Rijssen
Encyclopedia
Rijssen is a town in the Dutch
province of Overijssel
. It is part of Rijssen-Holten
, one of thirteen municipalities in Twente
. It has over 28,000 inhabitants. Rijssen has a thriving economy, relying mostly on commerce and nationally renowned construction and transport companies.
founded a church in Rijssen as early as the seventh century, as part of a coordinated attempt to convert the pagan Saxons
to Christianity
, though other traces show signs of earlier habitation.
Rijssen was first mentioned as Parrochia Risnen on a freight letter dating from 1188 by the Duke of Dalen.
After having a disagreement with the Duke of Goor, Bisshop Otto III van Holland
granted city rights
to Rijssen on the 5th of May, 1243. The original city rights bill was lost in a large fire that swept through the city, reducing the city hall and the keep to rubble. In 2006, however, a copy was given to the newly instated city council.
In the 14th century, Rijssen entered the Hanseatic league
. Of the old town, only a church and a few houses dating from the eighteenth century remain.
From 1580 to 1584, Rijssen suffered most from the Eighty Years' War. The city of Deventer
was under the state's command, while the town of Oldenzaal was under Spanish command. The two opposing parties would often meet halfway for battle; around Rijssen.
The 18th century saw the rise of the Industrial Revolution
in Rijssen. Many farmers participated in textiles manufactoring; whole families, women and children, were involved in this trade, often under poor conditions. In the 19th and early 20th century, Rijssen, like many other towns in the Netherlands, saw the introduction of the power loom
s, of which the local Ter Horst factory was among the regional top jute
producers. They went bankrupt in the 1970s due to overpowering Asian competition. Factory workers were forced to find other means of income, and many started their own businesses, either in transport
, or construction engineering
.
Rijssen is easily accessible through a number of provincial roads, such as the N347 and the N350, the latter connects Rijssen to the village of Holten
and lends its name to the local radio station. Through these provincial roads, Rijssen has access to the motorway A1
from Amsterdam
to the German border.
All neighbourhoods in Rijssen are easily accessible by bus.
Rijssen has multiple shopping facilities in its centre, which also accommodates a number of bars, pubs and lunchrooms. It has a large discothèque that attracts visitors from all neighbouring towns and villages.
The small city has a fire brigade museum and a monumental church, the Schildkerk. The restored and fully functional mill de Pelmolen is one of the major attractions of the town.
Rijssen is surrounded by a versatile landscape, accommodating a number of renowned camp sites.
Rijssen has a large community of several Protestant groups, with several churches. The extremely conservative Calvinist Reformed Political Party
(SGP) long held the strongest position in the municipality's council. A large percentage of Rijssen's population are members of one of these conservative groups. Rijssen also has communities of Molukkish, Turkish
, Syria
n and Moroccan
people.
. It has preserved a very distinct character that is immediately recognisable, although may be challenging for speakers of other Low Saxon varieties, and even unintelligible for others.
Characteristic features include diphthongisation of a number of vowels that are monophthongs in other varieties of Tweants. This indicates that Riessens is part of the larger Westphalian
branch of Low Saxon. For instance, in other varieties, the words breef (letter), groot (large), and neuze (nose) are pronounced /bɾef, ɣɾɔːt, nœzə/, whereas in Riessens they are pronounced /bɾeəf, ɣɾɔət, nœəzə/. Older speakers may even be heard pronouncing them /bɾɪəf, ɣɾʊət, nʏəzə/.
Other features are vowel elongation and an some additional vowels that are absent in other varieties, such as the ASH vowel. Below are few examples:
On a lexical level, Riessens has preserved a
Rijssen was a separate municipality until it merged with Holten
in 2001. The workingtitle of the municipality was "Rijssen", and did get the final name "Rijssen-Holten" in 2003.
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...
province of Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
. It is part of Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality was formed in 2001 by the joining of the municipalities of Holten and Rijssen...
, one of thirteen municipalities in Twente
Twente
Twente is a non-administrative region in the eastern Netherlands. It encompasses the most urbanised and easternmost part of the province of Overijssel...
. It has over 28,000 inhabitants. Rijssen has a thriving economy, relying mostly on commerce and nationally renowned construction and transport companies.
History
Archeological evidence shows that the monk LebuinusLebuinus
Lebuinus , Apostle of the Frisians and patron of Deventer .-Life:Lebuinus was a monk in Wilfrid's monastery at Ripon...
founded a church in Rijssen as early as the seventh century, as part of a coordinated attempt to convert the pagan Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, though other traces show signs of earlier habitation.
Rijssen was first mentioned as Parrochia Risnen on a freight letter dating from 1188 by the Duke of Dalen.
After having a disagreement with the Duke of Goor, Bisshop Otto III van Holland
Otto III van Holland
Otto van Holland was a bishop of Utrecht from 1233 to 1249.Otto was the second son of William I, Count of Holland and his first wife Aleid van Gelre. He was chosen as bishop in 1233, but because of resistance from the canons of Utrecht, his consecration was delayed until 1245. He emerged as a...
granted city rights
City rights in the Netherlands
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges that settlements without city rights did not have....
to Rijssen on the 5th of May, 1243. The original city rights bill was lost in a large fire that swept through the city, reducing the city hall and the keep to rubble. In 2006, however, a copy was given to the newly instated city council.
