Bergen op Zoom (; called ''Berrege'' in the

local dialect Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administra ...

) is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

and a city located in the south of the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Etymology

The city was built on a place where two types of soil meet: sandy soil and marine clay. The sandy soil pushed against the marine clay, accumulating and forming hills over several centuries. People called those hills the ''Brabantse Wal'', literally meaning "ramparts of Brabant". ''Zoom'' refers to the border of these ramparts and ''bergen'' in Dutch means mountains or hills. The name has nothing to do with the little channel, the ‘Zoom’, which was later built through Bergen op Zoom.

History

Bergen op Zoom was granted

city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, city status ...

probably in 1212. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a

lordship A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of econ ...

as it was separated from the lordship of Breda. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate in 1559. Several noble families, including the

House of Glymes The House of Glymes was a noble house of Belgium, of descendants of a bastard branch of the Dukes of Brabant. Glymes or Glimes is a municipality of Incourt. Their descendants of the branch of Grimberghen are styled as the Prince de Grimberghen ...

, ruled Bergen op Zoom in succession until 1795, although the title was only nominal since at least the seventeenth century. During the early modern period, Bergen op Zoom was a very strong fortress and one of the main armories and arsenals of the United Provinces. It had a remarkable natural defensive site, surrounded as it was by marshes and easily flooded polders. Furthermore, it could receive reinforcements and supplies by sea, if the besieging army did not have a fleet to blockade its port. Due to these features, the city was one of the strategic points held by the Dutch during their revolt in the

Eighty Years War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Ref ...

, beginning in the late sixteenth century. It was at that time besieged by Alessandro Farnese first in 1588, and by

Ambrosio Spinola Ambrogio Spinola Doria, 1st Marquess of Los Balbases and 1st Duke of Sesto (1569-25 September 1630) was an Italian ''condottiero'' and nobleman of the Republic of Genoa, who served as a Spanish general and won a number of important battles. He i ...

a second time in 1622. Both sieges were unsuccessful, and Bergen op Zoom got the nickname ''La Pucelle'' or ''The Virgin'' as it was never successfully taken in a siege. In 1747, during the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...

, the

French army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...

laid siege to the city. Bergen op Zoom had been fortified by new works built at the beginning of the 17th century by

Menno van Coehoorn Menno, Baron van Coehoorn (; March 1641 – 17 March 1704) was a Dutch soldier and engineer, regarded as one of the most significant figures in Dutch military history. In an era when siege warfare dominated military campaigns, he and his French ...

, with three forts surrounding the city and a canalized diversion of the

Scheldt The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...

acting as a ditch around its walls. However, it had no second line of fortifications, nor any fortress. After seventy days of siege, the city was taken and thoroughly sacked; the garrison was slaughtered. During the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation, a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States defeated F ...

, the town was again besieged by the British in March 1814 in a failed attempt to dislodge the French garrison.

Trading town

During the reign of Jan II van Glymes (1417–1494), nicknamed "Jan metten Lippen" (meaning "Jan with the big lips", probably caused by an infection), a surge in economic growth occurred in the city. Large fairs were held twice a year, in spring and fall, that were known both nationally and internationally. Merchants from all over Europe came to Bergen op Zoom to sell their goods. Because of this major economic growth, the Sint-Gertrudischurch was enlarged. The enlargement was called the ''Nieuw Werck'' but was never finished, because of the economic recession of the mid-16th century. It fell into ruin. The economic recession was largely caused by the poor accessibility of the port, due to a number of floods in Zeeland and West-Brabant. Because of the great reliance on the port, the economic growth received a major blow. In addition, the modernization of trade techniques, such as establishing of a permanent stock exchange instead of the fairs, which took place twice a year, also damaged the local economy. The fairs continued until 1910. Despite the end of the two big fairs, Bergen op Zoom still hosts all kinds of smaller fairs and events.

Religion

During the Eighty Years' War, Bergen op Zoom chose the side of the Dutch Republic, and, simultaneously, for Protestantism. The Catholics of the city either adapted or moved to the surrounding countryside, which remained largely Catholic. The inhabitants who chose to stay Catholic went to church in secret barns and houses, since the local Sint-Getrudischurch was assigned to the Protestant community. Slowly, most of the city council members of Bergen op Zoom became Protestant. Protestants dominated the council until the 18th century. After that, the number of Catholics in Bergen op Zoom increased and, during the second part of the 18th century, a majority of Bergen op Zoom's population was Catholic again. Although the Catholics enjoyed religious freedom during the French period in 1795–1814, their emancipation did not take place until later. In 1832, a Catholic parish, the ‘Heilige Maagd ten Ophemeling’, was allowed to have its own church. In the same period, the Jewish community built a synagogue for their use. In 1972, the Protestant community, after the loss of many members, gave the Sint-Getrudischurch to the Catholic parish. Since the return of the Church, Catholic services have been held here again.

