Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1947-09-04
ROtterd a m,
HOIl

of Wade Ace, Rockcrest, sOhon1
she met through correspondence
10hem sending packages to the
University of Women Clubs. IN
Holland. DR.. Van der KoLf came
here after attending q conference
of the international Federation
of University of Women at To-
ronto, Canada, and is ledving
Nea0 York Saturday By plane to
return to Rotterdam.
Rotterdam, Tine Dutca Seaport,
that suffered so much from Ger
man force of arms when they in
vaded Holland in 1910, is being re-
built. Though it had been surren-
dered already, it was willfully
bombed by an enemy who did not
play fair war game. One-third of
the harbors, quays, cranes and
warehouses were destroyed. Then
in 1913, while occupied by the Ger
mans and used by them for war
purposes, Rotterdam was bombed
by the Allied Air Forces, and a
large area of the Western part of
the town was destroyed. Such was
the damage done that when in 1915
Holland was liberated, the center
Of Rotterdam was gone. There were
green meadows, sand and few
buildings, but the town seemed to
have lost it's heart. However, the
spirit of the enterprising Rotter-
dam business men was not gone,
and work began clearing away the
rubble and repairing the harbors.
This work was interrupted only
during the last winter of the war
when the Germans took away as
many young men as they could get
to work for them in Germany.
Today Rotterdam is ahead of
many bombed town in Europe,
more than half it's harbors have
been repaired and it is a seaport
again. BY 1949, it is hoped to have
its prewar capacity. Rotterdam is
waiting to do its duty in the world
traffic as the gateway to Europe.
AS to the rebuilding of the City
itself, Rotterdam plans to be a
modern city in the future. Only
three days after the bombardment
in 1910, while the city was still
burning, town councilmen met in
the Town Hall (Which miraculous
ly had escaped the fire) and COM
missioned the town architect to
make a plan for new city. In a
few weeks time the plan was pre-
scented, for the architect had been
town planning many years before
the war.
In the 10Th century Rotterdam
had forgotten its city and worked
on other projects. 1t was far from
beautiful, for its beauty lay in its
work. The new Waterway, outlet
to the sea, was dug through the
dunes because the mouths of the
river Meuse, on whose banks the
town lies, were choked with sand
New harbors for ocean-going yes,
sells were made and old ones mod
ernized. In the Doth century, Rot.
terdam tried to make up it's arrears
in the field of architecture. New
and modern buildings arose but thu
old heart of the town was still :
problem with streets too narrow
for modern traffic, old houses, anC
office buildings inadequate for thu
, amount of business. Then in 194t
an area of about, $40 acres was de
stroyed, 1796 of the houses gon'
and 100000 people homeless. The!
were evacuated first, but came bacl
to work for their city, facing al
uncertain future. Temporar!
houses were built, and only few
because of the sad lack of mate
rails. The Germans took away 81
much from Holland. But there il
no lack of spirit and energy among
the people. Rotterdam has faith il
its future and believes that some
thing good will come out of its ca
lamity. The plan of 1910 has beer
altered and in. 1916 a new basic
plan was accepted, showing a mod
ern city with streets wide enough
for modern traffic, and level higf
enough to withstand any food fol
several centuries. The dykes pro
tecting the City against the rivel
were laid bit inward and part o.
the town nearest the river easil.
flooded. Now broad avenue hal
been planned all along the rivel
high enough to withstand any fooC
and new bridges of course will
have to be constructed.
Nowadays, Rotterdam is a mutt
lated city, but in the future it will
be bigger and better than before
and will again be called "Queen Of
the Meuse."