Petrus Lambertus Wilhelmus (Peter) Reijnders (24 July 1900 – 1974) was a Dutch
photographer
A photographer (the Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who makes photographs.
Duties and types of photographers
As in other ...
,
film director
A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, ...
and
inventor
An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an id ...
. He is best known for his crucial role in founding the theme park
Efteling.
Peter Reijnders was born in 1900 in
's-Hertogenbosch
s-Hertogenbosch (), colloquially known as Den Bosch (), is a city and municipality in the Netherlands with a population of 157,486. It is the capital of the province of North Brabant and its fourth largest by population. The city is south of th ...
as the son of a coffee- and tobacco trader family. After making a film in 1927 about his own marriage with Helena Perquin, he devoted himself to photography and films. He also invented many small novelties that are popular with
Philips Electronics
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters is ...
.
He made a number of films in the period 1927-1954, some of which gained national prizes.
Efteling
At a family gathering in 1951, Reijnders was asked by his father-in-law, mayor Van der Heijden, to investigate the possibilities for making the just-established
Efteling Naturepark more attractive. Inspired by a temporary fairy tale exhibition in Eindhoven, Reijnders knew whom to ask for the design: painter
Anton Pieck
Anton Franciscus Pieck (19 April 1895 – 24 November 1987) was a Dutch painter, artist and graphic artist. Hiworksare noted for their nostalgic or fairy tale-like character and are widely popular, appearing regularly on cards and calendars. He ...
.
Reijnders and Pieck were pivotal for the original Fairy Tale Forest, the foundation of the current Efteling themepark. Reijnders was responsible for the many creative and revolutionary technological innovations. With his wires, motors, balloons and water he made the fairy tales come to life, without ever exposing the technology to the visitor.
His last visit to Efteling was in 1972, when the park received the
Pomme d'Or, the highest award in the European tourist industry.
Filmography
Peter Reijnders directed at least 58 films, below is a small selection of noteworthy titles.
* Onze 'T'-Rouwdag (1927)
* Camera Avontuur (1933), first prize Nationale Kinowedstrijd, second prize Concours International.
* Stormy Weather (1934), first prize Nationale Kinowedstrijd.
* Ships that pass in the night (1935), first prize Nationale Kinowedstrijd.
* Eindhoven Journaal (1935)
* Happy and Contented (1935)
* Thriller (1937), first prize Nationale Kinowedstrijd.
* Bevrijding Eindhoven (1944)
* Het Meisje en de Pop (1947)
* In Brabant groeit een Stad (1947–1954)
* Officiële Opening
Van Doorne's Automobielfabriek (1950)
* De Efteling in het Hart van Brabant (1956/1958 en 1971)
* Beginjaren
TH Eindhoven (1956–1958)
Sources
* Smit, Rob (1990) ''Peter Reijnders 1900-1974''. Eindhoven: SST Producties.
* Vanden Diepstraten, H. (2002) ''De Efteling. Kroniek van een Sprookje''. Baarn: Tirion Uitgevers.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reijnders, Peter
1900 births
1974 deaths
20th-century Dutch inventors
Dutch film directors
Eindhoven University of Technology alumni
People from 's-Hertogenbosch
20th-century Dutch photographers