Exhibitions

Stories about the residents of the Menkemaborg and the mansion Dijksterhuis.


An example of a story:

Johanna Catharina (Cateau) Lewe van Nijenstein (1861-1943) in a letter to her brother Es (Edzard Willem), dated 27 July 1936, reminisced about the visit of King Willem III to their uncle Gerhard at the Menkemaborg, in May 1873.

‘... from memory I listed the guests. They were:
1. His Majesty the King,
2. H.R.H. Prince Frederik,
3. Minister van Heeckeren van Kell (married to a childhood friend of Mama’s, the Countess van Limburg Stirum),
4. Count van Heiden Reinestein, Royal Commissioner
5. General van Panhuys, aide to H.M.
6. Captain del Baere, aide to Prince Frederik
7. Van Beyma thoe Kingma, orderly
8. De Posson, equerry
9. Baron W.G.A. Alberda van Ekenstein, Chamberlain Extraordinary
10. Uncle Es (Edzard Willem Alberda)
11. Uncle Gerhard (Alberda van Menkema en Dijksterhuis)
12. Mama (Elisabeth Anna Lewe van Nijenstein née Alberda)
13. Papa (Jean François Lewe van Nijenstein)
14. Cateau L.v.N.

‘There you have them all. I was allowed to join them at table because it was feared that the King might not like the number 13; after I had first recited a poem and presented a bouquet.
Which His Majesty accepted, while he said: ‘Thank you, dear child’ (when I shut my eyes I can still hear it). Upon which His Majesty escorted Mama, and Prince Frederik escorted me to table, saying: ‘I have some young granddaughters just like you’.’