Population centres

*Bergen op Zoom (population: 65,691, July 2006) ** Heimolen ** Halsteren (11,410) ** Lepelstraat (2,070) ** Kladde

City of Bergen op Zoom

File:Bergen op zoom 008.jpg, Gevangenpoort, the oldest monument in Bergen op Zoom File:Bergen op zoom 005.jpg, Grote Markt File:Bergen op Zoom, Sint Gertrudiskerk foto2 2010-09-11 09.11.JPG, Gertrudiskerk File:Bergen op Zoom, fontein en brug in Anton van Duinkerkenpark foto6 2015-05-24 10.54.jpg, Bergen op Zoom, fountain and bridge in park File:The Marketplace in Bergen op Zoom E11381.jpg, ''The Marketplace at Bergen op Zoom''. Attributed to Abel Grimmer, 1590s. National Gallery of Art, Washington. The Markiezenhof Palace, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, houses a

cultural centre A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Asia * Cen ...

and a museum with a picturesque courtyard, paintings, period rooms, and temporary exhibitions.

SABIC Saudi Basic Industries Corporation ( ar, الشركة السعودية للصناعات الأساسية), known as SABIC ( ar, سابك), is a Saudi chemical manufacturing company. 70% of SABIC's shares are owned by Saudi Aramco. It is active in ...

Innovative Plastics operates a major manufacturing facility in Bergen op Zoom. Philip Morris was another major employer until it closed its plant in 2014.

Transport

* Bergen op Zoom railway station

Notable people

The arts

Jacob Obrecht Jacob Obrecht (also Hobrecht; 1457/8

(1457–1505) composer, mainly of sacred music *

Desiderius Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' wa ...

(1466–1536) humanist, philosopher, author * Abel Grimmer (1570–1619) a Flemish late Renaissance painter, mainly of landscapes *

Gerrit Houckgeest Gerard Houckgeest (c. 1600–August 1661) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of architectural scenes and church interiors. Biography Houckgeest is thought to have been born in The Hague, where, according to the RKD, he learned to paint from Bar ...

(1600–1661) a Dutch Golden Age painter of architectural scenes and church interiors *

Bartram de Fouchier Bartram de Fouchier (February 14, 1609 – August 25, 1673) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Biography Fouchier was born in Bergen op Zoom. Houbraken remarked that his father was a Frenchman who had come to visit the Netherlands for the Sieg ...

(1609–1673) a Dutch Golden Age painter *

Marcus Zuerius van Boxhorn Marcus Zuerius van Boxhorn (August 28, 1612 – October 3, 1653) was a Dutch scholar (his Latinized name was Marcus Zuerius Boxhornius). Born in Bergen op Zoom, he was professor at the University of Leiden. He discovered the similarity among Indo- ...

(1612–1653) historian, author and scholar *

Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert (1613 – 23 January 1654) was a Dutch Republic-born Flemish Baroque painter. Biography Willeboirts Bosschaert was born in Bergen op Zoom, where his Catholic family had moved in the late sixteenth century. He moved ...

(1613–1654) a

Flemish Baroque painter Flemish Baroque painting refers to the art produced in the Southern Netherlands during Spanish control in the 16th and 17th centuries. The period roughly begins when the Dutch Republic was split from the Habsburg Spain regions to the south with ...

* Pieter van der Willigen (1634–1694) a

* Govert-Marinus Augustijn (1871–1963) a Dutch Art Nouveau potter * Kees Smout (1876–1961) a Dutch sculptor * Anton van Duinkerken (1903–1968) a Dutch poet, essayist and academic * Louis Boekhout (1919–2012) a Dutch painter who emigrated to Québec, Canada *

Pleuni Touw Pleuni Touw (born 8 November 1938) is a Dutch film, television and theatre actress best known for her role in the 1974 miniseries '' De Stille Kracht'', which featured the first televised nude scene in Dutch history. Life and career Touw was bor ...

(born 1938) a Dutch film, television and theatre actress *

Adriaan Ditvoorst Adriaan Ditvoorst (23 January 1940 – 18 October 1987) was a Dutch film director and screenwriter. He directed nine films between 1965 and 1984. His 1967 film ''Paranoia'' was entered into the 17th Berlin International Film Festival. Selec ...

