9. y
8
Bij die herdenking van die baanbrekerswerk van
Suid-Afrika se „Eerste StichterJan van Riebeeck,
sou dit mijns insiens 'ra groot leemte geivees het indien
die gemeenskap van Schiedam hom bij hierdie drie
honderdjarige gebeurtenis onbetuig gelaat het. Immers
dit is Schiedam waar Jan van Riebeeck 'ra groot deel
van se jeugd deurgebring het en ivaar ook 'n belang-
rike deel van die familie Van Riebeeck hul later ge-
vestig het. Dit,is ook in Schiedam waar hierdie waar
devolle huivelik voltrek is van Van Riebeeck met Maria
de la Quellerie. En Maria teas in 're leive van teenslae
van Kommandeur Van Riebeeck seker die enigste
groot geluk ivat hij getref het.
Daarom sou dit selfs 'ra groot teleurstelling wees in
dien Schiedam hom onbetuig sou laat. Maar eers het
dié heuglike tyding ons bereik dat Schiedam 'ra straat
na hierdie groot Nederlander gaan vernoemdaarvoor
is iedere Suid-Afrikaner die gemeentebestuur dank
baar.
Nou weer gaan die maandblad „De Schiedamse
Gemeenschapaandag aan hierdie groot Nederlandse
baanbreker skenk. Hiermee kom die maandblad 'ra
belangrike plig teenoor Schiedam na: hy vestig dif
aandag van a/mal op die groot aandeel wat Schiedam
aan die vorming van Jan van Riebeeck gehad het.
En kon die lyfspreuk van Van Riebeeck nie ook dié
van die hardiverkende, ondernemende Schiedam wees
nie„Die advancement soeckt, sal geen naersticheijt
spaerenEk wens die maandblad geluk dat hy sy be
langrike taak ingesien het. Suid-Afrika is dankbaar
vir die welwillende gebaar 're gebaar gegrond op
'ra glorieryke verlede\
AMBASSADEUR VAN DIE UNIE
VAN SUID- AFRIKA
Commemorating, as we do this year, the pio
neering achievement of Commander Jan van Rie
beeck, South Africa's „first founder" (as he is called
in his epitaph), it would, in my opinion, have been
a great pity if the community of Schiedam Had
failed to take part in this tercentenary celebration.
For was it not at Schiedam where Jan van Riebeeck
lived during a great part of his youth and where,
indeed, in later years an important part of the Van
Riebeeck family settled? It was likewise in Schie
dam where the happy marriage took place of Van
Riebeeck with Maria de la Quellerie. And was this
attractive person, this great mellowing influence
during the hard times at the Cape, not the greatest
happiness in Commander Van Riebeeck's long life of
disappointments?
It would, therefore, have been a great disappoint
ment if the Schiedam community had omitted to
participate in the present celebrations. When we
learned that Schiedam is to name one of its streets
after the great pioneer, we were very pleased at
the good news and we know that every South
African will be grateful to the mayor and council
lors of Schiedam for their kindly gesture.
Now, again, the magazine „De Schiedamse Ge
meenschap" will be dedicated to the memory of
this great pioneer from the Netherlands. In doing
so this publication is performing an important duty
to its community: it calls the attention of the world
to the important part that Schiedam played in
shaping the remarkable personality of Jan van
Riebeeck. And is not the personal motto of Van
Riebeeck also applicable to the thriving and hard
working community of Schiedam? The old motto
may be rendered into English thus: „Whosoever
seeketh advancement, shall strive with diligence!"
I congratulate this monthly on realising its duty.
South Africa is grateful for the gesture of goodwill
a gesture which has its basis in the pages of our
glorious history
AMBASSADOR OF THE UNION
OF SOUTH AFRICA
I
KOLONEL P. I. HOOGENHOUT