Bearn Bilker: lecture on organizer 400 years of free merchant city J.W. van Rooijen

Lecture on organizer 400 years free merchant city J.W. van Rooijen and his exceptional wife

One hundred years ago Sneek celebrated its 400th anniversary as a free merchant town. The rector of the Sneker gymnasium, Dr. Johan Willem van Rooijen was closely involved in the organization. The school also had an anniversary to celebrate, so a big party was prepared. Sneek would even be visited by Queen Wilhelmina.

Van Rooijen was married to Aukje Velzing, who was from Drachten. An exceptional woman, for did the people of Sneek, including her own husband, know that she had a long-standing relationship with the former Crown Prince Wilhelm of the German Empire? In August 1925 this remarkable story came to a dramatic end.

Bearn Bilker from Aldwâld has conducted lengthy research on Aukje Velzing and Johan Willem van Rooijen. He likes to tell about his findings on the almost forgotten history of these two people in Sneek, now exactly one hundred years ago.

Bearn Bilker's lecture is on Sunday afternoon, September 14, in the Gehoorzaal of the Fries Scheepvaart Museum. The start is at 14.00 hours, walk-in from 13.30 hours. Entrance € 7,50 (incl. a cup of coffee/tea). Admission is free for members of the Fries Scheepvaart Museum Association and museum card holders. Full is full, so registration is required by e-mail at balie@friesscheepvaartmuseum.nl.