In the 14th century, Rijssen entered the Hanseatic league
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
. Of the old town, only a church and a few houses dating from the eighteenth century remain.
From 1580 to 1584, Rijssen suffered most from the Eighty Years' War. The city of Deventer
Deventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
was under the state's command, while the town of Oldenzaal was under Spanish command. The two opposing parties would often meet halfway for battle; around Rijssen.
The 18th century saw the rise of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in Rijssen. Many farmers participated in textiles manufactoring; whole families, women and children, were involved in this trade, often under poor conditions. In the 19th and early 20th century, Rijssen, like many other towns in the Netherlands, saw the introduction of the power loom
Power loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
s, of which the local Ter Horst factory was among the regional top jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
producers. They went bankrupt in the 1970s due to overpowering Asian competition. Factory workers were forced to find other means of income, and many started their own businesses, either in transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
, or construction engineering
Construction engineering
Construction engineering is a professional discipline that deals with the designing, planning, construction, and management of infrastructures such as highways, bridges, airports, railroads, buildings, dams, and utilities. Construction Engineers are unique such that they are a cross between civil...
.
Transportation
- Railway station: RijssenRijssen railway stationRijssen is a railway station located in Rijssen, The Netherlands. The station was opened on 1 September 1888 and is located on the Deventer–Almelo railway. The services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
Rijssen is easily accessible through a number of provincial roads, such as the N347 and the N350, the latter connects Rijssen to the village of Holten
Holten
Holten is a small village in the municipality of Rijssen-Holten in the Dutch province of Overijssel, with approximately 10,000 inhabitants. Holten is located in an ample-forested area, just south of the Holterberg. This hill, which is about 65m high, is part of the "Sallandse Heuvelrug" National...
and lends its name to the local radio station. Through these provincial roads, Rijssen has access to the motorway A1
A1 motorway (Netherlands)
The A1 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. The road connects the city of Amsterdam, near the interchange Watergraafsmeer, with the German border, near Oldenzaal and Bad Bentheim , and the German Autobahn BAB 30...
from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
to the German border.
All neighbourhoods in Rijssen are easily accessible by bus.
Facilities/tourism
The small city has a fire brigade museum and a monumental church, the Schildkerk. The restored and fully functional mill de Pelmolen is one of the major attractions of the town.
Rijssen is surrounded by a versatile landscape, accommodating a number of renowned camp sites.
Population and politics
The inhabitants of Rijssen are known for their pride for their town, their self-sufficiency and working ethos. This pride shows in the fact that Rijssen has its own anthem.Rijssen has a large community of several Protestant groups, with several churches. The extremely conservative Calvinist Reformed Political Party
Reformed Political Party
The Reformed Political Party is an orthodox Protestant Dutch political party. The term Reformed is not a reference to political reform, but is a synonym for Calvinist. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands in its current form, and for its entire existence has been in opposition...
(SGP) long held the strongest position in the municipality's council. A large percentage of Rijssen's population are members of one of these conservative groups. Rijssen also has communities of Molukkish, Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n and Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
people.
Dialect
Rijssen has a preserved a very distinct dialect, which is mostly referred to as Riessens. It may be considered one of the more conservative varieties of Tweants. Riessens is a variety of Tweants, which is itself a variety of Dutch Low SaxonDutch Low Saxon
Dutch Low Saxon is a group of Low Saxon, i.e. West Low German dialects spoken in the northeastern Netherlands. In comparison, the remainder of the Netherlands speak a collection of Low Franconian dialects.The class "Dutch Low Saxon" is not unanimous...
. It has preserved a very distinct character that is immediately recognisable, although may be challenging for speakers of other Low Saxon varieties, and even unintelligible for others.
Characteristic features include diphthongisation of a number of vowels that are monophthongs in other varieties of Tweants. This indicates that Riessens is part of the larger Westphalian
Westphalian language
Westphalian is one of the major dialect groups of West Low German. Its most salient feature is the diphthongization . For example, speakers say iEten instead of Eːten for eat...
branch of Low Saxon. For instance, in other varieties, the words breef (letter), groot (large), and neuze (nose) are pronounced /bɾef, ɣɾɔːt, nœzə/, whereas in Riessens they are pronounced /bɾeəf, ɣɾɔət, nœəzə/. Older speakers may even be heard pronouncing them /bɾɪəf, ɣɾʊət, nʏəzə/.
Other features are vowel elongation and an some additional vowels that are absent in other varieties, such as the ASH vowel. Below are few examples:
- stemme (voice) - stämme (stems).
- IPA: /ˈstemə/ and /ˈstæmə/
- veste (vests) - vuste (already) - vuuste (fists) - völs te (much too)
- IPA: /ˈvɛstə/ - /ˈvʏstə/ - /ˈvystə/ - /ˈvɜstə/
On a lexical level, Riessens has preserved a
Rijssen was a separate municipality until it merged with Holten
Holten
Holten is a small village in the municipality of Rijssen-Holten in the Dutch province of Overijssel, with approximately 10,000 inhabitants. Holten is located in an ample-forested area, just south of the Holterberg. This hill, which is about 65m high, is part of the "Sallandse Heuvelrug" National...
in 2001. The workingtitle of the municipality was "Rijssen", and did get the final name "Rijssen-Holten" in 2003.