european wooden shoes

EUROPEAN WOODEN SHOES

Tet de Boer was born in Kollum, Friesland (NL) in 1920. Just as all the other kids in town, she would wear wooden shoes during her childhood, the so-called ‘Frysian learke shoes’. After school she started working for her father who had a drugstore and was an optician. She married in 1941 and moved away to “Holland”, the western part of the Netherlands. They lived in Hoorn, Wormer, Maarsbergen, Hengelo, Wieringen and ten years in The Hague. After finishing his math studies, her husband became a teacher at the local high school.

EUROPEAN WOODEN SHOES Their history and diversity

Tet de Boer - Olij

In 1963 they went back to the North for a job at the grammar school. When the four daughters left the house, they moved to Eelde. For their garden they bought wooden shoes at Wietzes and admired his wonderful collection.

In 1997 she took her leave and wondered what to do with her knowledge on wooden shoes. That’s when the plan to write a book was born. This book in front of you: “European wooden shoes” is the result.

ISBN 90-9015447-7 (english version)

Stichting Klompenmuseum Gebr. Wietzes Wolfhorn 1a, 9761 BA Eelde, The Netherlands Tel. (+31) 50-309 11 81 www.klompenmuseum.nl

Tet de Boer - Olij

On their many travels throughout Europe they looked for additions for the collection of Wietzes. Tet was fascinated by the wooden shoes from France and Spain. In 1987 the Wooden Shoe Foundation Gebr. Wietzes was established and Tet became a member of the board.

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Introduction

This book gives an overview of European wooden shoes with all their various shapes and decorations. Until now such an overview has not been published in one book. Dutch, Spanish and German publications provide extensive information about the profession of wooden shoe maker, the tools and the social circumstances in this trade. With the exception of the Spanish publication, these books do not pay much attention to the wooden shoes itself. The design of wooden shoes differs in each European country, in each village and even by each wooden shoe maker.

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The names of the wooden shoe makers who made the shoes described in this book, are not mentioned, but partly available in the archive of the museum. For 10 years I managed the collection and documentation of the museum, composed exhibitions and guided visitors through the museum with much pleasure. During those years I have been granted with much knowledge about wooden shoes. As many traditional shapes and decorations of wooden shoes are disappearing nowadays. I hope this book will contribute to the recognition of the wooden shoes which are still available.

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Wooden shoes with stilts can be seen on a number of 16th century paintings by Dutch artists Pieter Aertsen and Johannes van Doetinchem. In the 17th century the stilts under the wooden shoes disappeared in Holland. The presence of the heel on the shoe probably infuenced the addition of the heel to the wooden shoe and because there was no longer a stilt under the forefoot a thicker sole was needed.[10]

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Wooden shoes with stilts were worn until about 1945 in Denmark and Sweden. They were also long in use in Mid-France. In the northwest of Spain, in the provinces Asturia and Cantabria, the farm-population walked on wooden shoes with stilts until 10 years ago and are still worn sporadically.

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The two “learke” wooden shoes with the beautiful decoration are meant for Sundays and festivities. The decoration called “stippelen” (dotting) is an old technique which was used for painting the floors of corridors and reception rooms. The patterns have been made by a chisel. They originate from Twijzelerheide and Noordbergum. The first one is from willow wood, the second one from poplar.[18, 19]

The wooden shoes from willow wood with a horse’s head on the upper side were made for the aldermen of Dantumadeel. The ear of corn on the painted wooden shoe is typical for the northern provinces. The models from Noordbergum are still made now.[20]

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The black patten is of Belgian origin. Belgian refugees from World War I started their old trade again in Friesland by making so-called “skipperkes” (which means boatman’s wife) from waste wood (small blocks). In the French part of Belgium these pattens were called “batalières” which has the same meaning.[21]

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The “Rijssense kroak” from Rijssen is made from poplar wood. This model comes from the neighbouring Münsterland in Germany. In Rijssen they were worn by old men and shepherds.[42]

The brown-tarred “kapklomp” from Zwolle with its decoration is a typical wooden shoe from the beginning of the 20th century.[44]

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The white painted patten with the sharp line on the upper side has also been made in Enter. They are meant for women in Staphorst. They belong to their costume. Before painting became fashionable the wooden shoes were scrubbed white. The men in Staphorst wore the wooden shoes from Meppel as shown at the province of Drenthe.[43]

The wooden shoe with a carved lion’s head on the upper side is from the former Zuyder Sea island, Schokland. The model shown is a replica copied from an old photograph in the museum of Schokland.[45]

