SPEKRIJDERIJ

Spekrijderij (1893)
J. Woudenberg

_{The next poem has no poetical value at all, but socially it's very interesting.
It was written in, and spread or sold as a leaflet to protest against the so-called 'spekrijderijen' ('bacon-matches'), which were very popular in those days.
To understand the poem, some background-knowledge is inevitable.
The 'spekrijderijen' were a kind of social-welfare during severe winters.
In fact, many iceclubs erected around 1900, had such a social background.
The clubs provided labour for unemployed as snow-sweepers, and organized competitions for 'the poor' with food-supplies or fuel as prizes.
The latter, organizing competitions for the poor, was done in civilized, but also in ill-bred manners.
Civilized, it was done in different ways.
One way was that a well-known skater choosed a 'poor' from his village or street, and skated the competition + prizes for this poor.
The uncivilized manner, but very popular in some regions of the country, was to have the poor to skate themselves.
Anyone participating got some food or fuel, but at least you HAD TO participate, irrespective of age or physical condition.
The number of participants of such competition, could overrun 1000! One of the 'famest' of this kind, was held in Leeuwarden/Friesland, January 21 - 1893, at the city's centre-canal, behind the Prinsentuin (as far as I know the same place where the Elfstedentocht was finishing in the first editions).
The list of participants, of which I have a copy, contains 1068 entries, probably the biggest 'skating-contest' ever held.
Among the entries you'll find 'P. Klebach, 83 years old - no children', and 'Johan Spiet, 60 years - 10 children.'
It's easy to imagine the poverty behind this long list.
With this background, you can understand the often cynical lines of the poem.
Probably it was sung, as the leaflet says 'in the manner of 'Petroleum of neit', probably a known song in those days.
The author is J. Woudenberg, a participant in the 'spekrijderij'

NB: This kind of 'public amusement' lasted until the 30ies of this century, at least in Friesland...}

Spekrijderij

Ontvang, o edele Heeren
Van ons d'oprechte dank
Doordien ge ons gingt tracteeren
Op brandstof, spijs en drank
U zij de eer gegeven
Voor dit uw edel streven
Nogmaals ontvangt de hulde dan
Van elk weldenkend man

Ruim duizend flinke rijders
Zag men op de baan
Het waren allen strijders
Zooals men nooit trof aan
Kreupelen, halve blinden,
Ook lammen kon men vinden
Twee man op krukken in een slee
Dongen om den prijs mee

Wat vroolijke gezichten
Werd men hier gewaar
Van jongeling en wichten
Van oud en jong van jaar
En kwam er één te vallen
Tot groot vermaak van allen
Dan blies het koor der schutterij
De mars van 'hard valt hij'

Dank Heeren! Voor de gave
Die uw hand ons bood
Gij gingt de werkman laven
Schonkt brandstof ons en brood
Gij gingt ons moeite loonen
Met spek en bruine boonen
Met rijst, met cooks en turf daarbij
Als loon voor de hardrijderij.

Wat zullen wij nu smullen
Van den behaalden prijs
Ons magen gaan wij vullen
Met deze lekkere spijs
Nu kunnen wij weer koken
Ons schoorsteen zal weer roken
Wij kregen brandstof, proviand
Uit uwe milde hand.

Bacon-matches

Receive, o gentle men
Our sincere thanks
Because you regaled us
With fuel, food and drinks
For you the honour
For this noble ambition
Again, receive the gratitude
Of every right-thinking man

Over a thousand fine skaters
You saw at the rink
They were all fighters
As you never saw before
Cripples, half-blinds,
Even paralyzed were to be seen
Two men with crutches in a sledge
All participated for the prizes

What a cheerful faces
You saw everywhere
From young men and children
aOld and young of age
And if someone fell
To the great pleasure of all
Than the musicians played
the tunes of 'how severely he fells'

Thanks, Gentlemen! For this gift
offered by your hands
Thou refreshed the worker
granted him with fuel and bread
Thou honoured our labour
With bacon and brown beans
With rice, with coke (fuel! MK), even adding turf
As wages for the speed-skating-contest

O, how will we feast
From the gained prizes
We will fill our stomachs
With this delicious food
Now we can cook again
Our chimney will smoke again
We got fuel and food
From your generous hand

Input material by: Marnix Koolhaas
added: 26 September 1999
Translation: Marnix Koolhaas

Last changes on this page 14 July 2001
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