Around 1860, Christiaan Willem Weidner resided on the Wittenvrouwensingel. His residence stood across from ’Het Suikerhuis’, a sugar refinery located at the Lucasbolwerk, where the City Theatre now stands. The refinery processed sugar from the Dutch colonies. Weidner himself owned the Goossen plantation in Suriname, where at least 83 enslaved people were forced to work. Weidner is one of the historical figures from Utrecht highlighted in the new walking route.
Sitie
Spanning four kilometres, the walking route takes visitors past eleven key sites in the city center. Apart from Weidner’s residence, walkers will pass Drift 27 where Sitie, an East Indian house servant, once lived. They will also come across Boothstraat 6, the home of Nicolaas Beets, an abolitionist and vocal opponent of slavery. The app and website provide abundant information, visuals, and audio resources concerning Utrecht’s colonial past, allowing visitors to delve into the history of Utrecht.Plantation owner Weidner received a staggering 290,000 euros, adjusted for inflation, as compensation for his ’loss’ when slavery was abolished.
Jitske Hell, creator of the route
Fostering understanding
Jitske Hell from Utrecht University designed the walking route based on resources obtained from The Utrecht Archives. "The colonial past continues to be a significant subject in our society," she emphasises. "The wealth generated through colonial trade has contributed to our heritage. With this route, we aim to shed light on this contentious chapter in Utrecht’s history, fostering a more inclusive and transparent understanding of our past."Compensation for plantation owners
During her research in The Utrecht Archives, Hell encountered some confronting information. She discovered that plantation owners received compensation of 300 guilders per enslaved individual when slavery was abolished in 1863. Plantation owner Weidner received an astounding sum of 290,000 euros, adjusted for inflation, as compensation for his ’loss’. "Yet, what struck me most was the absence of the enslaved individuals’ own voices in the records. The elite spoke about them, but their own experiences are not documented. We have made a concerted effort to bring their stories to the forefront," adds Hell.The walking route is an initiative by Utrecht Time Machine , a collaborative project involving various Utrecht-based heritage organizations, aiming to bring Utrecht’s history to life. Within Utrecht University, Toine Pieters spearheads this platform, which is also affiliated with the UU course Living Pasts Exploring Futures.