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On Sundays, the women from the former island of Marken wore rose decorated wooden shoes with their costumes. The initials of the owner are placed on the upper side in such a way that she could see at stepping in whether they were hers. This wooden shoe has been decorated by the wellknown wooden shoe painter Jan Moenis.[57] The initials on the black tarred men’s wooden shoe were also painted by Jan Moenis.[58] The carving on the beautiful bridal wooden shoes from Marken have been made by Mr Peereboom, a famous inhabitant of that former island. “Connected six stars” have been carved out on the upper side and “half six stars” around the wooden shoe. The following story is told about these bridal wooden shoes: When a fisherboy from Marken fancied a girl from

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Marken he decorated a pair of wooden shoes for her. If the girl accepted the wooden shoes he was accepted as groom. She only wore the wooden shoes during the bridal days and on her wedding day. After that they were placed beneath the cupboard-bed as a lifelong memento.[59]

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Special wooden shoes This wooden shoe was used by dikers when putting basalt blocks on the sea dikes. The square nose makes it easier to work on one’s knees.[73] [75]

The antique peat-boot from Schoonebeek in the province of Drenthe still has stilts like many medieval wooden shoes in Europe. The leg has been fixed to the clog by wooden pegs.[76]

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The rider wooden shoe was tied to the stirrup in winter to protect the feet against the cold.[74]

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The horse sledge wooden shoe had the same purpose as the rider’s wooden shoe. The wooden shoes were screwed onto the sledge and the shoes were pushed in. They were only used by the nobility. [75]

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A wide sometimes decorated instep belt made them complete. In Wallonia these women’s trips (pattens) were also called “batalières” which means skipper’s wife. After World War I this industry came to an abrupt end. The warehouses were full after four years of work and the wooden shoes were sold for the price of firewood. Sometimes they are still for sale at flea-markets in Belgium. That is the case with this trip for women bought in Mons, an antique hand made “kloef”. Peculiar is the tip, the loose strap across the instep and the leather heel-protector. During carnaval a white paper rose was glued on the instep.[103]

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Sabots from Brittany and Normandy In France Brittany is the province in which the “sabot” has been worn a lot and has been used the longest. That goes for both the work wooden shoe for men and women and for the beautifully decorated “sabots” for Sunday churchgoing. The hut in the woods has served as a “soboterie” for a long time as well. In 1988 there was still such a hut in the ancient wood of Huelgoat. The black varnished “sabot” with long tips is a fine example of a work wooden shoe for women, and is probably an antique model.[111]

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The sculptured woman who can be seen in the market place in Locronan wears the typical work wooden shoe with somewhat rising tips and an instep strap. In the photobook “Archives de Bretagne” simple people wear these “sabots” at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.[112] The Sunday wooden shoe from Camors near Baud is a trip which has been varnished in black and decorated with a rose and an ear of corn. These

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patterns meaning love and fertility have been used on women’s trips all over France.[113]

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Sabots” from the French Pyrenees The mountain farmer in the Pyreness wore “esclops” or “sabots” which he made himself from birch or alder wood. His wooden tools like oxyokes, ploughs and rakes were made at home as well. Anything that was made and was not used by the farmer himself was sold at the market of the nearest town. The farmers of Rambouillet in the east of the Pyrenees went to the market of Ile sûr Tet. It was a day’s march of 30 kilometers along mule paths. For the bakers’ oven they would carry a bundle of faggots on their backs and some pairs of “sabots” on top for the market. When at the end of the 19th century bituminous roads were built, strong footwear came from elsewhere. The farmer changed to these shoes which gave more support than wooden shoes on the rocky soil. The “sabots” with their characteristic iron mounting are from the Central Pyrenees. This mounting was used to stamp loose the peel of the sweet chestnut.[132]

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Bridal wooden shoes with very high tips were worn in the Vallée de Bethmale south of St. Girons.[133] In the village of Aydressein in the valley mentioned, one “sabotier” still made these wooden shoes from walnut wood fifteen years ago. The tree was pulled or warped in a special way so that the wooden shoe could be made from one piece of wood.[134]

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French galoches The medieval “patin” (patten) together with the matching leather slipper was called “galoche”. Later this “galoche” became a clog with a leather upper side.The high “galoche” was used by men as clogshoe at work. The French “galoche” has a wooden nose. In all the other European countries the work clog only has a wooden sole.[136, 137, 138]

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