Veenhuizen (Noordenveld)
Encyclopedia
Veenhuizen is a village that was in the municipality (or gemeente) Norg
before is was reorganized to be a part of a larger collection of municipalities including the lager village of Roden
to become the municipality of Noordenveld
(since 1998). The larger cities in the area are Groningen and Assen
(20 to 30 km) and Amsterdam
and Bremen
(Germany
) (around 200 km). Veenhuizen has an elevation of about 7 metres.
What makes Veenhuizen special is that is started out in the early nineteenth century as a reeducation
colony for the poor and homeless from the large cities (like Amsterdam
and The Hague
) It was, together with a town in Australia
, the only colony within a country's own borders.
The history of Veenhuizen goes way back in to the late Middle Ages
but only as an insignificant hamlet
alongside a little stream called the "Slokkert". This was situated a little to the north of the current village.
Change came when the general Johannes van den Bosch
started the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid (which translates freely into Company for Benevolence) in the 1820s. The company bought 30 km² of land to found colonies which would house and provide work for the poor from the large cities in Holland's west.
The change is still evident in the way the village was set up. It looks, when seen through Dutch eyes, almost American as it is made up of roads in a grid pattern with blocks measuring 700 by 700 metres. The difference with the United States
is that most of these blocks are still filled in with farmland on which the inmates used to work.
The (staff) houses are concentrated around the now two remaining prison complexes. A large number of which have educational texts in large sculptured sills on the front, about two stories high to educate the people working in and around them. The texts used to correspond with the intended inhabitant. The headmasters house said "knowledge is power" as the pharmacists house said "bitter and sweet".
The whole village is mentioned on the Unesco World Heritage list
.
Later in the 19th century the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid went broke and the whole complex/village was taken over by the Department of Justice for use as a penal colony
. This led to the building of the prison buildings which are still in use today (albeit modernized several times since).
Veenhuizen used to be closed off to everyone but the inmates and the staff and their families lived in housing (most now newly built in the 70s, 80s and 90s) provided by the department. The village was treated as private companies grounds which also meant that (ironically) the police had no jurisdiction there, much to the liking of the moped riding youth.
Since 1984 the village is freely accessible for all and even houses a tea-garden, a pub (for the very first time in its existence) and even houses the national museum for correctional facilities http://www.gevangenismuseum.nl/ (link is in Dutch).
The isolated history also provided the area with outstanding natural beauty and wildlife and makes for excellent bike rides.
The village is, despite its size, known throughout the Netherlands
. Even national celebrities have done time there for driving while under the influence of alcohol
. It has even been honoured by its own rendition of Johnny Cash
's "San Quentin" song, in Dutch.
Norg
Norg is a small, very old village in the northeastern Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Noordenveld, Drenthe. As of 1 January 2008, Norg had a population of 3737, in comparison to a population of 3840 on 1 January 2004....
before is was reorganized to be a part of a larger collection of municipalities including the lager village of Roden
Roden
-Places:*Roden, Bavaria, a town in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, Germany*Roden , a town in Drenthe, Netherlands*Rodén, a village in Fuentes de Ebro municipality of the Province of Zaragoza, Spain*Roden, Shropshire, a village in England...
to become the municipality of Noordenveld
Noordenveld
Noordenveld is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands.- Population centres :Altena, Alteveer, Amerika, Boerelaan, De Horst, De Pol, Een, Een-West, Foxwolde, Huis ter Heide, Langelo, Leutingewolde, Lieveren, Matsloot, Nietap, Nieuw-Roden, Norg, Norgervaart, Peest, Peize, Peizermade,...
(since 1998). The larger cities in the area are Groningen and Assen
Assen
Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run...
(20 to 30 km) and 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...
and Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) (around 200 km). Veenhuizen has an elevation of about 7 metres.
What makes Veenhuizen special is that is started out in the early nineteenth century as a reeducation
Reeducation
Reeducation may refer to:* A euphemism for Brainwashing, efforts aimed at instilling certain beliefs in people against their will* Reeducation through labor, also called laojiao, a form of penal detention in China; or the Soviet gulags for "re-education of class enemies" and reintegrating them...
colony for the poor and homeless from the large cities (like 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...
and The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
) It was, together with a town in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the only colony within a country's own borders.
The history of Veenhuizen goes way back in to the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
but only as an insignificant hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
alongside a little stream called the "Slokkert". This was situated a little to the north of the current village.
Change came when the general Johannes van den Bosch
Johannes van den Bosch
Johannes, Count van den Bosch was a Dutch Lieutenant General and politician.-Biography:...
started the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid (which translates freely into Company for Benevolence) in the 1820s. The company bought 30 km² of land to found colonies which would house and provide work for the poor from the large cities in Holland's west.
The change is still evident in the way the village was set up. It looks, when seen through Dutch eyes, almost American as it is made up of roads in a grid pattern with blocks measuring 700 by 700 metres. The difference with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is that most of these blocks are still filled in with farmland on which the inmates used to work.
The (staff) houses are concentrated around the now two remaining prison complexes. A large number of which have educational texts in large sculptured sills on the front, about two stories high to educate the people working in and around them. The texts used to correspond with the intended inhabitant. The headmasters house said "knowledge is power" as the pharmacists house said "bitter and sweet".
The whole village is mentioned on the Unesco World Heritage list
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
.
Later in the 19th century the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid went broke and the whole complex/village was taken over by the Department of Justice for use as a penal colony
Penal colony
A penal colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general populace by placing them in a remote location, often an island or distant colonial territory...
. This led to the building of the prison buildings which are still in use today (albeit modernized several times since).
Veenhuizen used to be closed off to everyone but the inmates and the staff and their families lived in housing (most now newly built in the 70s, 80s and 90s) provided by the department. The village was treated as private companies grounds which also meant that (ironically) the police had no jurisdiction there, much to the liking of the moped riding youth.
Since 1984 the village is freely accessible for all and even houses a tea-garden, a pub (for the very first time in its existence) and even houses the national museum for correctional facilities http://www.gevangenismuseum.nl/ (link is in Dutch).
The isolated history also provided the area with outstanding natural beauty and wildlife and makes for excellent bike rides.
The village is, despite its size, known throughout the Netherlands
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...
. Even national celebrities have done time there for driving while under the influence of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
. It has even been honoured by its own rendition of Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
's "San Quentin" song, in Dutch.