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

Gemeentearchief Schiedam - Krantenkijker

Schiedamse Gemeenschap (tijdschrift) | 1952 | | pagina 8