ‘ja natuurlijk’ heb gezegd. Dit leidde tot de conclusie ‘if you can’t stand the heat, then stay out of the kitchen’. Mij is gevraagd uit de fractie te stappen, ik wilde dat niet, ik ben al 20+ jaar (en nog steeds) overtuigd en enthousiast VVD-lid. Daarop ging men over tot stemming en werd mij medegedeeld dat ik niet langer deel uitmaakte van de fractie.

Waarom ben ik uit de fractie gezet?
Het patroon hier is dat tegengeluid, zoals door mij verwoord op mobiliteits- en financieel gebied, als lastig wordt ervaren, dat daar bij gedeputeerde Cees Loggen irritatie over ontstaat, dat er eerst een gesprek wordt gepland 1 op 1, dat hij op voor mij onbekende gronden iemand mee wilde nemen, dat ik vervolgens een vertrouwenspersoon mee wilde nemen waarna hij het hele gesprek niet meer wilde. Vervolgens vertelt hij zijn verhaal bij de fractie en word ik onvoorbereid voor de fractie gezet. Ik geef aan voor de VVD te staan maar de bestuurscultuur te willen veranderen. Dit is een voorbeeld daarvan, namelijk het op macht acteren, en zo werd ik uit de fractie gezet zonder dat ik iets gedaan heb tegen de VVD, integendeel.

Conclusies

Manage de fractie en relaties niet via app.
Ook als politieke discussies om personen lijken te draaien, dan zit er wel degelijk inhoud onder.
Als iemand intimidatie ervaart en dit persoonlijk en met ondersteuning van een vertrouwenspersoon wil bespreken, dan werkt het niet om het in plaats daarvan in de voltallige fractie te bespreken.
Bestuurscultuur doet er meer toe dan je misschien denkt. Quod erat demonstrandum.

Museum van Loon Amsterdam

Posted on August 2, 2021 by wordpressgrethe

Portrait of Wilhelmine and Henriette van Loon 1826, by A.j. Dubois-Drahonet — Portrait of Wilhelmine and Henriette van Loon, by A.j. Dubois-Drahonet 1826

Museum Van Loon is a special canal house in Amsterdam built in 1672 and owned by the Van Loon family since 1884. The visit is a mixed experience of beauty, amazing details and an overdose of portraits. Did people actually live here, is a question coming up when walking around.

Many rooms are beautiful in Museum Van Loon. This photograph is the Blue Saloon on the ground floor. The woman with the red dress is Thora van Loon-Egidius who worked for Queen Wilhelmina. The museum shows more royal connections of the Van Loon family during the ages.

More recently, President Obama had dinner in the dining room of Museum van Loon when he visited Amsterdam. These kind of high profile contacts are clearly very important for the Van Loon family, but they do not communicate why. This leaves the visitor with the impression that it is about ‘belonging’, being part of societal circles as a value in itself.

Intriguing is the fact that the insignia of Van Loon has 2 black heads in it and they do not know where that came from. Ancestor Willem van Loon was one of the co-founders of the VOC in 1602. The black heads were added later to the original 15ht century insignia of the three crosses (‘mill irons’) and suggest a link with slavery and colonialism.

But a fundamental explanation has not been found yet. Museum Van Loon is open about the family’s connections with slavery in the 18th and 19th century and had a big project on the subject – keeping the details for an online visit here: https://www.museumvanloon.nl/programma/archief/120.

When I entered the sleeping room – the Sheep Room – I felt cosiness and private life for the first time. Much of the canal house is beautiful but impersonal. The Sheep Room is different; a place where humans live and enjoy themselves – maybe also because of the bookshelves and the fact that chaos is more dominant than order there.

Some particular highlights I like to show you here:

The Red Saloon, an amazing room full of portraits.

The most recent portraits of women in the family – they chose a different style, very nice.

The kitchen – just adorable

The garden, at the ‘back side’ of the canal house.

The char-à-bancs from the begin of the 20th century that was used for pleasure drives. Imagine that you sit in there or maybe even drive it yourself over the romantic canals of Amsterdam!

The stairwell that has its own particular charm.

All in all, I am not sure what to think of Museum Van Loon and that is maybe why I recommend a visit; it is intriguing, an elitist impression in an egalitarian city, a place where human touch has a challenge to break through the stiff upperlip while all seem to mean well.

Are Jews White?

Posted on June 16, 2021 by wordpressgrethe

Are Jews White?, is the name of a new exposition in the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam. As an expert in diversity and inclusion, I went there almost immediately after the opening. Are Jews White? is an interesting and also a bit disappointing exposition. I explain you my mixed feelings in this blog.

