# Loesje

Loesje is an international free speech organisation started in Arnhem (Netherlands) in 1983. Loesje went international in 1989. Its charter is to spread creativity, positive criticism, ideas, philosophical ponderings and thoughts on current events by way of short slogans on posters, signed by a fictional character, Loesje(a Dutch female name).

## Quotes

    Printable files of these statements can be found by searching by Key-words at the Loesje International Website Poster Archive

### 1980s (in Dutch)

* Wacht niet op jezelf knal eruit
** Loesje.nl, 1983 ; cited Fleur van der Bij, Loesje: De biografie. 2023. p. 91; Also Loesje booktitle, 2017
** Simple translation of Dutch phrase: Don't wait for yourselve. Burst out.
* Streef onbekommert naar het ideale
** 1986 ; Poster presented by Niels van de Griend of the new political party Loesje at May 6, 1986 in The Hague
** Simple translation of Dutch phrase: Strive for the ideal ; Or more exact: Strive for the ideal without concerns
* Je bent fris en je bent het zat om in de pleepot te hangen
** Loesje.nl, 1 april 1986; Shown at Het Vrije Volk photo, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, 1988
** Plain translation: You are young and you are tired of hanging in the toilet
* Dit is 'n mooie dag om knopen door te hakken
** Loesje.nl, 1 juni 1987 ; Cited in: N. van Dam, "Principes lerarenregister wankelen : Jan en alleman kan zich straks registreren." nr 17 2-11-2013.
** Plain translation: This is a nice day to make decisions.
** This was a text printed on saddle pads and distributed to new teachers in 25.000 peaces.
* Ruding: sorry de economie trekt weer af
** Loesje.nl, 30 april 1987; Shown at Het Vrije Volk photo, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, 1988
** Plain translation: Ruding, sorry the economy is slowing down (opposite of the economy is picking up), but more literally sounds like sorry, the economy is jerking off.

### 1990s
#### 1990
##### First international quotes in september 1990 translated from the Dutch

    Cited in: Fleur van der Bij, Loesje: De biografie. 2023. p. 157
* WHEN LOESJE COMES EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT
** Loesje International, 09.1990; Also cited in: European Commission, What Loesje is all about…
* HOLIDAY ROMANCE. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HIM BUT IT WAS VERY CUTE
** Loesje International, 09.1990
* EVERYTHING CHANGES ALL THE TIME AND THIS WILL ALWAYS BE SO
** Loesje International, 09.1990

##### More quotes in the 1990

* AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY MAN CREATED GOD
** Loesje International, 1990 ; Misattributed to several persons in several sources
* WHY PRODUCE GARBAGE WHEN IT IS THROWN AWAY ALL THE SAME
** Loesje International, 1990 ; Cited in: Cute quotes on all the same - Paper-Research
* POLLUTION / JESUS SOON WE CAN ALL WALK ON WATER.
** Loesje International, 1990 ; Cited in: YourEssay.com

#### More quotes in the 1990s

* Leven is het meervoud van lef
** Loesje, 1 september 1991.; Cited in: Fleur van der Bij, Loesje: De biografie. 2023. p. 157
** Translation by Fleur van der Bij (2023): LIFE MULTIPLIED EQUALS COURAGE
* Hij die zonder mening is verwijdere de eerste poster
** Loesje, 1 juni 1998; Cited/shown in: NOS Nieuws, Dinsdag 7 november 2023
** Plain translation of Dutch phrase: he who is without opinion, remove the first poster
* Initiatief zoekt nemer (m/v)
** Booktitle Initiatief zoekt nemer (m/v), Stichting Vrienden van Loesje, 1999. 128 pp
** Plain translation of Dutch phrase: Initiative searches for taker (man/women)

### 2000s
#### Plakatkünstler, 2006 (in German)

    Eva Hepper "Plakatkünstler," Podcast at deutschlandfunkkultur.de, 02.03.2006
* Je länger du auf die Zukunft wartest, desto kürzer wird sie
** Similar phrase in English by Loesje (2005): THE LONGER YOU WAIT FOR THE FUTURE / THE SHORTER IT WILL BE
* Du wirst geboren und begraben – willst du auch noch gelebt werden?
** Similar phrase in English by Loesje (1991) : I LIVE SO I DIE / WAIT A MOMENT I'M NOT DEAD YET
* Glaube an dich, aber hüte dich davor, zur Religion zu werden.
** Plain translation of German phrase: Believe in yourself, but beware to turn into religion yourself

#### More quotes from the 2000s

* IF THERE IS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION - CAN I HAVE YOUR NUMBER
** Loesje, September 2008 in Loesje poster archive
* MANKIND - WOULD GOD HAVE KEPT HIS RECEIPT
** Loesje (2008) in Loesje poster archive
* THE COST OF LIVING HAS NOT AFFECTED ITS POPULARITY
** Loesje (2008) in Loesje poster archive
* WHEN WILL WE SEE HUMAN RIGHTS MADE IN CHINA
** Loesje (2008) in Loesje poster archive
* DEMOCRACY SHOULD COME BY FOOT AND NOT BY TANK
** Loesje (2008) in Loesje poster archive

### 2010s

* Sleepwet Sinterklaas noemt dat gewoon het grote boek
** Loesje, 15 november 2017; Cited/shown in: "Nieuws: Deze Dag Toen: Loesje wordt in Arnhem opgericht," vr 24 november 2017.
** Plain translation of Dutch phrase: Sweep Act Sinterklaas simply calls it the big book.
* Out of the box is my everyday routine.
** Loesje (2017); Cited in Inge van Kooten-Satter. Mensen maken of breken een verandering. 2020. p.8

### 2020s

* Hoeveel wereldproblemen heb jij op je to-dolijstje
** loesje.nl, 15 juni 2020.; Phrase printed at Loesje - Studieagenda, 2022-2023
** Plain translation from the Dutch: How many world problems do you have on your to do list

## Quotes about Loesje

* Loesje houdt van verstoppertje spelen.
** Eppo König, "Een jongen en hij heet Loesje," NRC Handelsblad, 27 november 2006
** Plain translation of Dutch phrase: Loesje likes to play hide and seek.
* Loesje 40 jaar: posters niet meer overal, maar teksten 'in geheugen gegrift'
** NOS Nieuws, Dinsdag 7 november 2023, 21:07
** Plain translation of Dutch phrase: Loesje 40 years: posters not everywhere anymore, yet lines are engraved in the collective memory.
* Loesje is veel braver geworden
** Harrie Nijen Twilhaar. "Loesje is veel braver geworden': Fleur uit Tjalleberd schreef een biografie over Loesje," Friesch Dagblad.nl, 20 november 2023
** Plain translation of Dutch phrase: Loesje has become more polite.

## External links

* International Website