How to proceed after research into Hoorn’s slavery past? Apologies and the fate of JP Coen

To start with Marisella de Cuba from We Promise. The foundation that has been committed to putting the downside of history on the map for some time. She has not yet been able to read the report, but the presentation of some of the results feels like recognition. She understands that during this presentation today there will be no excuses for Hoorn’s role, although she is still counting on it in the near future.

‘Hitler has no statue anywhere’

“We had to do a lot to be heard. I hope people now understand that it’s not our history, it’s a shared history. We have to listen to each other, have the difficult conversation. It’s going to rub, but without friction no shine.”

She also believes that this report should mean the final end for the statue of JP Coen on the Roode Steen. “Put it at the Westfries Museum, with the right context and that schools will visit it. You don’t erase history with that. We don’t have a statue of Hitler anywhere, but we all know what happened in World War II. “

Doubts about research design

Roger Tonnaer of Fractie Tonnaer previously had his doubts about the research. The leader of the largest party in the city council said the facts were already known. And Tonnaer had the idea that the report was mainly intended as a reason to get rid of the statue of JP Coen on the Roode Steen.

“Of course we take the report seriously. Last week we made proposals to name streets after resistance fighter Tula from Curaçao and writer Anton de Kom. And illegally obtained works of art must be returned by the Westfries Museum,” says Tonnaer.

He does not want to anticipate a possible follow-up investigation into Hoorn’s slavery past. According to Tonnaer, making excuses on behalf of Hoorn is not necessary. “The prime minister has already done that on behalf of everyone. It will almost be embarrassing if Hoorn wants to do this himself.”

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Guido Breuker of coalition party EenHoorn is also not surprised by the results. He also does not think apologies are necessary, now that that has already been done. And as far as he is concerned, the report is also separate from the future of the JP Coen statue. “He has many crimes to his name, but is not a figurehead for the entire slavery past. As far as we are concerned, the statue will simply remain. Hundreds of thousands of people will then get the story, instead of hiding it from a smaller audience in the museum .”

‘Follow-up research desirable’

Director Ad Geerdink of the Westfries Museum was also present at the presentation of the research. “The conclusions do not surprise me. But important details do emerge that allow you to empathize even more with the horrific trade in people. Such as branding enslaved people with the city coat of arms of Hoorn.”

According to him, the proposed follow-up research is desirable. “You just feel that there is more. The archives of the VOC, for example, have never been researched on this subject.” But as far as Geerdink is concerned, it is a nice prelude to having a conversation with each other about how to proceed now.

“It’s in black and white. We shouldn’t want to ignore this. For people with ancestors from colonies it is recognition of their history. Making excuses or not is a political choice, I won’t venture into that. But you have to talk to each other, otherwise you won’t solve anything anyway.”