Bussum
Encyclopedia
Bussum is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands
, in the province of North Holland
.
Bussum became independent from Naarden in 1817, yet it was not until the arrival of a railway line in 1874 that Bussum began to flourish. Two train stations were built in the town, that still exist today: Naarden-Bussum and Bussum Zuid (Dutch
for Bussum South), both on the connection between Amsterdam and Hilversum. The stations and the road network fostered the town's status as suburb of Amsterdam, allowing for reverse commute also to Hilversum
. From 1898 until 1907, Bussum housed the first Dutch socialist colony after the example of Thoreau's Walden
, set up by the writer and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden
. In 1951, Bussum hosted the first Dutch national TV broadcast and the national TV studios were located there until 1964.
and Bussum Zuid
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, in the province of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
.
History
Bussum was first mentioned in 1306. In this time, Bussum was a large heathland with many small farms, sheep pens and forests as is shown on old maps. Since Bussum is situated near the fortified town Naarden, it was governed by Naarden from 1369 onward. In 1470, Bussum was inhabited by about 250 people, which made it the smallest village in het Gooi.Bussum became independent from Naarden in 1817, yet it was not until the arrival of a railway line in 1874 that Bussum began to flourish. Two train stations were built in the town, that still exist today: Naarden-Bussum and Bussum Zuid (Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for Bussum South), both on the connection between Amsterdam and Hilversum. The stations and the road network fostered the town's status as suburb of Amsterdam, allowing for reverse commute also to Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
. From 1898 until 1907, Bussum housed the first Dutch socialist colony after the example of Thoreau's Walden
Walden
Walden is an American book written by noted Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau...
, set up by the writer and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden
Frederik van Eeden
Frederik Willem van Eeden was a late 19th century and early 20th century Dutch writer and psychiatrist...
. In 1951, Bussum hosted the first Dutch national TV broadcast and the national TV studios were located there until 1964.
Local government
The municipal council of Bussum consists of 23 seats, which are divided as follows:- VVDPeople's Party for Freedom and DemocracyThe People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
- 7 seats - PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
- 5 seats - CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
- 4 seats - GroenLinks - 4 seats
- D66Democrats 66Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
- 2 seats - CUChristianUnionThe ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
- 1 seat
Notable people born in Bussum
- Freddy WittopFreddy WittopFreddy Wittop was a costume designer. He enjoyed secondary careers as a dancer and college professor.Born Frederick Wittop Koning in Bussum, the Netherlands, Wittop emigrated with his family to Brussels, where he apprenticed at the age of thirteen with the resident designer at the Brussels Opera...
(1911-2001) international costume designer - Karel TholeKarel TholeCarolus Adrianus Maria Thole was a Dutch painter and illustrator.He was born in Bussum, near Amsterdam, and was educated at State Drawing School of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum....
(1914-2000), painter and illustrator - Paul BiegelPaul BiegelPaul Biegel was a successful and prolific Dutch writer of children's literature.-Biography:...
(1925-2006), author - Willem DuysWillem DuysWillem Duys , was a Dutch radio and television presenter, commentator, tennis player and music producer.Duys was born in Bussum. Having made the final NK Older Youth in 1946, he won the Spieghel Hilversum and Heide B tournament, took the semi-finals Plaswijck Kralingen and won the B tournament in...
(1928-2011), radio and television presenter and record producer - Thierry VeltmanThierry VeltmanThierry Veltman is a Dutch painter, sculptor, ceramist and art educator. He focuses in particular on figures and still life....
(1939), artist - Tineke LagerbergTineke LagerbergCatharina Bernadetta Jacoba Lagerberg is a retired Dutch swimmer in the freestyle, who won the bronze medal in the 400 metres freestyle at the 1960 Summer Olympics in a time of 4:56.9. With the 4×100 m medley relay team, Lagerberg finished fourth at the same competition...
(1941), swimmer - Ronnie ToberRonnie ToberRonald Edwin Tober is a Dutch born singer.-Early life in America:Tober was born in Bussum, Netherlands and at the age of three moved to the United States with his family, where they lived in Albany, the capital of the State of New York. Attending St...
(1945), singer and entertainer - Charles de LintCharles de LintCharles de Lint is a Canadian fantasy author and folk musician. He is also the chief book critic for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction....
(1951), Canadian author and musician - Huub RothengatterHuub RothengatterHubertus Rothengatter is a former racing driver from the Netherlands. He participated in 30 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on June 17, 1984. He scored no championship points. He always drove for small and under-funded teams, his drives all either started or became available midseason...
(1954), racing driver - Raoul HeertjeRaoul HeertjeRaoul Louis Heertje is a Dutch comedian. Being Jewish himself, his comedy performances also includes Jewish humour....
(1963), comedian - Anneloes NieuwenhuizenAnneloes NieuwenhuizenAnne Lucia Cornelia Maria Nieuwenhuizen is a former Dutch field hockey defender, who won the gold medal with the National Women's Team at the 1984 Summer Olympics....
(1963), field hockey defender - Prof. E van der Bovenkampf (1964), Professor at the University of Groningen
- Ruud HespRuud HespRudolfus 'Ruud' Hubertus Hesp is a retired Dutch footballer, who played as a goalkeeper. After his active career, he started working as a keeper trainer. Currently he works at FC Groningen and for the Dutch national team.-Club career:Hesp started his career in the 1985–86 season at HFC Haarlem...
(1965), football goalkeeper - Ellen ElzermanEllen ElzermanEllen Louise Elzerman is a former backstroke swimmer from the Netherlands, who competed for her native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. There she was eliminated in the heats of the 100 m and 200 m backstroke...
(1971), swimmer - Thekla ReutenThekla ReutenThekla Simona Gelsomina Reuten is a Dutch actress.Reuten was born in Bussum, Netherlands, the daughter of an Italian mother and a Dutch father. Reuten portrayed Duncan MacLeod's love interest Anna in Highlander: The Source, released in September 2007...
(1975), actress
Transportation
The town of Bussum has two railway stations: Naarden-BussumNaarden-Bussum railway station
Naarden-Bussum is a railway station in Bussum and Naarden, the Netherlands. The station has one standard platform and one island platform and it has a total of four tracks, of which one track is for passing trains only. The station was opened on 10 June 1874. The station is on the Amsterdam -...
and Bussum Zuid
Bussum Zuid railway station
Bussum Zuid is a railway station that lies in Bussum, in the Netherlands. It is located approximately 25 km southeast of Amsterdam. It is on the Amsterdam - Hilversum - Amersfoort main line. The station was opened in 1966...
.