Permits that are only issued late under very strict conditions, miscreants who set the Easter bump on fire prematurely and lawsuits from opponents up to the Council of State in The Hague. Despite all the bumps, quite a few Easter fires have been lit in villages throughout Drenthe this Easter weekend.
There are associations that threw in the towel, partly due to uncertainty about the permits. The traditional bonfires should not have too much impact on Natura2000 areas. Easter fire organizations are faced with complicated technical calculations related to the nitrogen rules.
Quite understandable that it becomes too complex for an association or foundation in a village. Especially if you have to do it with a small organization. Other associations have managed, sometimes with art and flying, to get the right papers from the municipality just in time. For example, young and old could enjoy an intimate or impressive large Easter fire at dozens of places in Drenthe.
Won lawsuits
The 33-year-old Jeroen Kamst from Erica proudly walks around his grounds on Sunday evening. Last week he was twice in court at hearings of opponents of the Easter fire that he organizes with Stichting Radio Bokzwien. “On Thursday we were still at the Council of State in The Hague,” he says. “The case was against the municipality of Emmen, because it has granted us the permit. But it was about our Easter fire. That is why we thought it was so neat to be at the hearings.”
The municipality won twice. The objections of a small group of opponents from the neighborhood were swept aside by the administrative judge and a day later by the Council of State. “It cost us a lot of extra time. We want to spice things up a bit on Erica. That’s what we do it for.”
There is plenty of fun. In the middle is a wooden bar, there is a food stand and even a live band. The event not only attracts people from Erica, but also from other villages and Emmen. Mario and Hilde Bakker from the Rietlanden in Emmen came with their son Niek (4). “We used to think this was mighty beautiful,” says his father. “We just asked Niek. Do you want to go to the fire? He was very enthusiastic. It is the first Easter fire that he consciously experiences.”
Smoke the right way
Just after half past seven, children are allowed to light the hay around the hump. The nine-metre-high hump stands on an open field, Oranjedorp can be seen in the distance. It works right away. Nobody talks about nitrogen rules.
On Easter Monday, Kamst answers the phone with a hoarse voice. “It went great. Nothing wrong. It still burns normally and the smoke is moving in the right direction.” There were estimated to be over 4,000 people. ,,Next year again. You can’t stop after such a success.”
Also in Ruinen the end was good, all’s well. Easter Sunday started in minor for the Association for Volksvermaken Ruinen. That night someone secretly set fire to the Easter hump, which had been worked on for a long time and carefully. They didn’t give up for long, says chairman Sander Dekker. With help from all sides, the partly burnt-out Easter hump was rebuilt with fresh branches. The Easter fire could continue. “It was a very special day. What a small village can be great at,” says Dekker.
Easter fires will also be burning throughout Drenthe on Monday evening.
No award ceremony for the most beautiful hump
The Drenthe Association ‘t Aol’ Volk has been subjecting the Easter humps in Southeast Drenthe to a strict but fair inspection for decades. Nevertheless, no prizes will be awarded in 2023 for the most beautiful or highest hump.
“The associations had a lot of trouble getting the permits this year, due to the difficulties surrounding nitrogen,” says Luc Strating of ‘t Aol Volk. “Because the process was different everywhere, not everyone had the same amount of time to collect branches. That is why we have decided not to award prizes.”
Associations that made a shot at the prizes in the past spent at least two months every weekend building up the bump. Layer by layer, let it sink in and put the next layer on top. This is how you get the most beautiful bump, according to Strating.
“The shape must be round from above and the hump must be as wide as it is high. If all of that works out, they are like works of art.”
As passionately as Strating talks about Easter bumps, he is currently part of what he calls a “dormant committee.” “First a few years of corona, now nitrogen. The bumps to build a nice Easter bump are getting higher and higher and I’m afraid Easter bonfires are a transient thing. This year, the bumps received financial help to apply for all those permits, but will the municipality do that again next year? I’m afraid not and then it won’t be fun for many anymore, I think. A shame, because it remains a wonderful tradition.”