When you enter the expo, there are a number of signs on walls and pillars, and a short introducton video. After that, you arrive in a former synagogue which is the religious part of the Jewish Historical Museum. I was surprised: was that all? Indeed it wasn’t. After the religious part, the exposition Are Jews White? continues. Video has a central place. The exposition makers have interviewed around ten persons with different background who reflect on the theme Are Jews White?. After some nice cutting and pasting, they produced a good series of interesting comments on the subject: many aspects of the theme are thus covered from different perspectives. A disadvantage however is that this production does not elevate the theme above the average ‘circus of opinions’. I could not discover where Are Jews White? rises above existing concepts. Are Jews White? rather shows how deeply we are imprisoned in boxes, unable to liberate ourselves from them.

To me, the concept of black and white is evidently not applicable to Jews (and many others). I remember how I visited a camp with Jews from Ethiopia in Tel Aviv who newly arrived, somewhere in the begin of this century. They had been health care workers in Ethiopia and were preparing for a similar job in Israel. They had a good selfconfidence of what they had to offer to Israeli Jews – for example, more respect for the elderly – but many of them felt underestimated and discriminated upon. Therefor I wondered how the exposition would work this out. Are Jews White? failed to do so, but shows clearly that the concept of black and white has strong limits and serves rather as a concept to divide people more than to unite them.

Professor Gloria Wekker is one of the persons interviewed in the video. Her concept of intersectionality has no answer to the Are Jews White? issue. Intersectionality (in my view) was an original concept encouraging us to leave a dualistic world and enter the multifaceted one. Especially when Gloria Wekker just started as a professor and called her concept ‘kruispuntdenken’ (crossroad thinking), it was much more open to the dynamics of diversity. Something went wrong during the years along the intersectional road. Not only did intersectionality create more boxes, these boxes are also more oppressive, there is no escape from them.

The result, and that is very clear in Are Jews White?, is that Jews would be called black or white for political reasons, or for the opinion people have about them, or that they have about themselves. The tragedy is that this limits Jews to be who they are. And indeed this may be true for all of us: the concept of black and white limits us all. Of course I understand that the concept of black and white serves to explain the construction of society but let’s be fair: watching the video in the exposition, it is clear that the concept of black and white is more than a methodology. It serves the need of many to be part of a group or to see others as such. It provides a safe world of boxes where skin color and other aspects are all well set and clear and can be explained in predictable terms. The exposition fails to explain this need at a deeper level: why do we need to put people into categories? Why do we get upset when Jews do not fit in?

Maybe the ambition to have more answers is too high. I remember my last visit to Israel when I discussed with a scientist in the Holocaust Museum: why is there antisemitism, and why does it seem to be always there? He admitted that as a scientist, he can prove it is there and describe it, but he can not explain it scientifically.

My guess is that the Jewish Historical Museum created Are Jews White? to open the discussion about (useless) boxes and to prevent that we lock ourselves in and that we try to lock Jews in. We have to live with a rather misty and multi-interpretable reality for ourselves and for others, even though that comes with uncertainties. All-in all, I recommend the exposition. For your notice, it is totally bilingual (English and Dutch).

And don’t forget to walk by the paintings I show on the picture here, that I adored above every object in the museum, especially the woman’s dress: Benjamin and Chaile (Kaatje) Cohen from the 18th century. There’s more info about them but you will find that when you visit…

Ribbius Peletier-penning 2021

Posted on March 7, 2021 by wordpressgrethe

Toen ik het persbericht van de provincie Noord-Holland las, kon ik mijn ogen niet geloven: Sylvana Simons krijgt Ribbius Peletier-penning 2021.

“De jury is van oordeel dat Sylvana Simons een onderscheiding verdient omdat zij een voorbeeld is voor de volgende generatie vrouwen” meldt het persbericht “en omdat zij zich publiekelijk uitspreekt over de combinatie van seksisme en racisme en zo sociale onveiligheid in de politiek bespreekbaar maakt. De bewustwording waar zij aan bijdraagt is belangrijk. Want de verharding van het politieke debat die we de afgelopen jaren zien, kan vrouwen afschrikken om deel te nemen aan de politiek.”

Met de uitreiking van een onderscheiding wil je naar mijn mening een bepaald gedrag en een bepaalde beweging stimuleren. Door deze toekenning werkt de provincie Noord-Holland mee aan wat het handelsmerk van Simons is: polarisering brengen en doen of het normaal is om altijd en overal eerst te denken in termen van kleur – waarbij wit ook een kleur is – en in termen van groepen. Daarom neem ik al statenlid nadrukkelijk afstand van deze toekenning. Ik licht dat hier toe.

