CAMPING WEEKEND from 12 – 15 August 1999

On Thursday August 12 quite a number of guests are arriving at the campsite in the course of the day. At that time the weather is good, the weather forecast is not so favourable, but nobody is really worrying about that.

Traditionally the board and the advisors have a meeting at the home of Helmut and Liesel in Wertherbruch. The wine stands ready on the table at a very early stage, so I should like to confine myself to one remark: the meeting went off successfully.

For Friday August 13 we have made a light programme with many possibilities to spend the day at liberty. Of course we go together to the Japikshuis to inspect our lime-tree. Some say that the foliage of the tree is a bit thin but on the other hand there are a lot of fruits on the tree. This time we give the Verbeek family, inhabitants of the Japiks house, two bottles of gin and the first bottle is surely not spared during our pleasant gathering.

In front: Mrs. Veerbeek

Standing l-r: Gree van Daatselaar-Somsen [53], vice-chairman, Mr. Veerbeek, and Theo Somsen [227], chairman

Some Somsens have even brought a long drink glass to be sure that they will come into their own sufficiently.

At the campsite we spend a very pleasant and cosy evening. It is very nice that so many youngsters have come. The complete Iserief-Somsen family is present. This is perfect and very good for the atmosphere.

Saturday morning starts sullenly as far as the weather is concerned and some feel even so themselves. There is a plan to start for Bocholt (Germany) at 10 a.m. where Helmut has made up a programme for us. After some pressure 26 people leave for Bocholt in seven cars. Every driver has a map so nothing can go wrong. The present writer drives in front for he knows his way about he says. And, really, with the assistance of his passengers this car arrives at the ‘Volksbank’ of Helmut straight away. But, to be sure, he is the only one there. The others have all lost their way in Bocholt – it is pouring with rain – the road is under construction – and it takes well over half an hour before everybody, after many fruitless attempts, arrives at the destination.

Helmut realises that his carefully planned programme is going to fail. Yet there is still time for a cup of coffee at the ‘Volksbank’ and a video presentation about the history of Bocholt. Helmut has also composed a small book on Bocholt.

After satisfying the inner man we pay a visit to the textile museum. A very stout lady guides us. The interesting part of this museum is that all the machines can still be operated. Therefore everybody can imagine very well afterwards how working conditions must have been in the 19^th century.

Then there is a hurried walk to the church of St Georgius where we receive a very hearty welcome from the priest of the church who is also our guide. This catholic parish church was completely destroyed during a massive bombing during World War Two on March 22 1945; 80 percent lay in ruins then. In the archives of the church we take a look at the baptismal register, which contains the name of Somsen. (See family book p. 110).

After thanking Helmut for the carefully planned tour of Bocholt we drive back to the campsite without any problems.

In the meantime the sun has started shining, but still there had been a small storm for some of the awnings are sadly hanging down.

Theo opens the evening programme with a show of his slides about his trip to America. He knows a story about every family member who is shown, mentions all the names without difficulty. Through an inquiry he held he also found out that the possession of firearms is very low among the American Somsens. Theo is a real teacher indeed.

We finish the day with the traditional barbecue. This time this is very well taken care of by Brunsveld, the local shopkeeper. Because there are so many visitors (45 people) we are out of beer

and wine at 10 p.m., but since the organisers take action rapidly none of the guests notices anything at all.

Two Somsen musicians during the barbecue:

l-r: Arjen Somsen [415] and Johan Somsen [1089], member of the board and translator

After a short but well-deserved night’s rest a number of Somsens are going to visit Liesel Somsen in Wertherbruch.

The protestant church of Wertherbruch is having a jumble sale and Liesel is one of the organisers. We have found out that there are many kinds of cakes and pastries. When under normal circumstances one is satisfied with one single piece, we are very easily tempted to have two or sometimes even three very large pieces.

In the course of Sunday the open spaces at the camping-site are growing. The die-hearts go out for a dinner in Aalten, this time at the other end of the market place. The owner there turns out to be a very good host and, moreover, he can entertain his guests like a real stand-up comedian. Certainly worthwhile doing this over again.

I think it was a nice weekend again with a lot of youngsters too. So Somsens …, have you never experienced this? Give it a try!

The next camping weekend in IJzerlo

August 11-13, 2000

We are going to organize the ‘Somsen camping weekend’ in IJzerlo for the fourth time now. The customary visit to the Somsen lime tree at the Japikshuis and the barbecue on Saturday will almost certainly be a part of the programme.

On Thursday evening, August 10, there is a possibility for those who are interested to go to Xanten in Germany (about 30 km / 19 miles). There will be a performance by a number of well-known singers and choirs in the beautifully restored amphitheatre. This is the so-called tenor evening. Mostly there are plenty of tickets available.

For people who like a completely different genre there is an open-air play in a small wood at the Huisstededijk at a distance of about 2 km (1.25 miles) from the camping site. This is part of the IJzerlo orange festivities. The play ‘Huusken Adriaanse ’is performed in the dialect of IJzerlo. It is about a family from the city that buys a farmhouse. They have a good many problems in adapting themselves to the countryside atmosphere.

The house in the story is built up in the wood as part of the scenery. A nice detail is that the wood belongs to one of the large landowners in our family, Bennie Somsen from Lintelo, Aalten.

This play is acted again on August 17 and 18.

At the campsite in IJzerlo, Mart Somsen [2050]

The people who want to come to the camping weekend are invited to contact us. We would like to know on how many Somsens we can count. For more information, just give us a call:

Wim Somsen,

Hoge Heurnseweg 8,

7095 JC De Heurne.

Phone : +31 (0)315 952115