Agreement After Strife Over Dutch Love Match

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27683, 13 June 1955, Page 11

Agreement After Strife Over Dutch Love Match

(Rec. 10 p.m.) GENEMUIDEN (Central Holland), June 11. Calm returned to the little town of Genemuiden today as citizens triumphantly greeted news that the town’s “Juliet” had been brought back to her “Romeo.”

But there were many signs that uproar might break out again if the parents of 17-y ear-old Wilhelmina Visser tried to put new obstacles in the way of her love-m'itch with Herman Jansen, aged 19. For eight days Wilhelmina was exiled by her parents to another town in an effort to break her romance. Herman, they said, was “too ordinary” for her.

TTie Vissers run a coconut-matting factory employing 200 persons. Herman’s parents own a similar factory Which employs only seven workers. When Wilhelmina’s forced exile became known town-people protested violently. Windows were smashed and pany suffered cuts and bruises in Montagu and Capulet” riots. t Extra police were drafted to the PWn and restored order with the help

of rubber truncheons, warning shots, a midnight curfew and a ban on street gatherings. _ _ __ The Burgomaster (Mr J. G. Harner* in a shocked speech, said the town had “gone back to the Middle Ages. He appealed for an end to class strife, which he feared had been revived in all its old local bitterness by the present squabble. . But tempers remained high. There were even threats to burn down the Visser house unless Wilhelmina was brought back. The police stayed on. keeping guard. ~ Finally, two days ago, the Burgomaster called a conference between Wilhelmina’s parents, a representative of Herman, the local priest and factory representatives. It lasted far into the night. Then agreement was reached that Wilhelmina could come Wilhelmina duly returned, and the traders’ boycott on her parents’ household was lifted. It is widely believed, however, that Mr Visser and Mrs Visser are still opposed to her romance with Herman. But for the moment, as one citizen said: “The people’s will has won the day.”