Below the green and black image of Saskia Holleman, the reincarnation of Mata Hari, her fellow citizen. Saskia was born in 1945 in the town of Leeuwarden in the province of Friesland, standing stark naked in the milky grasslands with a Friesian Holland cow. It is a pamphlet from the former Pacifist Socialist Party (PSP)Continue reading “Women of Frisia: Free and Unbound?”
Tag Archives: Frisians
PRESS STATEMENT: Consensus on Frisia Tribunal
It is a well-known fact that the Frisians fought in foreign armies. Whether as foreign fighters in the Mediterranean and the Levant, or as mercenaries of the Roman Army deployed in Britannia. Also, their medieval kings committed war crimes. Early Frisian merchants were heavily involved in the profitable slave trade on the British Isles. Furthermore,Continue reading “PRESS STATEMENT: Consensus on Frisia Tribunal”
Escher’s Home, Land of Confusion
“Dude, take a deep breath and really look at the landscape below. Don’t panic — you’re not alone, and the world isn’t empty. Exhale slowly… let the smoke drift.” “Take another sigh and now look at the landscape of the piece below. Feeling better already? You see what I mean, brother? And hey — niceContinue reading “Escher’s Home, Land of Confusion”
There Is No Dealing With the Wheels of Fortune — a Celtic-Frisian Heritage
In August 2016, on the Dutch late-night talk show Pauw, former game show host Hans van der Togt — best known for presenting Rad van Fortuin (Wheel of Fortune) — spoke candidly about his harsh and miserable life in the province of Friesland. In this blog post, we will explain, in plain and simple terms,Continue reading “There Is No Dealing With the Wheels of Fortune — a Celtic-Frisian Heritage”
Leeuwarden, European Capital of Exiled Governments
In both Germany and the Netherlands, many Frisians have watched with unease as waves of referenda and separatist movements have swept across Europe and beyond in recent years — Quebec, Scotland, Kurdistan, Catalonia, Padania, and Ambazonia, to name only a few. At the same time, entire peoples such as the Yazidis and the Rohingya haveContinue reading “Leeuwarden, European Capital of Exiled Governments”
Lodging Etiquette in Ostfriesland. Land of the First Legally Blondes
Imagine you are hiking the Frisia Coast Trail in northwest Germany. After a long day of walking and searching for shelter, you try your luck at a private home. Before the owner agrees to let you stay the night, you may first be asked to show your silver. And, as if pressing an early versionContinue reading “Lodging Etiquette in Ostfriesland. Land of the First Legally Blondes”
What’s Hip and Happening on the Grasslands?
How do Frisians spend their time off? Frisians in the Netherlands must have plenty of it, as job prospects are among the lowest in the country. In addition, those who do have a job do not lose precious hours to traffic jams every day, unlike people in the cities further south. Inhabitants of the provinceContinue reading “What’s Hip and Happening on the Grasslands?”
How to Recognize the Frisians by Name?
This is one of the simplest things there is, once you’ve got the hang of it. ‘A child can do the laundry,’ they literally say in the Dutch language. This has nothing to do with a history of child labour, by the way. Understanding the logic of Frisian personal names is essential if you wantContinue reading “How to Recognize the Frisians by Name?”
Freezing Frisians, Who Are These People?
For those never having met a native Frisian, here is a crash course. There are some remarkable things to mention and rules to live by. Before I start describing what makes the Frisians different, I have to apologize for my poor discrimination skills. I was raised in Cameroon, in Africa. All my friends were nativesContinue reading “Freezing Frisians, Who Are These People?”
Frisia Coast Trail 