Teun Schneiders, the new Den Tonkelaar: ‘I have a great love for the history of Leiden’
3 October
In the early morning of Leidens Ontzet, Teun Schneiders takes the floor. The former history student delivers the Den Tonkelaar speech during the choral singing.
‘That tradition was started at the end of the last century by Alexander den Tonkelaar,’ says Teun, explaining the name of the speech. ‘Whenever the choral singing was being practised in the week leading up to 3 October, he would pass the hat round to collect money for a wreath to be laid at the statue of Mayor Van der Werff.’
Laying that wreath on 3 October was accompanied by a short speech. ‘He carried on doing this until he was so old that he could barely be understood,’ says Teun. ‘Den Tonkelaar has long since stopped giving the speech, and money is no longer collected for the wreath either, but the choral singing is still accompanied by a story with a historical twist, which also includes jokes about the Relief of Leiden and the mayor.’
Love for Leiden’s history
For the past twenty years, historian Joost Bleijie has delivered the Den Tonkelaar speech. Following his departure, the 3 October Association organised a competition to select his successor. ‘I was forwarded that call for entries an awful lot,’ says Teun. ‘Many of my friends know that I have a great love for Leiden and its history, partly because I work as a guide at Rondvaart Leiden.’
With grandparents and parents who were born and raised in Leiden, the Liberation of Leiden was instilled in Teun from an early age. ‘My grandparents always give me money,’ he explains. ‘In the past, that was for the funfair, which I used to go to with my brother, the highlight being taking part in the camel race. These days we tend to use it for a drink instead, although the camel race is on the agenda again this year.’
Small town, great historical significance
One difference is that this year he won’t be able to have a drink until 3 October because he needs to be fresh for his speech the following morning. ‘That’s quite a strange idea,’ laughs Teun. Although he’s happy to make that sacrifice. ‘Leiden’s history has been of enormous importance to the formation of the modern Netherlands. The Relief of Leiden was seen at the time as an event of immense significance; it was no coincidence, then, that the slogan “Relief of Leiden, Holland saved” spread throughout the country.
In his speech, he particularly wants to highlight that historical significance. ‘We still have every reason to be grateful to the people of that era. We must therefore, above all, preserve the festive celebration we later organised as a commemoration. That choral singing, for example, is already 140 years old. Isn’t it lovely that we’ve been doing that for so long?’
Testing it out on his father
Teun is keeping the exact wording of his message a secret for now. ‘I like the fact that it remains a surprise to those around me.’ Only his father is in on the secret. ‘For the Den Tonkelaar election, I’d practised on two flatmates, but it was a bit awkward that they weren’t from Leiden. So this time, I’m asking my father to have a listen in advance; that way, I’ll soon enough realise whether my story strikes a chord.’