Simons is een vrouwelijke Wilders, een sterke debater die haar punt weet te maken over de groepsindeling van mensen in de vorm van identiteitspolitiek. Door de kracht van herhaling weet ook zij een verrassend groot aantal mensen te overtuigen van haar visie, dat vooral kleur en tevens sekse allesbepalende factoren zijn in relaties tussen mensen en in de inrichting van de samenleving: factoren waar geen ontsnappen aan is. Dat dit haar persoonlijke ervaring is, vormt geen probleem – het probleem start bij de veralgemenisering van die ervaring, en de vele aanvaringen die ontstaan in haar contacten met mensen die blijven hechten aan hun eigen ervaring. Simons raakt verwikkeld in het ene conflict na het andere en draagt net als Wilders bij aan de polarisatie in de samenleving. Dat mag, maar het is geen voorbeeld.

Ons democratisch stelsel biedt gelukkig ruimte aan opvattingen in een zeer breed spectrum: Wilders heeft zijn plek in dat stelsel net zoals Simons dat heeft. Wilders wordt al vele jaren zwaar beveiligd en ook Simons heeft een enorme lading aan bedreigingen, racisme en seksisme over zich heen gehad. Dat is een zeer donkere kant in onze democratie waar we ons met kracht tegen moeten verzetten. Het is dieptriest dat volksvertegenwoordigers beveiliging nodig hebben om hun werk te kunnen doen. Alle middelen die daarvoor maatschappelijk ter bescherming worden aangewend, zijn terecht evenals educatie die ons hopelijk verder brengt in het kunnen omgaan met meningsverschillen – ook als het om uitersten gaat.

Simons heeft recht op haar aanpak, echter, dat is iets heel anders dan een officiële provincieprijs aan haar gaan uitreiken als voorbeeldvrouw. De regels voor de uitreiking van de penning behelzen immers de voorwaarde dat betrokkenen van onbesproken gedrag zijn. Dat is hier niet het geval. Een dergelijke toekenning van de Ribbius Peletier-penning maakt de provincie Noord-Holland tot een actievoerend orgaan: zijn mensen die het conflict en de polarisatie opzoeken, het voorbeeld dat wij als provincie willen stellen? Blijkbaar wel. Als Statenlid neem ik daar nadrukkelijk afstand van.

Wie moeten we dan nomineren? Ik weet wel iemand: Wil van Soest. Een vrouw die geboren en opgegroeid is in de tijd dat je als vrouw in dit land nog geen eigen verantwoordelijkheid mocht dragen. Als je een bankrekening wilde openen, moest je toestemming van je man hebben en als je ging trouwen, gaf de overheid je ontslag. Een vrouw die zich daardoor niet liet ontmoedigen, die nu over de tachtig jaar oud is en nog steeds politiek actief. Die anderen heeft gestimuleerd hetzelfde te doen, ongeacht hun afkomst of kleur, en dat nog steeds doet. Zie hier de 1 minuut-video van de ‘onderscheiding’ voor deze vrouw, haar toegekend door Simons: https://youtu.be/OGGvzHRPC0Q .

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder

Posted on August 18, 2020 by wordpressgrethe

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder is a special and well hidden treasure in the oldest part of Amsterdam. Ever seen a church in the attic of a canalhouse? For that unique experience, this museum should be on your wish list!

Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic) surprises the visitor who starts his tour in a ‘normal’ canal house and suddenly arrives in a church that can host quite a few visitors. You don’t feel that coming and that was exactly the point for this catholic church. In 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age, the religious war between roman-catholics and protestants was won by protestants in Amsterdam. Catholicism was officially banned but in the meantime, many catholics could still go to hidden churches all over the city – as long as they wouldn’t be visible, they would not be bothered.

At that time, accepting in silence that people would not give up their faith and letting them to worship according to their own rules and wishes was seen as a strong sign of tolerance. Thus Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder is a museum that shows the roots of tolerance in an intolerant world, a characteristic that was very strong in 17th century Amsterdam that also opened the door for many Jews.

Your visit to Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder starts in the canalhouse, with rooms like the kitchen here on the right, with stairs leading up and down in the narrowness that is usual in canalhouses in Amsterdam. I loved the stairs maybe even more than the rooms. Pottery is shown that was found in a cesspool, as well as the bedroom of the canalhouse owner.

There is also a room with 18th or 19th century classical design to give you an idea how people lived there at the time. I particularly liked the painted ceiling that you can see at the photograph. After this look into canalhouse-life, you can climb another staircase and boff, there you are, in a church that is not at all visible from the outside.

