Students De Wadden

Hansje Brinker
The boy who saved The Netherlands

Preface
It was our task to write a report about Hans Brinker. We made phonecalls, searched on the Internet and went to the library to get a book about him. We also went to the statue in Spaarndam to make photos. We were not very lucky because on the day we made the photos, it was raining. Near the statue we held an interview.
'Hansje Brinker'

Hansje Brinker was a boy of around 8 years old. His father was a kock keeper. One day Hansje had to bring cookies to an old blind friend who lived on the other side of the dike. Hansje enjoyed his stay with this old man, so he stayed there pretty long. 
On his way back home, he discovered a hole in the dike. There was water leaking through that hole. He thought that this small water stream could be fatal. He thought, I will hold that wild water by putting my finger in the hole of the dike. So Haarlem will not be flooded. 
It was a cold evening, but by doing so he was able to stop the water.
A little further was the city of Haarlem. It became dark and nobody was walking by on the dike. He screamed for help, but nobody could hear him yelling and whistling.
His mother did not hear him either, she already had locked the door. She thought Hansje would spend the night in the house of the old man.
It became colder and colder and after a while, Hansje was not able to move his hand very well. He had to keep himself awake, so he started to rub his right hand with his left hand. He yelled a few times more but then he stopped.
The next morning, a viccar came along, just ready with his work. He saw the little brave hero laying on the ground and he thought: I must get help at once.
A little while later he came back with many people. And Hansje became the big hero of this story!

In Japan and USA the story of Hansje Brinker is more well known than in our own country. That is why many American and Japanese tourists come to see the statue of Hansje Brinker with their own eyes.

Highlights of Interview with Barry van Galen, a wellknown soccer player and citizen of Haarlem Question: What is your profession? Answer: I am a professional soccer player for many years now. Question: Have you played in our national soccer team? Answer: not yet, but I was selected for the match Netherlands against Brazil. That was a beautiful experience. Question: And what will you do for a living when your soccer career ends? Answer: I do not know yet, I think and hope to become a trainer of a soccer team, but I do not know yet.

Finally
We put a lot of time and work in this report. Especially for making the interview with a well known citizen of Haarlem. The interview with soccer player Barry van Galen was very nice. He is a former painter of the firm C. Den Hollander.
We also tried to arrange an interview with Lennaert Nijgh. He did not want to co-operate. Maybe he was thinking we were joking about this international project. So we went to his house to deliver a letter from our school with our phone numbers. He never responded to us.

Sources we used:
Hansje Brinker or the silver skates. writer: Mary Mapes Dodge.
Internet ( http://www.detelefoongids.nl  )
The Tourists Information Service
Well known people who are living near the statue.

report written by Wouter, Joris and Frank.

[ click here for more Hansje Brinker photos ]

[ click here to read the complete Dutch interview and watch video ]