The Flevopolder
The results of the investigation of the Haarlemmermeer had led to a better plan for the next impoldering. The Wieringemeer lead the way for the other Zuiderzeepolders. For the first time in its history, the government was engaged in the arranging of an area and the selection of its inhabitants. This was also the first time that on a great scale all kind of aspects of the new community were studied. Most of the studies were carried out by the 'Stichting voor het Bevolkingsonderzoek in de Zuiderzeepolders' (Institution for Populationresearch in the Zuiderzeepolders), founded in 1936 by Ter Veen. The results of this could now be used in the next impoldering: the Noordoostpolder. Everything in this area could now be planned into details.
In September 1942, the Noordoostpolder had definitely fallen dry. The Directie van de Wieringemeer was responsible for the development and the colonization of the Noordoostpolder. The Directie was finished with its tasks in the Wieringemeer and it was moved to Kampen. For the colonization of the Noordoostpolder the Directie wanted to build on the experience of the Wieringemeer. The main object in the Noordoostpolder was even more to create a population that 'stood out above the rest of the country'. In the field of agriculture, the polder had to be not a copy of, but an example for the Netherlands. In addition the polder had not be a reflection of the country from a social point of view, for example according to religion. 'Old' mistakes could be corrected in the plan. A new idealistic society could only be realized when people that were chosen would be strong enough. This was at least the thought of the Directie. The 'pick of the basket' had to be drawn to the polder.
The Noordoostpolder had to be a modern and rational organized agricultural area. According to the Directie higher requirements for the candidates, compared with the Wieringemeer, were necessary to achieve this goal. Attention had been paid to general education, agricultural knowledge and skills, character and the general capabilities of the candidate and his family. The land was distributed in sizes from 12 to 48 hectares. The candidates were not only screened for if they were suitable for a farm, but also for the kind of farm. The requirements for 48-hectare farm were higher than for 12-hectare farm. In addition, a candidate only qualified if his main occupation was in agriculture. Furthermore he had to be married or planning to get married and he had to have an irreproachable life. For Nazi sympathisers was no place in the polder.
| The Directie also selected the labourers. On the country-roads there were houses build near farms for the first labourers. Farmers who got such a farm could recommend a |
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candidate for the houses. Especially farmers who had had a farm elsewhere in the country were inclined to take their own labourer with them. The Directie had still to approve of recommended labourers. In the villages were houses built for the other labourers. Labourers who were interested to work and to live in the polder could apply at their own association, at an employment agency or directly with the Directie. A lot of labourers were interested. There was a great housing shortage in the Netherlands after the Second World War and the houses in the polder were new and often an improvement. Furthermore the wages were a little bit higher in the polder.
The Directie preferred labourers out of the labourer class. The candidates had to be 'typical labourers'. Officially, farmer sons did not get permission to work as a labourer. The main criterion was the competence of the candidate. The general suitability of the candidate was also judged. Were he and his family capable to adapt to a life in the polder and to contribute to the construction of the social life? Furthermore, the families had to be neat and robust. There was a minimum age of 25 for the first labourers. In the period 1950-1955 there was a minimum age of 30 for a more balanced composition of the population.
After the war, the selection theory of Ter Veen had been criticized. Under influence of this criticism, the selection policy was changed. In the beginning of the colonization of the Noordoostpolder the selection policy was about the same as in the Wieringemeer. Gradually the selection policy was changed from the selection of individual to the selection of groups. In the first place, this concerned the so-called pioneers, who had worked in the polder during the war and now had priority rights. Then it were farmers from Walcheren who had lost their land because it had been flooded by the German army at the end of the second World War. In addition, other farmers got priority rights if they lost their land for public works and the public interest.
Used literature:
Gort, M. en A. van Oostrum, Uitverkoren. De kolonisatie van de Noordoostpolder 1940-1960 (Zwolle 1987).
Heinemeijer W.F.e.a. (ed.), 50 jaar achter de afsluitdijk. Jubileumbundel ter gelegenheid van het vijftigjarig bestaan van de Stichting voor het Bevolkingsonderzoek in de drooggelegde Zuiderzeepolders 1936-1986 Publicaties van de Stichting voor het Bevolkingsonderzoek in de Drooggelegde Zuiderzeepolders 50 (Amsterdam 1986).
Jeurgens, Charles, De Haarlemmermeer. Een studie in planning en beleid 1836-1858 NEHA-series III 16 (Amsterdam 1991).