Winterswijk (; also known as Winterswiek or Wenters) is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. It has a population of and is situated in the Achterhoek, which lies in the easternmost part of the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands.
It was also known as Winethereswick, Winriswic or Wenterswic; the Low Saxon -wich town or wic means the living place of a certain person. The person would likely have been called Wenether, Winitar or Winter.
Geography
Winterswijk is located in east of the province of
Gelderland in the east of the
Netherlands. It is part of the region of
Achterhoek.
History
Founded around 1000 AD it remained an isolated farming community until 1830 when the road from Borken to
Zutphen via Winterswijk and
Groenlo was built. Around 1840 many emigrated to
America —
Michigan in particular. After 1870 the town became a centre for textiles, such as spinning and weaving and indeed the Tricot factory employed a large proportion of the local population in its heyday. In 1878 the railway line to
Zutphen was built primarily for the textile industry, which was set up by Jan Willink. Some of the families such as the Willinks have lived there since 1284.
World War II and liberation
Winterswijk was liberated on 31 March 1945. The day prior, on 30 March there was a tank battle in one of the townships called
Woold, with sixty
. The 53rd Welsh Division and the 3rd British Infantry Division, were moving from Bocholt via
Aalten to Winterswijk. The tank battle resulted in sixteen German and nine British soldiers losing their lives. On 31 March, around nine AM allied forces had a struggle just over five kilometers (three miles) south of Winterswijk following reinforcements from the NSB. On 31 March the first allied troops finally reached the Slingestream near Winterswijk. 31 March is marked as the official day to remember the liberation of Winterswijk, despite the fact that in the late afternoon of 31 March parts of Miste and Woold were already liberated. After the liberation of Winterswijk they founded a Rest-Centre for British soldiers in the Sociëteit de Eendracht, where the British soldiers, could find some rest.
[ Liberation of Winterswijk, during World War II wenters.nu]
Although the Jewish community of Winterswijk was greatly decimated during the war, a synagogue still exists. Yet no regular services are being held. The synagogue is open for visitors and guided tours.
Railway stations
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Winterswijk
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Winterswijk West
Notable residents
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John H. Corscot (1839–1926), mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, 1893 to 1895
-
Piet Mondriaan (1872–1944), painter, pioneer of 20th century abstract art, lived in Winterswijk ages 8–20
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Willem van Otterloo (1907–1978), conductor, cellist, composer
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Max van Dam (1910–1943) artist, murdered in the Sobibor extermination camp
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Johanna Reiss (born 1932), Dutch-American writer, longtime resident of New York City
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Bram Stemerdink (born 1936), politician, Minister of Defence 1976/77
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Gerrit Komrij (1944-2012) poet, novelist, critic, journalist and playwright
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Dick Mol (born 1955) paleontologist and specialist in the field of mammoths
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Johan Houwers (born 1957) politician, real estate broker and convicted mortgage fraudster
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Herman Brock Jr. (born 1970) left-handed Dutch bluegrass, Americana and Blues musician
Sport
Gallery
File:Marktplein in Winterswijk.jpg|Marktplein with church (Jacobskerk)
File:Wenterswiek nijstraote.jpg|Nieuwstraat
File:Winterswijk, de Watertoren RM523469 IMG 2610 2022-07-18 18.06.jpg|Water tower
File:Winterswijk, sculptuur het Strijktrio van Jan Bons IMG 2583 2022-07-18 17.17.jpg|Sculpture: the Strijktrio (String Trio) designed by Jan Bons
File:Grote steen Woold.JPG|Great stone at Woold, Winterswijk
External links