The colour surprised me. The guard at the entrance knew all about Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder and answered many questions, also the one on the pink paint in the museum. The church is in it’s original, 19th century state, a Victorian period where this colour was popular. Moreover there are many details and artefacts that are older, like the painting of Jacob de Wit at the altar (first half 18th century) and the organ (1794)

As you can see in the picture, the church has several floors and you can walk downstairs or go to the first floor. The church was founded by a rich German merchant, Jan Hartman in 1663.

peter parmentier priester ons' lieve heer op solder

Next to the church is the room where the priest lived: Peter Parmentier. He dedicated already decades of his life to the conversion of Amsterdam so probably it was logical that he got the job…
While making your tour through the canal house, do not forget to look out of the windows – the view on the canal is beautiful, and at one point also the tower of the Old Church can be spotted!

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder is living difficult times (summer 2020) as it seems to loose it’s financial support from the government. I am sure a solution will be found as this is among the oldest museums of Amsterdam and a more than unique reflection of the religiously diverse history of Amsterdam. However, you can contribute yourself by paying a visit to Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder and/or fund them with your donation. Warmly recommended!

Other places to visit in Amsterdam:
Hermitage Amsterdam
Anne Frank Huis
Adam Tower

Another very interesting museum about the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age:
Westfries Museum Hoorn

The Coffee Trader

Posted on January 2, 2020 by wordpressgrethe

The Coffee Trader is a good book for you, a friend told me and sent me a second hand version by post. My friend was right. What a story about trade in 1659 Amsterdam, where cultures and religions vary and new ways of doing business occur in the markets. David Liss is a writer who knows the word research: he depicts the 17th century with many details of context and history. A great book!

The Coffee Trader tells about Miguel Lienzo, a Jew who lived in Portugal as a converso – a Jew converted to Catholicism – like many other Jews. However the conversos in Portugal were still facing discrimination and many had to fear for their life. So he flew to Amsterdam, at that time a safe haven for Jews. Jews in Amsterdam could practice their religion and be active in trade – although there were plenty of rules between Jews and non-Jews. That in itself is a story so interesting that it is worth to read the book for it. You’ll learn how different communities found a way to live together in a religiously and culturally divided city and have relative peace and justice; at that time, unique in Europe.

Also it is intriguing how converted Portuguese Jews rebuilt their ‘identity’ in Amsterdam. A well organised structure supported those who knew little or nothing about that identity. I particularly liked the description of a woman’s position, Miguel’s brother’s wife Hannah who was brought up in ignorance, thinking she was a Catholic and unable to read or write. In Amsterdam, she is suddenly a Jew, supposed to adhere to a religion and a people that she had learned to despice. She is not walking on that path automatically.

New for me was also the idea of a Mahamad, an 17th century authority in Amsterdam that dealt with all matters for Jews: religiously, politically and legally. Together with rich Portuguese tradesmen they supported the poor Jews, so that the Dutch in Amsterdam would not complain about a burden on their back that came with the Portuguese refugees. However, when tudescos, Jews from eastern countries like Poland arrive in Amsterdam, that attitude is less generous. Most of the tudescos are poor. Although they faced very severe persecution in eastern Europe, the Mahamad takes measures to make their life difficult in the hope that they will choose other destinations than Amsterdam. There are really surprising details about the historical context in The Coffee Trader – and by the way nothing that could not be seen today…

Miguel lives in an era where tradesmen can easily become very rich or the opposite: loose everything they have. This period in Holland is called the Golden Age and brought a lot of wealth but it was risky. Miguel lost almost everything in the trade of sugar and now wants to try his fortune in a brandnew product: coffee. He wants to acquire the monopoly over this new drink that he estimates to be very promising. His strategy is breathtaking. And so is his playing field. There are so much rumours and hidden agendas around the trade market of Amsterdam that the story is a dazzling experience for the reader. It is really difficult to remember all that’s happening or has been said or might be possible. And that was exactly the reality for tradesmen in 1659 Amsterdam. How can they make their daily decisions without an excellent memory and the right focus?!

Many ethical questions come with the way business was done amid rumours and hidden agendas. Intriguing is the fact that in the end, the hidden agendas Miguel expected were exagerated. Half of them can be interpreted as misunderstandings or even imagination. An interesting lesson learned – but still, when bankruptcy is around the corner for tradesmen who do not watch their backs in the all or nothing market of 1659 Amsterdam, maybe inevitable.

Even though The Coffee Trader appeared already in 2000, this book is of great interest also in 2020. In the light of history, these 20 years do not matter at all. Go read it if you love Amsterdam, if you love trade, if you love history, if you love Jews and the Dutch, if you love risk taking and of course: if you love coffee!
The Coffee Trader exists in Dutch under the title Handelaar in koffie.

