Skating during the war

Very few Dutch people are fluent in the ‘second national language’. But when it comes to district heads meeting up, the ‘tocht der tochten’ or ‘it giet oan’, many people know exactly what is meant.

Elfstedentocht

On Saturday 2 January 1909, at 10 to half past five in the morning in Dokkum, 22 skaters set off on the very first Elfstedentocht. Two weeks later, the ‘Vereniging De Friesche Elf Steden’ (Association of the Eleven Frisian Cities) was founded. It went on to organise a further 14 races. The most recent tour to date took place on Saturday 4 January 1997.

Competition and achievement trail

To be eligible to take part in the Elfstedentocht, you must be a member of the Vereniging De Friesche Elf Steden. Since 1909, the event has consisted of both a race and a recreational tour. Every participant who completes the tour within the set time and has collected all the stamps from the checkpoints along the way receives the Elfstedenkruisje. The cross was designed by the renowned Dutch sporting pioneer Pim Mulier.

Jhr. de Brandeler

During the war years, the Elfstedentocht was held twice: on Thursday 6 February 1941 and on Thursday 22 January 1942. On both occasions, Jhr. Willem Carel Salomon van den Brandeler from Leiden took part. He was 19 years old when he set off on the tour at 06.31 in the morning in Leeuwarden. Thanks to his checkpoint card, we can easily track his progress: at 07.52 he was in Dokkum and at 12.50 in Harlingen. In the afternoon, at 2.43 pm, he reached Bolsward; by 3.40 pm he was in Workum and at 4.33 pm in Hindelopen. By the time he reached Stavoren at 5.31 pm, it was already dark. He continued on to Sloten, where he arrived at 19.53, then on to IJlst at 20.54 and Sneek at 21.24. At four minutes to eleven, Van den Brandeler was back in Leeuwarden. The journey had taken him almost 17 hours. The following year, he completed it much faster: in under 14 hours.

Both Elfstedenkruisjes, the check cards and other documents commemorating Jhr. Van der Brandeler’s skating tours were kept in the family for a long time. They are due to be auctioned shortly at Heritage Auctions in IJsselstein.