(1940–1987) a Dutch film director, screenwriter *

Cornald Maas Cornald Maas is a Dutch television presenter who has been known for presenting talk shows in the Netherlands. He is the brother of Frans Maas. Early career He was an editor involved in ''The Scream of the Lion'' (VARA) with Paul de Leeuw, ''Son ...

(born 1967) a Dutch television presenter * Martin Fondse (born 1967) a Dutch pianist and composer who plays the vibrandoneon * Bob van Luijt (born 1985) a Dutch technology entrepreneur, technologist and new media artist

Public thinking and public service

Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten (19 February 1755, in Bergen op Zoom – 22 August 1801, in Batavia) was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1796 until 1801. He was the last Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company, which wa ...

(1755–1801) last Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies * Gerrit Verdooren van Asperen (1757–1824) vice-admiral of the Royal Netherlands Navy *

Gillis Pieter de Neve Gillis Pieter de Neve (30 December 1823, in Bergen-op-Zoom – 19 September 1883, in Leiden) was a Dutch Lieutenant General, commander of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and knight and officer in the Military William Order. Sources Gillis ...

(1823-1883) commander of the

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army ( nl, Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger; KNIL, ) was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. Th ...

* Albert Vogel (1874–1933) a Dutch Army officer and teacher * Peter Sitsen (1885–1945) a military officer, building contractor and public servant in colonial Indonesia *

Ed Nijpels Eduardus Hermannus Theresia Maria Nijpels (born 1 April 1950) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and nonprofit director. Nijpels studied Civil law at the Utrecht University obtaining a Master of Studie ...

(born 1950) a retired Dutch politician * Virginie Korte-van Hemel (1929–2014) a Dutch politician * Bernard de Wit (born 1945) a Dutch theoretical physicist and academic *

Paul Schnabel Paul Schnabel (born 17 July 1948) is a Dutch politician and sociologist who served on the Social and Economic Council (SER) from 2013 to 2015 and in the Senate on behalf of Democrats 66 (D66) from 2015 until 2019. Schnabel, a professor at Utrech ...

(born 1948) a Dutch sociologist, academic and politician *

Wim Crusio Wim E. Crusio (born Wilhelmus Elisabeth Crusio on 20 December 1954) is a Dutch behavioral neurogeneticist and a '' directeur de recherche'' (research director) with the French National Centre for Scientific Research in Talence, France. Educat ...

(born 1954) a Dutch behavioral neurogeneticist and academic *

Fatma Koşer Kaya Fatma Koşer Kaya (born February 20, 1968 in Çarşamba, Turkey) is a Dutch lawyer and politician of Turks in the Netherlands, Turkish origin. As a member of Democrats 66 (D66) she was an MP from September 8, 2004 to September 19, 2012. She focu ...

(born 1968) a Dutch lawyer and politician of Turkish origin

Sports

* Reindert de Favauge (1872–1949) sport shooter, competed at the

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 4 ...

& 1920 Summer Olympics * Henk Kersken (1880–1967) a sailor who competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics * Barent Momma (1897–1936) a Dutch modern pentathlete, competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics * Willem van Rhijn (1903–1979) a Dutch modern pentathlete, competed at the

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhan ...

and 1932 Summer Olympics * Janus van der Zande (1924–2016) a Dutch marathon runner, competed in the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...

* Maarten Sikking (1948–2009) a field hockey goalkeeper, competed at the

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...

and

1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 P ...

Rico Verhoeven Ricardo Verhoeven (born 10 April 1989) is a Dutch professional kickboxer who currently competes in the heavyweight division of GLORY, where he is the reigning Glory Heavyweight Champion. A professional since 2004, he also competed in the K-1, ...

(born 1989) a Dutch kickboxer *

Jacob Van Braam Jacobus van Braam (b. Bergen op Zoom, in the Netherlands, 1 April 1729, d. 1 August 1792 Charleville, France) was a sword master and mercenary who trained the 19-year-old George Washington in 1751 or shortly thereafter. He was also retained by Wash ...

(1729-1792) a soldier of fortune, swordmaster and mercenaryThe Encyclopedia Americana, Van Braam, Jacob
retrieved 06 October 2019

Music

* Julia Boschman (born 2002) a Dutch singer in famous girl group K3

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Bergen op Zoom is twinned with:

Notes

References

External links

*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergen Op Zoom Cities in the Netherlands Municipalities of North Brabant Populated places in North Brabant