The Efteling will be 70 years old on Wednesday. In all that time, nothing has ever been sold or thrown away from the park. No Little Red Riding Hood, Holle Bolle Gijs, dragon or gnome escaped. And that is thanks to Aart Waltman. He took care of the maintenance and repaired everything that could be repaired: “We don’t throw it away. It is heritage.”
Aart experienced a large part of the history of the jubilee amusement park. He worked in the Efteling for 24 years. In 1985 he started as a department manager at Fata Morgana. He was responsible for maintenance. Then he went to the Droomvlucht: “We started half an hour earlier and closed half an hour later, to give all visitors a chance to take a ride. Everyone wanted to come and see.”
In 1994 Aart transferred to the Decoration and Design department. He personally made sure that nothing was thrown away. And really nothing. The Efteling Museum is located in the park, on Anton Pieckplein. He points to a baby Holle Bolle Gijs full of holes: “It was so damaged that we couldn’t repair it anymore. We think it’s heritage, so it won’t go up for sale, that’s not allowed either. Everything stays here in the park, in the props warehouse.”
“If something is beautiful, why throw it away?”
Aart made sure that what was possible was repaired. With both hands on his chest he says: “Sustainability is in me. If you see something that’s beautiful, that’s used, why throw it away? You can now please other people with it.” He points around: “There are always visitors here in the museum.”
In his 24 years, Aart has had every corner of the amusement park. If you ask about his favorite, he won’t take you to the Python, Dream Flight or Joris en de Draak. He crosses the Anton Pieckplein, to an attraction that most people pass by: Swan cling to.
“This gives me goosebumps”, says Aart with emotion in his voice. “This is made so minuscule, so refined. But with so much movement, because you also see them walking. It is really hats off for that time, made in 1958. A pearl of the Efteling, so beautiful.”
“Thanks to him you can experience it here.”
Even after his retirement in 2009, Aart still visits the park regularly. He never skips the museum. And then he proudly points to a sign in one of the display cases: ‘Mr. Waltman, first name Aart, made sure that deez’ belongings were kept. His aim was to preserve history. Thanks to him you can experience it here.’
With a glint in his eye: “I always say to my grandchildren: ‘Grandpa did that’. I will always come here.”