You may also like these blogs:
Anne Frank House
Minorities in Gaziantep
Jewish Museum Warsaw context

Westfries Museum Hoorn

Posted on August 12, 2019 by wordpressgrethe

I often went to the beautiful city of Hoorn but I never visited the Westfries Museum Hoorn. That was a mistake! When I finally took the step to visit last week, I saw how beautiful it is, both the ancient building and the collection; I should have gone there before… Learn about the Dutch Golden Age, the 17th century when the Netherlands were a brandnew state, full of ambition in wartorn Europe. Enjoy the attractive presentations!

Westfries Museum Hoorn is like the Frisians are: it won’t easily show from the outside what is in it. I was never aware that behind the walls of the indeed beautiful ancient building, a wealth of antiquities awaits the visitors. Rooms are decorated like they were in the 17th century. The picture to the left shows a wood carving in a chimney (oak), of men catching a whale: a wonderful picture. This is in the ‘tavern’, a real nice room where you can imagine how people sat together for eating and drinking.

17th paintings are everywhere. The museum has got magnificent pieces and they have a lot of them. Moreover it is far less busy than museums in Amsterdam so you have all the time you like to watch them in peace and silence.
It is incredible how this 17th century ‘beginning’ country The Netherlands that was threatened from all sides, both by real ennemies like England and Spain, and by natural ennemies such as sea and rivers, built up an imperium with little means, by joining forces together and showing guts and re-thinking trade. It made cities like Hoorn thrive abundantly. Look at this wonderful painting Hoorn View by Hendrick Vroom in 1622 – admire the colours, the details…

Another painting I particularly liked is the Kitchen maid who cleans fish in front of farm with dog by Egbert Lievenzs. van der Poel (1621-1664). It is so different from the paintings of all the important guys (Westfries Museum Hoorn has many in this kind). Ordinary life with ordinary people can be as interesting or even more than the endless row of portraits on all the other walls.

Now I show you some other pieces that attracted my attention. It is only a selection, to give you an impression of what to expect and indeed I was deeply impressed. Enjoy the variety of what the Westfries Museum Hoorn has to offer!

The best piece for book lovers: chronicles of Hoorn, published in 1740. Telling the begin and the growth of Hoorn, and in particular the events (the ‘troubles’) until the year 1630. Written by Theodorus Velius, a doctor and a well know chronicler who wrote this in 1704. You can find the tekst of the first pages (in Dutch) on this site. The 1740 version has annotations by another expert, what a joy. Imagine how they produced this, in a time that a book was printed page by page!

Cutting art, art produced by cutting with scissors; it was difficult to photograph because of the glass reflection as you can see but hopefully you can get a good impression. De Faem was made by Gilles van Vliet, a vinegar maker and wine merchant in Rotterdam 1686. This was only his hobby! But his work had a certain fame because of his ‘excellent curieuse pieces’. Absolutely amazing work and you wonder where someone finds the patience for this art…

Down in the cellar, a lovely niche is reserved for this wooden Maria statue. It dates from 1450 – 1500, is made out of oak, the crown is made of gold with silverthread, pearls and gemstones. A sign mentions that it is called a ‘Maria in sole’ because she stands on a crescent moon, and she is lit by the sun and the stars, as described in Johannis’ Revelations. The cellar was totally quiet when I was there; it is a good place for meditation and prayer. Two chairs in the little niche facilitate visitors to do so.

Also in the cellar are these tiles, deriving from a farm in Andijk, not far from Hoorn in Westfriesland, dating from 1700-1730. The whole piece forms a ‘wall heater’ and depicts biblical scenes. There are more ‘wall heaters’ in the cellar as well as other interesting tiles. So do not forget to visit the cellar – if you skipp that part of the museum, you really miss something!

Another underground treasure: this painting that is part of a large piece, a tryptich, the Hoorn Panel of Justice. It used to hang behind the judges at the wall of the court room of the old townhall and shows the assumptions of jurisdiction. Most probably several painters worked on it from 1521 – 1530 and it contains 5 stories. I loved story number 4 (on the photograph), the Verdict of Herkenbald. Herkenbald of Bourbon was very ill in his bed when he ordered that his cousin had to be locked up for assaulting a maid. His order was not followed. Therefor Herkenbald cut the throat of his cousin all by himself. Whew…. I stood there thinking what this meant for the court room and the judges that were sitting in front of this painting in the 16th century… What could be the right interpretation of this story?

This is one other of those incredible museum pieces. The painting dates from 1589, that is now exactly 430 years ago. And what do they show here? The Westfries Museum Hoorn does not just have the painting, it also has the original box that is depicted in the painting. Isn’t that wonderful? I stood there in surprise and believe me, it matches: the box is exactly the box that was painted 430 years ago. Little is known about the painting, the sign mentions ‘two members of the Saint Joris Guild’ – oil painting on linen. OK, so far what we can know about it. As said knowing is not always the most interesting part.

