Courtroom

Take a look at this old photo from around 1950. At the time, this building stood on the Markt in Ootmarsum, near the Kerkplein. It was a distinctive building with a striking, tall gable. It was a familiar part of the old townscape.
Over the years, it housed a variety of residents—from a saddler to a notary’s clerk. The building was even rebuilt in 1901. But in the early 1960s, it had to make way for new construction. In 1963, the buildings here were demolished to make way for the current restaurant, De Guldene Crone.
Fortunately, not everything disappeared. Part of the original building found a new home in the Open-Air Museum. There, it was rebuilt in a modified form. The tall pointed gable remained recognizable, but the building was made considerably smaller. Otherwise, it would have towered too prominently over the other buildings here.
Just compare the old photo with what the Hofkamer looks like today. The windows and doors are no longer all in the same places, but the characteristic shape is still clearly recognizable.
In this way, a piece of old Ootmarsum has been given a second life after all. No longer on the Markt, but here in the museum. And fortunately, it didn’t have to be completely reinvented to achieve that.

The earliest description of Ootmarsum likely comes from an account of the life of Bishop Raboud. This hagiography, written by a canon from Utrecht in the second half of the 10th century, recounts the death of Saint Radboud during a journey through the eastern parts of his diocese. Radboud fell ill and had himself transported to Ootmarsum, a place he enjoyed visiting. Radboud died in Ootmarsum in 917. The text notes that Ootmarsum is situated in a particularly beautiful location. Situated at the intersection of a major north-south route and the trade route from northern Germany to Flanders, Ootmarsum developed into a fortified town. In 1325, Ootmarsum’s town charter was confirmed. Many town farms feature a facade emblem, often consisting of crossed and stylized horse heads. Saxon examples of this highly stylized form, as seen on the Los Hoes, are known to date back to the first century B.C. For the Saxons, the horse—and particularly a gray horse—was a sacred animal. These horses were therefore believed to keep misfortune out of the farmstead. Another widespread archetype of the gable emblem is the “thunder broom,” a representation of the lightning bolts that Thor or Donar hurls at the earth. The symbol protects against witchcraft and, of course, thunderstorms. To ward off thunderstorms, house leeks were also often planted on thatched roofs. Since the mid-18th century, Catholic and Protestant gable symbols have come into vogue. Catholic symbols often feature ecclesiastical motifs such as the cross, the chalice, and the host. Protestant symbols are more purely decorative. The lily, as a symbol of the Reformed Church, is a common motif, and the vase motif is also quite widespread.

Ootmarsum is one of the oldest towns in Twente. Around 800 AD, one of the first wooden churches in Twente stood here. From the ecclesiastical base in Utrecht, Anglo-Saxon priests ventured into pagan Saxony to spread the faith—with mixed success. Charlemagne changed all that. Starting in the year 772, this Catholic Frankish king launched military campaigns to incorporate the Saxon territory into his empire. His first act of war was to order the felling of the “Irmensul,” an important Saxon shrine of great symbolic significance. The Irmensul was a large, upright tree trunk that, according to the Saxons, supported the entire world. The Saxons responded with open rebellion and by burning down the first wooden churches. They also elected a duke, a military commander who was required to step down in peacetime. The first duke known by name was Widukind or Wittekind; his strategy of constant rebellion against Charlemagne ensured that he remained the central authority in the Saxon region for decades. After Charlemagne defeated the Saxons in 777, he summoned all Saxon nobles to the imperial diet and incorporated them into the Frankish Empire while preserving their rights. Wittekind, however, refused to yield and continued fighting for another seven years. In 785, he realized it was a lost cause and was baptized. Charlemagne acted as his godfather, and the pope hosted a grand banquet in honor of the baptism. Wittekind became Charlemagne’s most important vassal in the Saxon region and was permitted to retain the title of Duke. With Wittekind’s baptism, the Christianization of the Saxons could continue with renewed vigor. Utrecht and Münster were granted bishoprics, and strict laws were enacted to enforce the transition to Christianity. The dead may only be buried near a church. Burning or burying the dead according to pagan customs is punishable by death. The same penalty applied to failing to baptize children. Ootmarsum served as a key stronghold in the Christianization of the Saxons and grew to become one of the largest parishes in Twente. Many legends surround Wittekind; for example, it is said that before his baptism, he always rode a black warhorse. After his baptism, he was seen only on a white horse. This white steed is featured, among other things, in the coat of arms of Twente.