De Hollandsche Molen
Encyclopedia
Vereniging De Hollandsche Molen (Dutch Windmill Association) is a Dutch
organization founded in 1923 to preserve windmill
s in the Netherlands, to document them, and to restore them. Financial support comes from members and from grants by organizations such as the BankGiro Loterij (a Dutch lottery). Their website provides access to a database which documents some 1400 mills in the Netherlands; "Het Nederlands Molenbestand" is authoritative on the topic. The organization is often given credit for organizing a powerful and effective lobby aimed at procuring money from Dutch government institutions to fund restoration projects.
Its former president Frederik Stokhuyzen was one of the foremost scholars on Dutch windmills; a recently revised edition of his 1961 book Molens is still the standard book on the topic.
In 1981, Prince Claus of the Netherlands became the organization's patron, and attended ten ceremonies at which windmills were reopened; at his death in 2002 the 12 windmills owned and operated by the organization had their sails
set in the "mourning position," with the lowest sail fixed and set slightly to the right. His son, Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, became the next patron.
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...
organization founded in 1923 to preserve windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s in the Netherlands, to document them, and to restore them. Financial support comes from members and from grants by organizations such as the BankGiro Loterij (a Dutch lottery). Their website provides access to a database which documents some 1400 mills in the Netherlands; "Het Nederlands Molenbestand" is authoritative on the topic. The organization is often given credit for organizing a powerful and effective lobby aimed at procuring money from Dutch government institutions to fund restoration projects.
Its former president Frederik Stokhuyzen was one of the foremost scholars on Dutch windmills; a recently revised edition of his 1961 book Molens is still the standard book on the topic.
In 1981, Prince Claus of the Netherlands became the organization's patron, and attended ten ceremonies at which windmills were reopened; at his death in 2002 the 12 windmills owned and operated by the organization had their sails
Windmill sail
Windmills are powered by their sails. Sails are found in different designs, from primitive common sails to the advanced patent sails.-Jib sails:...
set in the "mourning position," with the lowest sail fixed and set slightly to the right. His son, Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, became the next patron.