Another very interesting piece, the gold plated silver Bossu Goblet: I did not find this beautiful or so but it served as a trophy for Hoorn and that is intriguing. It once belonged to the Spanish admiral Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard, the earl of Bossu. In the eternally ongoing war at that time (the 80 year war) the admiral was defeated in 1573 in a war on the water (or sea) close to Hoorn. The goblet in the hands of the people of Hoorn symbolized the new power of the city of Hoorn (and Enkhuizen, also in Westfriesland) that thrived after this heavy battle against the Spanish that they won. I find it so interesting in the Westfries Museum Hoorn, that every object has a story with historical relevance.

A coffin dating from 1658: who knows how many bodies were transported in this coffin? Intriguing that it has been preserved during centuries. The four corners are decorated with silver plate angels. I did not find any further explanation about this piece (feel free to comment below!) such as until when it was used and whether it was for the rich only or also for ordinary people. However, very beautiful…

How often do you see table ware with a hare? Here they are, in different shapes and colours. I loved them! Just for the motive.
But if you like to know more, this is berretino-style faience from Liguria, Italy, 1580 – 1620. It appears that the coloured one is a local copy of the Italian work – quite a succesfull one, imo 🙂
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Last but not least, I found this silver miniature, dating from 1751. The name of the maker is Arnoldus VAN GEFFEN – not really family I guess but I rarely hear my family name in this region far ‘above the rivers’ > Geffen is a village below the large Dutch rivers.
So I was happily surprised! Well done Arnoldus, I love your silverwork 🙂
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You may also like these Dutch special places:
* Hilde’s House
* Adam Tower
* Anne Frank House
* Archaeological Museum Haarlem

Huis van Hilde – Hilde’s House

Posted on January 26, 2019 by wordpressgrethe

Huis van Hilde, in english Hilde’s House, ‘is home to a spectacular exhibition of the archaeology and human history of Noord-Holland’: thus the introduction of the museum website. Nothing in these words is exagerated. Huis van Hilde is a fascinating museum where old findings are combined with new technologies in a way I didn’t see before in archaeological museums. That makes your visit a high quality experience!

Heavy fighting of the people of Holland with the people of Westfrisia in 1297 has left traces in bones that were found in the medieval village of Vronen, close to actual Alkmaar. They prove that the fighting was not just about winning but also about setting an example, learning the Westfrisians a lesson once and for all. Traces of stabbing with swords show the cruelties committed.

That history is the first thing you see when you enter the museum part of Huis van Hilde. It is intriguing to learn that in the 13th century there were both women and men in the fight. Every artefact shown in Huis van Hilde can easily be looked up in the tablets: this really opens a complete collection without being boring (if you’re not interested, you just don’t look into it).

Screens on the walls show videos with more historic background or archaeological research. Findings of skeletons are used to bring people back to life, like the Archaeological Museum of Haarlem had done. The skeleton on the left here belonged to a man from the stone age (2500BC). The picture below shows the man as he must have looked in real life.

Models of farms show how people lived during different ages. And so on. Huis van Hilde is a very rich museum and very capable too: they know how to show you their treasures.
Languages used are Dutch, English and German; the tablets are Dutch only but very clear, you might be able to understand stuff.
I can only show some of the artefacts I liked here: there is a lot more to see. Artefacts I liked:

Two wooden canoes
Found in the soil of Noord-Holland.

On top is a canoe from Uitgeest 600 BC

Below is a canoe from the Wieringermeer polder 3300 BC.

Sacrifice and ritual
Very interesting objects found in a sacrificial site at Velserbroek.
During ages, starting at Iron Age, people threw objects in the bog such as jewelry, human bones, coins and pots.
The presence of animal skulls – horses and dogs – and spearheads indicate worship of the Germanic god Wodan.

Flutes
Amazing to find a flute and a pan flute in the vitrines. The flute was found in Broek op Langedijk. It was made out of the ulnar of a crane. Information in the tablet says that flutes in this part of Europe go back to 36.000 years, but this one is from 0-300AD. The pan flute is made out of boxwood. Only 4 pan flutes were found in Europe and this one from Uitgeest is in the best condition. It was probably imported from the Mediterranean 150-250AD.

