Van Quanselbier naar oranjebitter. Over de ontwikkeling van publieke feesten in de Achterhoek

Abstract

From 'Quansel'-beer to Orange-bitters. The development of festivals in the Achterhoek (East-Netherlands). This article deals with the rise of a new public fête at the turn of the century in the town of Winterswijk. Within a decade the traditional exuberant fair gave way to a more subdued event, called 'volksfeest' (popular fête). Whence this transformation? Who were the originators? Why was it the fair that had to be changed in a 'volksfeest'? What was the structure of the new fête? To answer these and similar questions, explanations in terms of 'civilizing offensives' or 'disciplining' are insufficient. It is argued that the Winterswijk fête must rather be conceived as a metaphor of structural features of Winterswijk society. This approach also clarifies historical and contemporary variations in the celebration of late summer festivals in the villages and towns of the Achterhoek, the region in which Winterswijk is situated.