Moerdijk fell several times, but now the end seems final

It is a catchy expression: are you from below or above the Moerdijk? This river crossing between Brabant and Holland also forms the border (literally and figuratively) between the south and the rest of our country. The village that gave the bridge its name has a history rich in disaster. Time and again the residents manage to rebuild their houses, but now there seems to be no escape from the final end.

The first houses on the Brabant side of the Hollands Diep, then just a narrow creek, seem to have been there already around 967. The town is not yet called Moerdijk, but Sprangblok. It floods regularly. This is also due to the excavation of the peat soils that are converted into peat, which is used as fuel for the stoves.

The disadvantage is that the water is increasingly given free rein. The name of the village also has everything to do with this. A piece of peat land is also called a bog and was surrounded by a dike to enable digging. And there you have it: Moerdijk.

The real disaster was yet to come: the St. Elisabeth Flood of 1421. Then large parts of Brabant and South Holland were flooded and Moerdijk did not escape this catastrophe. Moerdijk turns into an island that slowly becomes solid ground again over the centuries through the reclamation of surrounding areas. Fishing is flourishing.

People are transferred between Brabant and Holland via a ferry across the Hollands Diep near the village. The strategic importance of Moerdijk grew after the construction of the railway bridge in 1872, followed by the road bridge in 1936. The improved connections can count on applause, but they also have a downside. And that soon presents itself.

In May 1940, the Germans invaded our country and paratroopers landed on both sides of the Moerdijk bridges. They manage to conquer it in a short time. In the years that followed, the occupiers transformed the village into a true fortress. And that will have major consequences for the residents.

At the end of September 1944, the Allies bombed the anti-aircraft artillery next to the bridges. But many bombs miss their target and end up in Moerdijk. At least eight residents lost their lives. It turns out to be just a taste of what awaits people.

At the beginning of November that year there were heavy fighting around the village. The Polish liberators suffered great losses in the fight against the occupiers. Once they have finally gained access to the village center, a fierce battle ensues for every house. The Germans surrendered on November 9. More than half of Moerdijk was destroyed by rubble, the rest of the village was heavily damaged.

In the years that followed, the village slowly rose again. New houses are being built and the enormous housing shortage is disappearing. But the residents are not allowed to enjoy it for long. The flood disaster followed in 1953. Large parts of Brabant, Zeeland and South Holland are hit, Moerdijk is flooded and is completely cut off from the outside world. Several residents die. Once again the residents have to work to rebuild their village.

In the 1960s, Moerdijk really seemed to find its way up. An industrial area is being built west of the village. That entails a lot of work and therefore money. Golden times are dawning.

But all that activity and progress ultimately became Moerdijk’s downfall. Industry and associated electricity supplies are taking up more and more space and the village is in the way. Reason for the municipal council to take a rigorous decision this week: closure of the village. And this time, the Phoenix will most likely not rise from its ashes.

Here you can read all the stories about the disappearance of the village of Moerdijk.