A wounderful day searching my roots.
Today was a very exciting day. I got to visit the town in Gronigen province, Nieuweschans, where my grandfather started his life. Jonathan and I met a wonderful couple Tineke and Wietse in Taize, France last April. At Taize we realized that they lived just 40 minutes away from Granpa's hometown. I promised them that at some point during my sabbatical I would visit them and they could take me there. Well, it happened. Tineke and Wietse live in Drethe, a boardering province to Gronigen. It was about a two hour train ride from Amsterdam where we are staying a couple months. I'll get to that later. To an Iowan like me two hours is nothing but here it's across the country. It seems people here hardly ever go to Amsterdam.
It was a beautiful train ride up here. The fields, the forests, the homes, the farms, the cows, the sheeps, the ducks, the geese... enough! Anyway, a very pleasant trip here. I would have been happy to stay on the train a little longer. I was just settling in. We arrived at Assen, Drenthe where Weitse picked us up. Another beautiful drive to their house. It was about 40 km. Tineke was waiting outside when we got there. (They had visited us in Amsterdam last weekend in Amsterdam.) It was great to see them again. Their home is perfect. I love Dutch homes and have decided to build one someday!! We had a wonderful evening together, talked until late, finally went to bed.
We left their house after breakfast for Nieuweschans. It was about a 45 minute drive. We had pictures of grandpa's house that mom and dad took 20 years ago. I assumed it would be easy to find and it was. We basically drove right up to it. First we stopped at a church down the street from the house. I was thinking that was their house at first. Then I realized Í misunderstood the pictures I had. Grandpa's house was south a few houses at 6 Molenstraat (windwmill street). There used to be a windmill at the end of the street. We walked down to the house about 20 seconds away and knocked on the door. I was hoping we would be invited in for coffee but unfortunately the 30 year old woman who answered the door was rather leary of us. Once I explained she warmed up a bit but didn't invite us in. I guess I don't blame her. She told us her husband had grown up in the house and that he may know more about it. He wasn't going to be home until 5 so we didn't hang around. I'm sure the house had been remodled about 100 times since 1913 but it would have been fun to have a look around. We took lots of pcitures around the neighborhood and then ate lunch at a renovated train station. This was the last station before Germany. Not far from there was one of the concentration camps at Westerbrok (sp?). We are going there tomorrow. We had a nice lunch and a nice talk with the man working there. Everyone in town was so friendly and had all the time in the world to talk to us. This man at the restaurant told us that a Timmer renovated the station! We also stopped by the paper factory where great-grandpa Jan used to deliver staw. The original buidling that my parents saw had burned down. The man we talked to their told us all about the history of the place. He was in the middle of lifting this huge roll of paper but stopped and talked for 15 minutes. I know it's 2008 but it sure didn't seem like it there. No one was in a hurry.
We then went to the historical museum. We were lucky to find it open and VERY lucky to find a volunteer worker there by the name of Henk Meyer who is putting together a book about the history of the town. He was very excited that we dropped by. He had a big table of stories, pictures and documents of Nieuweschans. His brother also dropped by. They were so interested in finding out something for me. Henk quietly went through his pile of papers and suddenly at one point he yelled, "I found it!" I wasn't sure what he had found but I sure was curious. He found the report of the time when grandpa's older brother Haarm visited there in 1980. I haven't had it all translated yet but I know it tells a bit about grandpa's family, and Uncle Haarms reaction to being there after such a long time. I will write out the translation when it's done. I didn't even know uncle Haarm went back there. Grandpa never wanted to so I assumed no one did. Henk asked for my e-mail so he could send me his book when he is finished. How exciting.
It was a very moving day. I never expected to be so emotional. At one point Tineke put her arm around me and I had tears in my eyes. I just stood their trying to imagine grandpa and his brothers walking home or playing in the streets. I tried to imagine how hard it bust have been to leave their home in Feburary of 1914 to start a new life in America. It said in the report that Jan didn't want their kids to be poor or work in the factory so it was important to find a new life. We all got lucky that day. I really hope all my family, aunts, uncles and cousins can come here some day. It's a gorgeous part of this earth. Grandpa's town is so beautiful that it's like a museum. You know, I always pictured it very poor and in black and white. Boy, was I wrong.
I have a great idea...TIMMER FAMILY REUNION 2014 - NIEUWESCHANS, THE NETHERLANDS!! We could celebrate the 100th year of their move to America!!
Enjoy the pictures.
Wietse cleaning the morning dew off his car before heading to Granpa's hometown.
Our first "sign" that Nieuweschans really exists!
Entering Grandpa's hometown.
The church down the street from Grandpa's house.
Grandpa's house! 6 Molenstraat.
Tineke, me and Wietse at grandpa's.
The street in front of the house.
Grandpa's neighborhood. A canal used to be where the grass is.
The Clock Tower
Just a minute from Grandpa's house.
Around the corner from the church.
Where great-grandpa Jan delivered his straw to make paper.The building he delivered to burned down.
Our dear friend Tineke who we met at Taize.
