The Randstad, Netherlands
Dutch, English, Latin, French, German, some Ancient Greek.
Voluntary position in which I serve as the eyes and ears of the Stichting Menno van Coehoorn in section VI of the province of Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands, roughly comprising Albrandswaard, Barendrecht, Capelle aan den IJssel, Delft, Hendrik Ido Ambacht, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Lansingerland, Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Ridderkerk, Rotterdam benoorden de rivier de Maas, Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Zoetermeer, Zuidplas en Zwijndrecht.The purpose of the foundation (Stichting) is to promote the preservation and visibility of ancient infrastructure, that is no longer used as military defense and related infrastructure (e.g. defence lines, systems, construction) in the Netherlands or abroad, in the latter case with Dutch origin. Thus the foundation wants to contribute to the preservation of military heritage and to the understanding of history, art and culture (art. 2 of the Statutes). Als vrijwilliger fungeer ik als de ogen en oren van de Stichting Menno van Coehoorn in het Rayon VI van Zuid-Holland in Nederland. Dit Rayon VI omvat de gemeenten Albrandswaard, Barendrecht, Capelle aan den IJssel, Delft, Hendrik Ido Ambacht, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Lansingerland, Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Ridderkerk, Rotterdam benoorden de rivier de Maas, Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Zoetermeer, Zuidplas en Zwijndrecht. Het doel van de stichting Menno van Coehoorn is, de instandhouding en de herkenbaarheid te bevorderen van oude, buiten militair gebruik gestelde verdedigingswerken en de daarbij behorende infrastructuur (o.a. linies, stellingen, bouwwerken) in Nederland of daarbuiten, in het laatste geval mits met een Nederlands verleden. Daarmee wil de stichting een bijdrage leveren aan het behoud van het militaircultureel erfgoed en aan het begrip voor historie, kunst en cultuur (art. 2 van de statuten).
From March to October 2011 I sailed aboard this wonderful ship. I am still afloat and anchored well, not laid up. Possible reorganisation and financial cutbacks are expected in Rotterdam's museums and cultural institutions. It remains to be seen whether I can rejoin the Maritime Museum Rotterdam.
personal documents, Netherlands' and foreign company documentation, objects (decorations, dive equipment, optical instruments, ship models, prints. paintings, ship journals, photographs etc.)
mainly of technical drawings collected by the Dutch Ministry of Defence and other defence institutions produced by Dutch and foreign companies over the period 18th to 21st Century, Armstrong, Artillerie-Inrichtingen, Bethlehem Steel, Bofors, Böhler, Browning, DAF, Eurometaal, Gruson, Kraus-Maffei, Krupp, Maritz, Oerlikon a.o. Also personal documents, defence industry documentation (mainly of 19th - 21st C.) and a collection of Allied and German-Austrian press photo's of World War One.
First as the assistent and from 1994 as the manager of the Reading Room, helping visitors find their way in municipal, private, church archives a.o., writing letters and transcribing documents such as the Haardstedengeld 1638, a tax on capital gains by counting the number of firesides in one's property. As one of many secondary activities I organised small exhibitions about famous citizens of Delft, the Gun Powder explosion of 1654 and the Liberation of Delft on May 8th, 1945.