Chapter 43 – Martyrs and ice skating
That evening, Louisa and Kathy had suggested to have dinner in a restaurant in the city centre of Dokkum together. Reluctantly, Martin and Tom had agreed on the idea, especially because there was a significant chance that they would end up in the same restaurant anyway. Dokkum may have been classified as the fifth most popular shopping city of Friesland, it still was a rather small town with a restricted number of restaurants that could meet Martin's and Tom's requirements of hygiene and nutritious food. Keeping in mind that the Dutch eat at a rather early time, the two families walked to the restaurant of their choice at about 5:30 PM.
Martin and Tom in front, followed by Kathy, Louisa and the children. As the boys seemed to see something interesting behind each grass pit, they soon got a little bit behind. Kathy junior decided that she wasn't interested in the boys stuff so she ran forward to Martin and Tom. Her mum stood still in order to hurry up the boys. Louisa waited for her new friend and in the meantime watched the little girl. The little girl had reached the men and Louisa expected her to go and grab her father's hand, but much to her surprise, Kathy didn't take her father's hand, but Martin's instead. Louisa held her breath, hoping that Martin wouldn't shoo her away with some rude and frightening shouting.
Martin was startled by Kathy's gesture, but he didn't shout. Louisa saw that he just assured that he her small hand was comfortably covered by his big one. He squeezed hers gently, as to tell her it was OK and he continued the discussion he apparently had with Tom.
I am so proud of you Martin, Louisa thought. She made a mental note that she would give Martin the reward he deserved later that evening. She blushed at the thought. Oblivious of the little scene and anyway not understanding the importance it could have, Kathy joined Louisa and they continued their walk.
Martin looked down at the little girl at his side. For Kathy the sign to start firing all kinds of questions at him. All related to medical subjects. Although he was glad he had finally found someone who showed interest in his medical knowledge, he soon understood that it wasn't easy to give an adequate answer to her questions in such a way that she could understand it.
They just passed by the local bookshop and Martin left the others at the doorstep without noticing them. He and Kathy entered the shop. He decided to look if he could find an adequate book for the little girl, but they only had Dutch and German books and nothing on any medical subject and certainly nothing interesting and easy enough for an eight or nine year old. Disappointed, he left the shop again. Kathy hadn't really understood the point of entering the shop and when her mother asked her later that evening what they were doing at the bookshop, she just shrugged and said "I don't know, mum. Dr. Ellingham couldn't find the book he was looking for".
The little girl didn't give up and just kept her position next to her idol until they arrived at the restaurant, where she assured that she had a place next to him. Martin, proofing that he had some well-hidden sense of humour, acted like a real gentleman, pulling back her chair and saying to her "please be seated, young lady". After which he positioned her chair a comfortable distance from the table and sat aside her.
Once they were all installed and after they had ordered their food, Tom asked
"So I explained why we are here in Dokkum. Is there any special reason for you to visit this Frisian town?"
With as few words as possible, Martin told them why they had chosen the Netherlands as their holiday destination and Louisa was happy tell about the preparations she had done with her class and she was ready to elaborate the historical and cultural interest of Dokkum.
"Dokkum is a Dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. It has about 12,500 inhabitants. The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the 'bolwerken'. And…" , looking at Martin, she added "It has the smallest hospital in the Netherlands!"
Then she continued about the historical highlights discovered by her students.
"The best-known event in Dokkum's history is the martyrdom of the Anglo-Saxon missionary Saint Boniface in 754. When looking on the Internet, you can find a lot of information on it
Saint Boniface who lived from 675 to 754 AD, was born with the name Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex in Anglo-Saxon England. He was a leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He established the first organized Christianity in many parts of Germania. He is the patron saint of Germania, the first archbishop of Mainz and the 'Apostle of the Germans'.
Saint Boniface was killed in Frisia in 754. Here in Dokkum to be precise. Along with him 52 others died in their missionary battle. Saint Boniface has played three roles that made him "one of the truly outstanding creators of the first Europe" As said, he was the apostle of Germania, the reformer of the Frankish church, and the chief fomenter of the alliance between the papacy and the Carolingian family. Through his efforts to reorganize and regulate the church of the Franks, he helped shape Western Christianity, and many of the dioceses he proposed still remain today. After his martyrdom, he was quickly hailed as a saint in Fulda and other areas in Germania and in England. His cult is still notably strong today. Boniface is celebrated (and criticized)[4] as a missionary; he is regarded as a unifier of Europe, and he is seen, mainly by Catholics, as a Germanic national figure. Boniface had always hoped that he could convert the Frisians, and in 754 he set out with a retinue for Frisia, the region called Friesland nowadays. He baptized a great number of persons and summoned a general meeting for confirmation at a place not far from Dokkum. He didn't succeed, however, since a group of armed robbers appeared who slew the aged archbishop and a group of his faithful followers. According to history books and articles, Boniface persuaded his armed comrades to lay down their arms: 'Cease fighting. Lay down your arms, for we are told in Scripture not to render evil for good but to overcome evil by good.'
Having killed Boniface and his company, the Frisian bandits ransacked their possessions but found that the company's luggage did not contain the riches they had hoped for the slaughtered victims held manuscripts instead of gold vessels, pages of sacred texts instead of silver plates. They attempted to destroy all the books, but some of them were saved. The Ragyndrudis Codex, now held as a Bonifacian relic in Fulda, is supposedly one of three books found on the field by the Christians who inspected it afterward. The Ragyndrudis Codex shows incisions that could have been made by sword or axe. At the moment of death, the saint held up a gospel as spiritual protection."
