1/2 With Carnival, Willy was known as Willeke de Pliesie (Photo: Stichting Kommissie Vastenaovond Dwergonia).
When carnival starts on Friday afternoon, Drunen says goodbye to village icon Willy van Giersbergen. The honorary citizen of Dwergonia suddenly died on Saturday at the age of 83. Willy was known as Willeke de Pliesie. In a specially made field guard costume, he kept an eye on everything that happened during carnival.
Former chairman of Stichting Vastenaovond Dwergonia, Ad Marisaël, has many memories of the village icon. “The respect for Willy will never disappear,” he says.
“Willy was a man of deeds, not of words,” Marisaël continues. “The role of Prince Carnival was not for him.” That is why Willy was appointed field keeper of Dwergonia in the late 1970s, as Drunen is called with Carnival. “At that time, in addition to a prince carnival and an adjutant, we also had a kind of police officer who kept an eye on everything. Willy was the designated person for that.”
“He was a people person and could handle everyone. Not only with the old guard at the carnival association, but also with the youth as a leader at the football club in the village.” The love for carnival was there early with Willy. For example, he was first a member of CV De Uitslovers, one of the oldest carnival associations in the vicinity of Dwergonia.
“Nine princes and a princess experienced.”
“In Dwergonia he experienced nine princes and a princess in the thirty years that he was a field guard. Willy remained in the 11th room in 2008, where only honorary citizens are allowed in,” says Marisaël.
In 1993 he was not only appointed honorary citizen of the village. There was even an award for great commitment within the carnival association to Willy mentioned: De Willeke. “This highest carnival award from Dwergonia has only been awarded four times. And Willy was of course the first.”
The work of the warden was of great importance during carnival. “He made sure that the Council of Eleven was always on time. At that time the pubs were very busy, but Willy Bleed on his whistle when he came in and made room for the council,” the former chairman looks back.
“Nobody looked up and everyone had respect for him. Our princess and her female adjutant have sometimes told me that they felt very safe thanks to the presence of Willy.”
“If he raised his hand, everyone stopped.”
Willeke de Pliesie Also kept an overview during the parade in Drunen. “At that time there were no traffic brigadiers in the parade yet. Because of his experience at the first aid association in the village, Willy saw everything. And if he raised his hand, everyone stopped.”
Willy also forced that respect with his field guard’s costume. “The costume was based on an old Marechausseepak. He was proud to wear that. When Willy entered the pub, then someone really came in,” says Marisaël.
“When he stopped as a field guard, this role was never given to anyone again, because nobody can do that like Willy did.” Yet the village icon remained a welcome guest in the party room. “When he entered his blue keel, we stayed Willeke de Pliesie call him. The respect for Willy will never disappear, “says Marisaël, who, like Willy, is honorary citizen and got the Willeke.
Saying goodbye to the carnival icon takes place at a symbolic moment. Friday afternoon when 3 hours of Vurraf Carnival is kicked off, family members, friends and fellow villagers say goodbye to Willy.
