Relief of Alkmaar

The Relief of Alkmaar is celebrated by virtually everyone in Alkmaar. Children are already involved at an early age through the primary schools. A teaching package has been made as well. There are activities for young people and adults. The association conducts an active policy to involve inhabitants of surrounding villages and ‘new’ inhabitants of Alkmaar. The tradition is organised by the board of the October 8th Association, which manages the approximately four hundred volunteers. The association itself has around 5000 members. The Poirterij der Stede van Alkmaar, a group of local entrepreneurs, focuses on fundraising. The festivities are visited by some 30,000 people each year.

The siege of Alkmaar was the besieging of the city of Alkmaar during the Eighty Years’ War by the army of Don Fadrique, son of the Duke of Alva. The Spanish army had to give up after William of Orange had given the order to pierce the dikes. City carpenter Maarten van der Meij transported the preserved reports on little notes in a hollow vaulting pole. Alkmaar was the first city that resisted the siege and was relieved. Hence the slogan: ‘The Victory begins in Alkmaar.’  After 1573 the Relief of Alkmaar was spontaneously celebrated with drinks and fireworks and there was no organised celebration. In 1861 the ‘Association for the Celebration of the Memorial Day of the Relief of Alkmaar in 1573 and for the preservation of other historical memories of this city’ was established. The celebration consisted of popular games, a festive speech and a festive evening. At the beginning of the twentieth century the feast was extended in order to appeal to a wider target group. By adding or indeed leaving out activities, the festival kept up-to-date. Commemorating, connecting and celebrating, however, keep forming the red line. There is a mix of old and new elements within the tradition. The sauerkraut meal, for instance, is a rather recent addition, with a nod to the Relief of Leiden. An old tradition that has been hung on to, is the clothing of the board members, which gentlemen are still dressed in tailcoats and top hats. The clothing of the female board members, however, is in fact a modern interpretation of this.