A simple beauty, this **bell** from 450 – 750 AD

huis van hilde - boot — Women’s **boo**t, goat leather, 13nd century

Two great **sarcophagi** 1100-1200 AD from a city lost in the water – and the story of their finding and lifting from the water on video

huis van hilde dagger — And what about this **stone dagger**…

How to get there
Huis van Hilde in the village of Castricum has easy access. Officially coming by car is not encouraged but you can find enough parking spots at walking distance from the museum. Coming by train is indeed very easy: Huis van Hilde lies right next to the trainstation of Castricum. From Amsterdam Central Station, a train leaves every 20 minutes; traveling time is 25 minutes (from Alkmaar, trains also leave every 20 minutes and traveling time is 10 minutes).

huis van hilde depot figures — The depot in figures: impressive!

Archaeological Museum Haarlem

Posted on October 7, 2018 by wordpressgrethe

Archaeological Museum Haarlem

This guy lived in the 14th century in Haarlem. The way he looks is estimated as 95% accurate. His bones were found in excavations at the Botermarkt in Haarlem; most probably the graveyard of a former hospital. From his bones it was clear that he suffered from severe diseases like infections and disorders of joints caused by hard labour. The idea is that he died in that hospital, only 34 years old. He was larger than I’d thought: 1 meter 84 which was the normal size for people in that period. A woman working with the police worked on the basis of his bones to bring him ‘back to life’, for us living in the 21st century to identify with and see who made all the things that we find in excavations.

Archaeological Museum Haarlem is a great museum. I got all this information from a volunteer who started explaining stuff to me without asking, calmly and politely and very knowledgeable. Thanks to volunteers the Archaeological Museum Haarlem can open five times a week. It is not very big: the size of one room. Both history story lines and the objects are very well presented. Creative methods are used to get stories across and it is very child-friendly. History is in Dutch only – object names are also in English. I am sure a volunteer will be helpful for English speaking visitors. I show here some objects I particularly liked, but there are many more special pieces:

Flintstone arrowheads:
Life in the western part of the Netherlands is older than you maybe thought. There was no stable soil but findings witness that this did not prevent humans from living, chasing, working there.

Decorative pins:
The man on the horse is estimated 1500 AD, the round one 1575 -1600 AD. Very beautiful pieces made by real craftsmen.

Two jugs:
One is a traditional beardman jug that I saw a lot in museums. The jug with the pointed nose however (1425-1600 AD) is more rare I guess – or maybe I just never saw it. Apparently this type of jug is the beardman jugs’ predecessor. A very fine piece!

Ladies’ jug:
I absolutely adored this 14th century jug with the ladies depicted in them.

Container to collect dripping fat:
I found this one real fun, such a practical invention. It was catching the fat from the roast above the fire. It has a gutter on the right side to cast the fat in a smaller pan and can be hung to the wall through the eye on the right upper side. Someone thought about this before designing it…

Battle for Haarlem:
Not only the museum offers loads of superinteresting info about the battle for Haarlem (against the Spanish, 1572-1573), including the famous lady Kenau Hasselaer – a strong business woman as well as the fighter she is merely known for. They also show it in pictures and a model of the city walls.

Children’s book about 16th century Haarlem:
This idea deserves a price! The objects shown in one of the showcases are also depicted in the book – an excellent integrated approach to make history come alive. Great applause!!!

Archaeological Museum Haarlem is small, compared to similar musea in the Middle East but it is special and worth your visit.

Other blogs about archaeological museums you might like:
* Archaeological Museum Amman: caring for 6500 year old child
* Archaeological Museum Gaziantep: ‘just local stuff’
* Stockholm National Historical Museum
* Musée de l’Art et de l’Archéologie du Périgord

New Rembrandt in the Hermitage Amsterdam

Posted on May 18, 2018 by wordpressgrethe

It was an unexpected extra gift at a breakfast meeting of VNO-NCW entrepreneurs at the Hermitage Amsterdam: to see the new Rembrandt painting Portrait of a Young Gentleman exposed since a day in the museum. We were so happy that we could be part of this new joy! The new Rembrandt was discovered by Dutch art collector Jan Six on an auction in London where he bought it for 137.000 pounds only – as a 17th century specialist he knew rightaway that it was a real Rembrandt and he worked two years with several experts to prove it. He published his findings on May 16 as you can read in this NYT-article. The new Rembrandt is a spectacular finding that you can admire in the Hermitage Amsterdam until June 15.

Our meeting in the Hermitage proved us all about the benefits of the Art for Children program. Thousands of children in Amsterdam learn about art every year and some 140 talented kids follow a special program to develop their skills. All this is completely free of charge thanks to many generous donations. The approach is inclusive, children from all parts of the city participate.

