From left to right: Judith, Koen, Pieterjan, Mees (standing), Tessel and Maurice. Photo: Guy Ackermans
House: Grafzicht (Grave View)
Residents: Koen Volkering (22, Biotechnology), Pietjan van Krimpen (19, Food Technology), Mees de Jong (19, Food Technology), Mauries Meijer (20, Molecular Life Sciences), Tessel de Vries (22, Biology), Judith Groen (24, Nutrition & Health), Willem Kögeler (23, Plant Sciences), Abigail Johnson (22, International Development Studies), Det Krabbenborg (19, Forest and Nature Management), Auke Derksen (20, Landscape Architecture).
Unique because: The house is next to the historic Jewish cemetery on the Generaal Foulkesweg and ‘death’ is everywhere.
Judith: ‘Our house is next-door to the old Jewish cemetery and over the years, the theme of the ‘hereafter’ has been cultivated here. Our house colours are black and orange – the Halloween colours and those of our house tipple, Cointreau. And our mascot is a raven. Our bar bank card is under its claw, and when we go out together we take the raven along. The youngest has to carry him because they have to pay the bill. The house was built in 1908, and the last burial took place here in 1925. The house is full of references to death; skeletons hanging up, ‘In loving memory’ on room doors, with the names of previous occupants, and on the door of the living room it says, ‘Those who are about to die salute you’. We are a close-knit group. We go away for a weekend together every year, we have an odd-jobs weekend and an annual barbecue, to which previous occupants are invited too. During the Covid period we became even closer, possibly. We chatted more often and more intimately, and we held regular parties together in the cellar, and a ‘biercantus’(a beery singsong) in the living room. So the atmosphere is anything but deathly…’
If you too want your UNIque house in Resource, send an email to resource@wur.nl
