Tag: Rotterdam
-
Back in Holland: 1949-1954
Read More: Back in Holland: 1949-1954This is the period of dad’s life that we know the least about. The few paragraphs here are written by Wendy with input from her sisters based on the few stories dad has told us. From pictures we know that he enrolled in an Agricultural School, probably in Gouda, and that he worked for the…
-
Second World War: 1939-1945
Read More: Second World War: 1939-1945In September 1939 the second World War started. I remember that many people were recruited for the army, the number of unemployed started to decline sharply and the economy picked up so at first we didn’t worry much about the war. We were confident that Holland could stay out of the war. I remember there…
-
Emigration
Read More: EmigrationIn 1892 their neighbour (and cousin) Arend Hassing and his wife had an auction and sold everything they had. With their five children they emigrated to Kalamazoo Michigan USA, on February 15, 1893. He became a celery farmer there. Later, the Hassing’s would write letters about their life in Kalamazoo and so, Berend (Ben) decided…
-
boat, Canada, Christmas, church, emigration, family, God, organ, Rotterdam, school, ship, Vlagtwedde, Winschoten
The Emigration Leap
Read More: The Emigration LeapMom and Dad involved us older children in the deliberations about the future. We agreed that if we were to emigrate, it would not be Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Brazil; the first two too far from Europe, the latter too different from us. The USA seemed too populous, too mighty and rich for…
-
Our Place
Read More: Our PlaceCountry /province /region /town /hamlet /farmhouse In 1945 The Netherlands was a maligned country, reeling from five years of enemy occupation and a final brutal season known as the hunger winter. Infrastructure was largely neglected or destroyed, the economy was in tatters, poverty was widespread. Elation swept across the country from south to north, March…
-
Belevenissen van Pieter de Jong
Read More: Belevenissen van Pieter de JongOp 28 April 1907 monsterde ik als messroom jongen aan op het S.S. “Danae” van de KNSM. Van eind 1907 tot 1910 voer ik als lichtmatroos op de stoomschepen “Maasland”, “Amstelland”, en “Zaanland” van de Zuid Amerika Lijn.
-
Opa Vliegt Naar Canada
Read More: Opa Vliegt Naar CanadaOpa Dekker. Tachtig en nog goed bij de pinken. Wat stijf in de botten ‘s morgens, maar tegen tienen loopt hij nog veerkrachtig een blokje om. Een leven van hard werken heeft zijn lichaam niet verknoeid. Nou ja, een wat hoge rug. Bijna een bochel. Sommige mannen die lang turf gestoken hebben houden dat ervan…
-
Broertje van Scheveningen
Read More: Broertje van ScheveningenMijn kleinzoon die in Grand Rapids voor dominee studeert, klopte bij me aan. Het is een wat verlegen mannetje en het duurde zo’n klein uurtje voor hij met de bedoeling van zijn bezoek op de proppen kwam. Als hij straks zo gaat preken, krijgt hij wel mensen in de kerk, geloof dat maar. Hij wilde…
-
1953: Immigration
Read More: 1953: ImmigrationArrival in Halifax After a week at sea, we arrived in Halifax—our landing destination. We were towed into the harbour by a tug and pilot boat, as ships were not allowed to dock under their own steam. It’s a large harbour. Around Halifax, you can see, from the ocean, a lot of homes along the…
-
1953: Emigration
Read More: 1953: EmigrationThe NSB wanted to deceive us However the NSB’ers did not sit still and were busy trying to put a spoke in our wheels. On a certain day we had a visitor from Oude Pekela who came with a very smooth and sly presentation. “So you are emigrating?” he asked. “It’s too bad that you…