The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
HE BEARS NEWS OF DEATH.
MR.. DIHSFNr me ONLY REMAIN
ING IINkPREkkR ~ AHE.nCI.

Survival in Milwaukee of n Custom Once
Common Here and stin In Vogue IN
Hoiinnd-His Business La to Announce
Draths-A Tas That Requires Tact.
MILWAUKEE, Fec e.-"Yes, mine Is queer
business Death 70 you means loss 70 mo
II is not only a profit but a hyelil God Eeath
and are friends on him depends my living.
Were there death, |, as aanspreker OF the Dutch
families OF this city would not be in demand
AS IL is am his messenger"
So spoke adrian Dimnent He continued:
Yes the life Of an aanspreSer is indeed
strange one, and yet in Holland II oes not attract
much attention. But here in America little OF
Us is known In the early Dutch colonial days
in the East there we're many Of us. AT present
know Of no other person in this country who
makes his living as do. am perhaps the only
sur ! ~ l tie Uii cd States OF an an, lent Gus
tom which is still in vogue in the rural districts
In Holland but the progress OF the time has grad
ually crow ded out OF the business in this
try. As Tor myself, ! cannot expect 10 follow
my strange vocation much longer | an 81
years Of age and life al that stage is uncertain.
| sometimes wonder whether | will have a
ceSsor OF whether with me will die the custom,
Of the Dutch aans preker OF Milwaukee"
Ar. Mmnents business is 10 go from house
To house and announce tae death OF any member
OF tao Holland colony who may die here In
the rural districts OF Holland every village and
town has its aansp-cker OF announcer. Tho
relatives Of tie deceased engage the aans preker
and he calls list Of the friends and acquaint
nnces that tie bereaved family may wish TO in
form of the death. These announcement take
the place Of the customary paper death
notice, Usually where daily new pers are
printed there is little need for tie aanspTekeT.
Wien years ago tne Dutch settled in h.ilwaukeo
the need OF an aanspreker became apparent.
Although there are several thousand Dutch fam.
lilies in this ci,y, there is new paper published
in their language Consequently they have
for years relied on the aans preker, Mr. Limnent.
70 kcep them informed on the deaths OF members
OF the colony.
40 see. explained Mr.. Dimno I, there Is no
way III which our people would know Of the death
When an American or a German dies. The usual
death notice IN the EewsphIers is all that is netes
IS rue th", many Of The asCo d@ies OF Dutch
descent in this city do tai some Of or city IaIers
Mspy sd Gsrm and The ls H5
he who came direct from the rural districts Of l. OIL
land 70 this country, he can1o, read any other
than his native language and not always that
lie has spent his days OH he farm and is now end
ing his last years in quiet retirement Outside
day he knows hlile OF what his fellow country
men are doing. When death occurs late in the
week We can always reach him With an announce
ment Of the funeral from the pulpit, on Sundays,
Lul where Dutch reSiuent dies early in the week
ana the funeral occurs on OF lust Leiore SUNDAY.
We cannot reach him by this means Tho
nanspreker is then called In.
= have followed this business for many years
and ] SUPPOSE must have broken the news Of
No death OF their friends 10 thousands OF eoplt,
No, il is not always an easy task One must
understand the business like anything else IL
is easier 10 inform chance ACQUAINTANCE than a
dear friend or relative. The aanspTeker musl
use TAG, and Judgment lie must adapt himself
10 q cumStSnces
When il is taken into consideration that in his
rounds he calls on two OF Il zee lInCIto lLniliss
nd that uIa he ~ 81 fIa nj ". en-. VfA ~
death he is Tlicd with tLndrsd Gno one ques-
TONS IL will lie seen that he lns no tine ior Of
sip Neither he's lie Tin In stop 10 console rienGs
or to listen TO "reminiscences Of the departed.
sually before he starts OFT on lis thTs he OBJ
tnns all the imagination he can rom the rele-
nsccnHins the funeral arrangements and then
stu lies put his facts into as lew words as pos
siEle. When he starts on his trips he figures
as closely az he can 70 save time on the arrange
mcnt a. the order in which he takes the families.
lie does not ring the bells nor rap at the doo That
would be time wasted lie must work quickly.
The circumstances Of The death end the details
Of the funeral Then he leaves i is not neces
in Milv skuee knows him. he does rot NV,
to say -hether he is on ofnciel hucncrs or Just
nan Dinlnent, atired in his black suit NJ mourn
ing calls he brings bad news and that somo-
boz y has nsssed over the meridian Of life,
Although so M Dimnent is man q remark
able activity His trrs tFke him niles about
the CITY. but he goes over his routes with vlgor
thrt surprises many Of the younger men OF his
peorlr. Winter and summer, rein or shine, he
makes the Trims whenever he Is called upon. His
journeys last rom early morning until otter,
yery late ., nigh, Where meal times overtaka
ing him whenever he chooses to eat But even
Tor his getting his notices sbou, Is )6rt