Before the Aaltjesdagen kick off on Saturday, we first pause to reflect on a special and valuable moment.
At the Bargje on the Havendam, by the monument of the Fisherwoman with Child, the Harderwijk fishermen who have lost their lives at sea over the years are commemorated.
Fisherwoman with child
Tensely, the fisherwoman peers out over the sea in vain. Comfortingly, she holds an arm around her child, who has grasped her skirt.
She fears that her beloved will not return from the sea. This limestone sculpture from 1975 commemorates the time when Harderwijk was still a fishing village on the Zuiderzee and fishermen regularly perished during their work.
Initially, a plaque was placed by the statue bearing the names of Harderwijk fishermen who perished. However, this list proved to be incomplete. Therefore, in 2022, the supplementary fishermen's monument 'The Fishermen Who Did Not Come Home' was placed next to the fisherwoman.
It consists of a wavy plate of Corten steel with a botter model and the names of all 58 deceased fishermen cut into it, along with the text of the poem 'Het laatste zeil' by Michel Martinus.
About the commemoration
During this commemoration, the drowned fishermen are honored and a wreath-laying ceremony takes place. Everyone is cordially invited to attend.
