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DOETINCHEM/WINTERSWIJK – On Tuesday, September 19, Mary Rizzio will give a talk on genealogical research in America. Frans Migelbrink interviews Joske Merdink and Bert Wagendorp about the downings of the Phoenix and Winterswikers in America. Interested parties are welcome on Tuesday 19 September in the central hall of ‘t Brewinc, IJsselkade 13 in Doetinchem. Starts at 7:45pm, doors open at 7:15pm.
This year, the Achterhoek and Liemers Heritage Center started the My Background project that examines migration flows in the period 1580-1940. The research focuses on gathering information and stories about people who have come to Achterhoek or about Achterhoekers who have taken refuge outside the area. The Achterhoeker seems to be firmly rooted in the region, but is that really the case?
The results of my background research will be presented in the spring of 2024 in law in book form. The immigration of people from Achterhoek and Liemers to America will be an important topic in this bill. Thousands of Utterhawks left for America in groups in the 19th century, driven by hunger, poverty, and religious reasons. This massive influx of people had a huge impact on the Achterhoek. This topic is central to Tuesday evening.
Program September 19th
On this evening, genealogist Marie Reso, podcaster Joske Merdink and author and journalist Bert Wagendorp tell stories about the fall of Phoenix and about the Achterhoekers who immigrated to America in the 19th century. The role of host and interviewer is performed by columnist Frans Migelbrink. Femiah Ciro, Director of the Heritage Center, explains my background project. During the screening, film photos taken by Joske Meerdink in America for her podcast will be shown. Marie Riso’s lecture is available in English.
You can register via [email protected]. Photographs and/or recordings may be made during this meeting for communication and public relations purposes. The visual material is likely to be distributed via the website and social media of the Heritage Center Achterhoek and Liemers, www.ecal.nu and/or via www.mijnbackground.nl. If you don’t want to be in the picture, please let us know.
Marie Riso
American Marie Riso is an author, historian, and genealogy researcher who has taught at various universities in the Midwestern United States and the Netherlands. She has been researching immigration from Holland to Wisconsin in the 19th and 20th centuries for 30 years. In this context, she visited Zeeland and Esterhoek on several occasions, areas from which many immigrants settled in America.
Josky Merdink
Joske Meerdink works for Omroep Gelderland and did the five-part podcast series De ramp met de Phoenix. This ship with 154 Dutch immigrants on board, including 84 Winterswijkers, caught fire on Lake Michigan in 1847 and was wrecked. Ten residents of Winterswijk survived the disaster. Joske Meerdink traveled to America for her podcast and spoke with the descendants of survivors. During her stay, something concrete from the Phoenix was found for the first time in 175 years: ship stacks. It also tracked down related relatives. These two events give her story an extra charge.
Bert Wagendorp
Author and journalist Bert Wagendorp studied Dutch at the University of Groningen. Since 2001, he has been writing columns for De Volkskrant. In 2013, he made his breakthrough with Ventoux, a literary novel in which sports play an important role. In 2022, Phoenix, de Memoirs of Van Abel Sekink, will be published, a novel about immigrants, deep friendship, fate and tragic events in America in the second half of the nineteenth century. The second volume of Abel Sickink’s memoir, Callie, was published this spring. In this, Abel continues to search for the truth behind the disaster with the Phoenix shipwreck.
Frans Megelbrink
Frans Migelbrink was trained as a cultural worker and because of his interest in television, radio and (street) theater he ended up in the world of theater as a freelance journalist. He has written TV programs and radio plays for various broadcasters and has been organizing the New Year’s Eve conference Achterhoek for several years now. He regularly chairs conferences and gives regular performances at Zwarte Cross, among others. Together with Ronald Pitt, he is the man behind Boer Frits and wrote the book Dear Achterhoekers: Handbook for bon vivants.
Tv fanatic. Freelance thinker. Social media enthusiast. Total bacon lover. Communicator.