In the winter of 1963 it froze for months. It was the coldest, but certainly not the only extreme winter of the last century. January 1940 was just as cold and there was a thick layer of snow and ice for weeks. The war was coming and the Netherlands was mobilized, despite that the Elfstedentocht continued. The whole country was under the spell of King Winter. Skating was everywhere, the Kopje in Bloemendaal was reserved for sledges and the first winter sports enthusiasts ventured on the long slats in the dunes.
This series shows what life in our province used to be like. Everyday life and special events have been recorded by amateur videographers. The historical images have been collected in recent years by the Alkmaar Regional Archives and mostly come from private property. Some images are unique and have never been seen before.