I was impressed by the size and the quality of the program. Our meeting took place before the opening times of the museum and this is also the moment when children are free to visit 63 top pieces like the fantastic Dutch Masters, coming from the Hermitage St Petersburg and still to be seen in the Hermitage Amsterdam until May 27 (2018). They were watching, discussing, asking questions, making comments or just lying on the floor among top pieces to make their own drawings. I have not just fallen in love with the new Rembrandt but also with the Hermitage itself 🙂
Some specific paintings I like to mention here (it is impossible to describe 63 top pieces from the Dutch Golden Age):

Landscape with the prophet Elia
by Abraham Bloemaert (1583-1633)

Portrait of Cornelia Haringh
by Govert Flinck (1615-1660)

Birds in a parc
by Melchior d’Hondecoeter (1636-1695)

Portrait of an Old Jew
by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1666)

Also in Amsterdam:
Anne Frank House
Amsterdam Heritage Days
Amsterdam Tower: a must-visit!

Anne Frank House Amsterdam: remembrance and reflection

Posted on November 24, 2016 by wordpressgrethe

Anne Frank House bookcase
2000 inhabitants of Amsterdam got free tickets to visit the Anne Frank House during evening hours without queues. I was lucky to be one of them: a great initiative, thanks! It was wonderful to wander through the ‘Achterhuis’ in a quiet and respectful atmosphere.
The Anne Frank House is not far from my home and I pass the long rows of tourists a few times a week or I better say: try to pass….It is always busy, noisy, not a place where you’d like to go as an inhabitant.
I think I went there once, as a child – I remember it quite well, especially the book case (on the picture) that served as protection from the entrance to the hide-out of 8 Jewish people. These people spent 2+ years there but were betrayed at the end and only one of them, the father of Anne Frank, survived the holocaust.
anne frank house quote Compared to my childhood visit many elements were added in the ‘museum’; quotes on walls or on blinded windows – short video’s from witnesses, classmates of Anne and the like. They are very impressive.
What I remember most are the words of Otto Frank on his daughter’s diary. He always felt close to his daughter but when he read her diary after the war, he realized that she never showed the deep thoughts and feelings that she wrote down. Since that moment he thinks that parents rarely know their children to the full. I guess that could be true. The way he expresses is very refined and respectful towards his daughter. I cannot write it down, you have to go visit the Anne Frank House and see that movie to understand the impression it made. And then imagine that he read that diary when she had already died (when she had already been killed). He would never have the opportunity to ask her any question any more…
Anne Frank House opening hours I really thank the Anne Frank House for this opportunity. I wonder why this does not become more usual in Amsterdam. As for me, it is not about the free ticket, but the fact that I could go at 21.00h (I came home from work only at 19.30 and had to have dinner first) and that I did not need to wait in a queue or go in with plenty of loud speaking tourists. Would it be financially difficult for musea to have similar evening offers or are they just not used to opening hours in the evening?
As for the Anne Frank House tonight, it left me with quite some emotions as we live in difficult times and the idea that ‘it could happen again’ is in the hearts and minds of many. A place for remembrance and reflection, most valuable.

Other blogs that you might find interesting:
Jewish museum Warsaw
Sderot: 15 seconds to run for your life
Mikvé Israel-Immanuel synagogue: religious pearl in orange-loving Willemstad
Grandfathers, Jews and the impulse to act

Adam Tower: a must-visit!

Posted on November 13, 2016 by wordpressgrethe

Amsterdam tower

It is new and it is brilliant, the Adam Tower – a remake of the former Shell research labs in Amsterdam. I had a great time this week while giving a presentation about dealing with international business and culture in front of spectacular views over Amsterdam. Nevertheless my public was highly attentive, for a moment I doubted whether they would be with me at all but they did 🙂
If you look at the photo above and you see the 9 meter high windows in top of the building, that is where I stood – and here are some pictures of the views:

amsterdam tower
The making of the Adam Tower is a story out of a wizard book: three Dutch guys who were succesfull in the international music scene decided to cooperate in this and won the battle for the tower in competition with 34 other interested parties. They turned it into a combination of music company offices, a hotel, different bars, restaurants and clubs with a 360° turning restaurant in top: a music tower!
On top they offer a platform for all inhabitants of Amsterdam and our tourists to watch the spectacular panorama and to take a seat in Europe’s highest swing: the Amsterdam lookout. Alas I had serious business to do when I was there so I definitely have to come back to experience that swing!
Our city is blessed with these creative entrepreneurs who make such major contributions to the quality of life in Amsterdam: well done, thank you guys!
Last but not least an photo-impression (made with my phone, lack of quality, in reality much better) of the elevator going up: the music experience starts already from there…
amsterdam tower elevator
Adam Tower, a new experience not to be missed!

Other must-visits in or around Amsterdam:
Anne Frank House
Keukenhof: 7 million spring-flowering bulbs
Vlinderado

Grethe van Geffen

culture and diversity

Category Archives: Noord-Holland