Bart Schultz
The Beemster was an example for several other polders from that time, such as the Heerhugowaard, the Purmer, the Schermer and the Wormer. In 1999, the Beemster was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reclamation was a private enterprise, mainly by Amsterdam entrepreneurs and financiers. As far as the technique of reclaiming the Beemster is concerned, the following two quotes are interesting:
" And to be certain, whether the reclamation can be accomplished with 16 windmills, the contractors have accepted and promised, that within 4 weeks, they will do a test of their invention, in the presence of the Commissioners of the Chief Landowners. And if it is then found, that the 16 mills are not capable of the work, the contractors will be obliged, to immediately provide themselves with more old or new mills as above, up to such number as the Commissioners approve."
Later it was mentioned:
" Moreover, it was soon concluded that the number of windmills had initially been set too low, and that it had to be increased from 16 to 25. As a result, the dike builders, as well as the contractors themselves, realizing the untenability of the agreement made, probably came to the mutual decision to abandon the concluded treaty and to make another arrangement, whereby the said contractors were dismissed; while now the reclamation was continued entirely and solely at the expense of the dike builders."
Ultimately, the Beemster was drained with 43 windmills. From these two quotes and from the number of windmills ultimately required, it can be deduced that this must have been quite a setback for the land reclaimers. At the time, I checked in the Waterlands Archive in Purmerend what was mentioned about this in the minutes of their meetings, and I could not find anything. Apparently, they had enough money to finance the additional windmills.
Closely connected to the reclamation of the Beemster, but also to the reclamation of other lakes in the same period was Jan Adriaansz. Leeghwater. He was originally a millwright and became involved in a number of these projects in the Netherlands and in a few other places in Europe, as well as in a large number of other technical activities. There are two opinions about Leeghwater. One is that he was an excellent hydraulic engineer, the other is that he was more or less a charlatan. Based on several of his insights, publications and involvement in land reclamation projects, I believe that in the field of water management and flood protection Leeghwater was a unique hydraulic engineer in our history.
There is a map of the Beemster from 1696 on which the dimensions of the watercourses and the ring dike are shown. This is probably the oldest map in the Netherlands on which such information is shown.
In 2012, the Beemster celebrated its 400th anniversary extensively. The parties involved in the management and maintenance of the facilities for water management and flood protection of the polder have proven that they were able and willing to take proper care of this. During a symposium on 19 May 2012, attention was also paid to the reclamation of this polder and to the various developments and improvements that have gradually been achieved over the 400 years.
It can therefore be expected that future developments and improvements will continue in a similar manner. If the careful management and maintenance of the facilities for water management and flood protection are continued in the future, a successful future for the Beemster is guaranteed.