"Wow, Louisa!" Kathy reacted. "All this information has been prepared by your pupils? I will tell our local head teacher about these kind of projects!"
Louisa blushed a bit and then said
"They did most of it, but I also did some research myself, specifically on this topic. But the group that did the research on Dutch sport events came up with a very interesting subject. Do you want to hear about it, or am I boring you?"
"No, not at all, please continue", Tom and Kathy said nearly in unison.
"The group found out about the existence of the so called Elfstedentocht , the Eleven cities tour. It is an ice-skating tour, on natural ice, almost 200 kilometres or 120 miles long. It is held both as a speed skating competition, with 300 contestants and a leisure tour with about 16,000 skaters. The tour follows a closed or circular route along frozen canals, rivers and lakes visiting the eleven historic Frisian cities of Leeuwarden, Sneek, IJlst, Sloten, Stavoren, Hindeloopen, Workum, Bolsward, Harlingen, Franeker and Dokkum. From Dokkum, they return to Leeuwarden.
The tour is held at most once a year, only when the natural ice along the entire course is at least 15 centimetres, 6 inches thick. Sometimes on consecutive years, other times with gaps that may exceed 20 years. When the ice is suitable, the tour is announced and starts within the following 48 hours".
"Is it that cold here in the winter?", little Kathy asked. "we can only skate on the pond when it is really cold seven days in a row or so.. and that isn't happening every year.."
"No dear", Louisa said,
"The tour is held only if the ice is, and remains, at least 15 centimetres thick along the entire course as about 16,000 amateur skaters will take part, putting high requirements on the quality of the ice. And that doesn't happen every year. The last tours were held in 1985, 1986 and 1997. All skaters must be members of the Association of the Eleven Frisian Cities. A starting permit and bib is required. Skaters must collect a stamp in each city, and at three secret check points. The tour starts very early in the morning and the participants must arrive back in Leeuwarden before midnight. The finishing point of the Elfstedentocht is a canal near Leeuwarden, called the "Bonkevaart", close to the landmark windmill, De Bullemolen."
A ten-day cold spell took place in late January and early February, so beginning of this year. It was the 33rd time such cold occurred since 1901. Temperatures as low as -22.9 degrees Celcius were recorded in Lelystad, a city in the middle of the country. Everybody hoped for another Elfstedentocht. The expected day of the event, had it taken place, was Saturday 11 February and the preparations were started. But the race was called off on February 8, since the ice wasn't thick enough."
"But how do they manage the growing of the ice? There are several locks and boat routes on those waters. That would prevent the water to freeze, wouldn't it? , Martin wanted to know.
"Yes, but once they expect a cold spell, they take measures. On 2 February, it was reported that 95% of various locks that controlled the water flow in the canals had been adjusted to maximise the ice thickness. On the same day, the Dutch meteorological institute forecast that temperatures would not rise above freezing until Wednesday 8 February at the earliest and that the thickness of the ice would be 15 centimetre from Tuesday 7 February until Saturday 11 February. On 3 February, the Dutch meteorological institute forecast a probable ice-thickness of 20 centimetre on Saturday 11 February and on 5 February they forecast an ice thickness approaching 25 centimetre. Perfect conditions for a new Elfstedentocht…"
"But…?", Tom said, "I assume there is a but...?"
"On 6 February it was announced that the committee had met the previous evening for the first time in fifteen years. Although there were areas where the ice was not thick enough for the race to be held, the forecast for continuing freezing weather meant that they were optimistic that the race would be held. A press conference was held and the committee was due to meet again on 8 February. At the press conference, it was stated that in north Friesland the ice conditions were suitable to hold the race. In south west Friesland, the conditions were not so good, Stavoren being a particular problem where the ice was only 2 cm thick in places.
On 6 February a prohibition order on navigation on many of the canals in Friesland was extended in order to facilitate the growth of the ice. The following day the Dutch meteorological institute forecast that the cold spell would break on Sunday 12 February or Monday 13 February with the temperature rising above freezing point… But… late afternoon on the 8 February Wiebe Wieling, chairman of the organising committee, said that the race was off… The committee had to be realistic and safety issues had made the race impossible. A ten-day cold spell was insufficient for the event.. The 1997 event had taken place at the end of a 12-day cold spell, but this time the cold spell didn't hold as expected... 16,000 skaters and millions of spectators had to face it: no Elfstedentocht this year..
It is an amazing thought that some generations grow up with two tours in a row and then complete generations grow up without being able to ice skate on natural ice at all.. Apparently the future King Willem Alexander, has participated the one in 1986. He did the subscription under another name, in order not to be recognized, but Queen Beatrix and her husband Prince Claus were present at the finish.. just as proud parents of a son who achieved an amazing sport performance.."
"Boniface and those skaters both seem to be martyrs to me… I wouldn't allow my son to do something as stupid as ice skating past eleven cities on natural ice.", Martin grunted. All the other adults laughed at the idea of the ten month old toddler doing a 120 Miles ice skating tour, but his new friend and probably splendid future colleague supported him by saying "You're absolutely right Dr. Ellingham! I don't even want to think about the number of patients returning from the event having frozen limbs! And all that activity would damage the muscles!"
Martin showed a hint of a smile and simply added "Right! Now let's prevent our metabolic curfew to be disturbed… Let's eat!"
To be continued..
A huge thank you to my faithful followers for waiting for a new chapter. I needed some time to find interesting information on this little town. I know it very well, since we had a lot of Spring holidays in the neighbourhood, when my sons were small. The mention that Dokkum is the 5th most popular shopping city in Friesland made me smile.. I don't think Friesland has a more than five towns worth visiting for shopping reasons…