Historian to deliver traditional speech at Leiden siege celebration
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Teun Schneiders will give the Den Tonkelaar speech during the coral singing on the morning of Leiden’s Siege Relief, a yearly event commemorating the lifting of the siege of Leiden, Netherlands in 1574.
The speech is named for Alexander den Tonkelaar, who began the tradition at the end of the last century by collecting money for a wreath at the statue of Mayor Van der Werff and delivering a speech while laying it.
Schneiders won a contest held by the 3 October Vereeniging after historian Joost Bleijie retired from giving the speech for twenty years. Schneiders’ family has long ties to Leiden and its celebrations, as his grandparents and parents were born in the city and supported his participation in events like the camel race at the kermis, a local fair.
He plans to emphasize the historical importance of the Siege of Leiden and its impact on the formation of the Netherlands, noting the phrase “Leiden Relieved, Holland Saved” spread throughout the country at the time. He intends to keep the content of his speech a surprise but will practice it with his father to gauge its effectiveness. The coral singing itself has been a tradition for 140 years, and Schneiders hopes to continue celebrating Leiden’s history through it.
