The village of Raard in Friesland was brutally shocked on New Year’s morning in 2013 during the celebration around the New Year’s bonfire. A motorist drove into the spectators. There were 17 injured, one of whom died in hospital on New Year’s Day. A cheerful village tradition suddenly came to a cruel end.
Drive in
Raard celebrated New Year’s Eve 2012-2013 with, among other things, a New Year’s fire. A motorist drove into a group of people watching the bonfire. The driver is a 42-year-old woman from Dokkum, who drove past the bonfire with three children in the car. The tracks show that she did not brake. Due to the lack of skid marks, it is impossible to determine how fast the car was traveling. The police do not suspect intent and the woman had not been drinking.
Fatal victim
One of the victims died from his injuries. It is 59-year-old Tjibbe Klaas Veenema who was hit so hard that he died on New Year’s Day 2013. The other injured people have broken bones and concussions, abrasions and bruises. The injured all come from Raard-Bornwird.
Local Interest
Chairman of Local Interest van Raard, Thom Feddema, is one of the injured. He landed on the hood of the car. Raard forms a twin village together with Bornwird. Feddema soon takes on the task of shielding fellow villagers from the media. Some national news channels visit houses in the village looking for testimonies. Feddema has nothing good to say about this way of working. On January 5, 2013, a few days after the accident, he gave an interview to the Leeuwarder Courant in which he talked about his experiences. Just as in the Marianne Vaatstra case , there is a role for the chairman of the village interest. Feddema takes that role seriously and becomes the spokesperson on behalf of the residents.
Raard-Bornwird
Raard was a farming community and has become a commuter village. Almost everyone works outside the village and commutes to, for example, Leeuwarden, Dokkum or Groningen. There are only a few who have continued to work on the farm in the village. Raard is located in a shrinking area, but the village itself is growing. It is therefore also called the White Raven of the municipality in the municipality. Raard has 228 inhabitants, Bornwird 130.
Firework
The intersection of De Tange and De Buorren has been the location of a bonfire for 38 years. Previously this was on Queen’s Day, but later during New Year’s Eve. For decades before January 1, 2013, villagers have been gathering at the cross just outside their village. The tow crew collects the wood. Previously everything went on the fire, but in the year of the accident and years before, the men only collect clean wood. The residents of Raard even organize a real fireworks show together. Young people go door to door in the New Year to collect money with which they can buy beautiful fireworks. The entire village can then enjoy grand fireworks during New Year’s Eve. The fire only starts after the fireworks. Raard-Bornwird shakes hands at the intersection and wishes each other a Happy New Year on the street. Another bottle is uncorked and the get-together takes place in a pleasant atmosphere.
Blubbery
Due to rainfall at the end of 2012, the verge at the intersection was muddy. The spectators therefore took a step back and stood from the road to watch and enjoy the fire. Because of the smoke, the revelers from the B-road De Bourren switched to De Tangen. The speed limit on the road is 80, but during the bonfire, motorists steer carefully around the group. Until things went wrong at a quarter to two on New Year’s morning 2013. A blue Suzuki Alto drives into the group and 17 people are injured. Feddema is one of them. He is injured in the head.
Emergency workers
First aid is provided by the villagers themselves. Professional help is quickly available and the victims are transported to hospitals in Dokkum, Drachten, Leeuwarden, Sneek and Groningen.
Meeting
On Tuesday, January 1, 2013, Raarders will meet in the village hall. Mayor Marga Waanders, who lives near Raard, is present. Few questions are asked: after all, everyone had been there themselves. During a meeting in the De Nije Pôle village hall on Wednesday, January 2 of that year, there will be an opportunity to talk about the event. Attention is paid to the deceased man, the other victims and also to the person who caused the accident. She is also a victim, the people from Raard-Bornwird believe.
Employ
On Sunday January 6, 2013 there will be a special church service in the village. The victims of the accident, except the two who are still in hospital, are present at the service. All 200 places in the church are occupied. The service can also be followed outside in a tent via a video connection. There are another 200 people there. The accident is commemorated. The press is not welcome at the service.
Psalm 121 is central during the service: ,I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth., The mountains represent the difficulties, the pastor explains, that the village faces. Children paint a painting about this same theme during the children’s service. The communal work of art becomes a lasting memory of the event. Those who were unable to attend the service can see it later; the service is recorded.
A year later
In the villages of the municipality of Dongeradeel, the municipality to which Raard also belongs, the New Year of 2013 -2014 was modestly celebrated. This year there were only burns in the villages of Hantum, Nes, Metslawier and Morra-Lioessens. In previous years there were more and bigger fires. New regulations in the municipality of Dongeradeel will be responsible for the smaller number of bonfires. The organization of a bonfire must apply for a permit from the municipality. The dramatic accident at Raard was the basis for the new regulations. Raard commemorated the accident a year later with a meeting in the village. A tree was already planted at the accident site in 2013.
Weird
Legend
A . Raard
B . Bornwird
C . Dokkum
D. _ Leeuwarden
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- Leeuwarder Courant – Daily newspaper of the province of Friesland