The Trek to Holland

Der Hollandgang - The Trek to Holland by Bernard Völkerding

This article taken from the Internet (https://www.honkomp.de/damme-auswanderung/chapter4.htm) with modifications & additions by Henry Aalders .

Over a period of circa 300 years, between 1600 to 1900, each year in the early  Sumer months, a stream of migrant workers in the Northwestern section of Germany made the trek to Holland, where they found employment for several weeks and months. This trek had its beginnings in the early part of the 17th Century, thus coinciding with the inception of the Heuerling System. As the Heuerling System grew, the trek to Holland grew with it, to the point that it was a mass people movement. Recent studies indicate that the heartland of the trek, which certainly includes Holdorf .and origins from within   Landkreiss Vechta (edit) , Probably every second male adult, and with certainty the bulk of the Heuerleute, annually came to the coastal area of the North Sea as migrant workers.

Confirmation of this trend comes from the statements by Johann Theodor Moormann, according to which nearly all adults plus other able bodied males of the Heuerleute migrated to Holland during the Summer.

We could cite a number here, from a report in the vear 1806 - a time past the apex of the migrant worker movement - which indicates that for the Damme Parish, to which Holdorf  belonged until 1827 - between 350 and 380 persons made trek to Holland. This corresponds to 5% of the total population (of the Parish) which amounted to 7 000 persons, and 30% of the male adults.. We do not think that statistics from the Vechta area are any different .(edit))

The nature of the activity in Holland covered two principal areas: Work with grass and processing turf (Peat Moss). Much less important were the number of seafarers and those involved in the construction trades.  For this reason we shall not delve further into the latter categories in this report.

The bulk of the Holland trekkers found work in the grass and hay fields, which can be attributed to the confluence of several favorable trends. The farm economy back hone in the months of May and June experienced a slack period; such chores as needed to be attended could be handled by the wives and children. So the Heuermann's services were available elsewhere.

On the other hand, the Dutch economy in this period was at its most Labor  intensive time.  Here far reaching progress had been made in the dairy industry;  large dairy herds dominated the vista. The cows depended on hay for feed in the Winter months, which was brought in large quantity for storage in the early Summer months.  Speed was essential and every helping hand most welcome.

( Henry adds ) ..Add  to this was the creation of a canal dug to bring nice clean water to the city of Haarlem in which there were many breweries in need for good quality clean water .The Jan Gijzenvaart was dug to bring clean water from the dunes to the city flowing through the city of Velsen .Not only brewers had good use for clean water .Many set  up businesses which rewashed and bleached the household washing and left it out to bleach in the sun .This proved a very popular service which the more affluent Dutch could afford  It attracted a workforce from far away places ,which included Henrich and Casper Otto and very probably young Antje Bijmans from Leenderstrijp Meijerij a village near Eindhoven ,who became Mrs Henrich Ahlers aka Hendrik Aalders. ( edit) 

A long range relationship  between the Dutch farmer and his mowers would soon develop.  As a rule it was the same grass workers who would annually report to any given farmer.  And if one or the other would drop out, he would arrange for a replacement, whether for a given season, or permanently. Particularly, in the 18th Century a certain communication system developed.  When the grass harvest season was approaching the farmer (who was called "Bass") would inform, by mail, his recent worker, who in turn would notify ther others in his group, perhaps arrange for suitable substitutes.  The departure of these workers occurred in groups.  

  A major assembly point for them was the bridge over the Ems River near Lingen.  Per season as many as 25 000 Holland trekkers would come by here. From this assembly point the trekkers would branch out to their various destinations.  The trip to and from seasonal employment would take a week in each direction, and would invariably be done on foot.  The trip in and of itself had its problems, if one remembers that beside the required tools, changes of clothes and such, the trekker would have to bring along basic foodstuff's from home. He made every effort to keep his upkeep on the Holland trek to a minimum.

Henry further adds …. Besides crime thrives where there is an opportunity to commit it .Once across the bridge near Lingen one entered dangerous swampy terrain ,ideal for robbers to hide in and attack the returning workers before they reached the bridge and rob them from their hard earned earnings ,even kill them, (edit)  .

The grassmowing operation was performed in a rhythm. The pace was set by one particulary enduring "foreman". Weaker mowers naturally were more of a hindrance and if they persevered in their activity could have a damaging effect on the overall effort. Sunday was a work-free day, but all other days the work day would begin at 4:00 am and end at 8:00 pm.  Short breaks were few and far between.  The night was spent in the farmer's barn.

Numerous factors combined to make this a hazardous occupation.  The 16-hour workday, the stressfulness of this activity, the skimpy meals, the inadequate shelter, frequently prompted damage to a worker's health. Serious illnesses, often chronic, even death could be brought on by this existence; most notably, it was premature ageing which could be expected by the grassworker.

Yet the peat moss workers were exposed to far greater dangers.  He who did not have a strong constitution could quickly become a victim of the harsh working conditions.  The dismantling of the peat bogs took place in the Niedermooren, which is just below sealevel.  The workers would stand in water to their knees, which would be ice cold in the Spring months.  In the summer heat their bodies would be exposed to the broiling sun, without protection to the torso.  If this exposure would not be enough, their accomodations were such as to guarantee permanent damage to their health.  Their shacks were in the Moor, far from any human habitation.  They consisted of piled turf, with a roof made of loose tiles, which offered practically no protection from rain or wind.  "Mattresses" would consist of a thin layer of brushwood atop the barren peat ground.  For cover they  would have one "blanket", which consisted of coffee sacks, sewn together.  It is hard to think of a better breeding ground for fevers, lung infections, gout, rheumatism and other illnesses.

What made this activity an even harder burden was the length of the "season" which lasted from early Spring into the Fall. Whoever of the Holland trekkers opted for the peat moss,operation did this because of the higher earnings expected due to the longer season here, than for the grass workers.

Early in the 19th Century the flourishing Dutch economy began a decline, due to the overpowering British efforts. This was not without effect on the Holland trek. If until then there was a labor shortage in Holland, now there was excess of willing hands.  Those of the Dutch workers who had lost jobs were now competing for work with German migrant workers.  It should be noted that they (the Dutch workers) never quite succeeded in displacing them altogether.  This excess of available labor had a depressing effect on wage rates.  The difficulty of the tasks and the high expenses in no way matched the wages the worker was paid.

It is therefore quite astounding that in the year 1860 there still were close to 1000 Holland trekkers in the Vechta District.  In fact, this activity did, not end altogether until the end of the 19th Century.