[Natasha Powell from B&NES Library Service.]
A book telling the incredible tale of how Bath came to be linked with a small historic city in North Holland has become available in libraries across Bath and North East Somerset.
“The Remarkable Journey of Mr Prins” was written by local author and translator Aletta Stevens. The book tells the tale of Eli Prins, a Jewish activist from Alkmaar. Mr Prins made a daring escape in 1940 from his home town as Hitler’s army was invading the Netherlands.
After a perilous crossing of the North Sea in a small fishing boat, Mr Prins came to stay in Bath, where his sister Rose was living with her English husband.
Mr Prins made many friends in wartime Bath, and in 1945, the city was given special permission by the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina to adopt Alkmaar and help it recover from the effects of the war. Part of the support was hosting 50 Alkmaar children in Bath over Christmas 1945.
Aletta Stevens said it was an old black and white photo, reproduced in the local paper in Bath, which first triggered her interest in the story.
“I am half-Dutch myself and was brought up in Holland, so I was intrigued by the picture of 50 Dutch children from Alkmaar arriving in Bath in December 1945. Why were they there, I wondered? The more I found out, the more fascinating and moving the story became. Researching the book was a pleasure. It’s a tale of tragedy, defiance and compassion, with sadly many echoes of issues we are still facing in Europe today.”
L. to R.: Sarah Deacon, Cllr Ruth Malloy, Natasha Powell, Aletta Stevens, Dick-Jan Bray.
The books were donated by the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association as part of its celebration of 80 years of the two cities being linked. Joining author Aletta Stevens was Chairman of the Alkmaar Exchange Committee, Dick-Jan Bray. The books were accepted by Sarah Deacon and Natasha Powell of the Library Service, and Cllr Ruth Malloy, the Council twinning advocate.
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Communications and Community at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We are honoured to receive this special gift which marks 80 years of international friendship with Alkmaar and our two communities continuing our commitment to each other. I hope the kind donation of this fascinating book will entice residents to learn more about Alkmaar and our shared history.”
Over the past 8 decades of the city-link, thousands of people from each city have travelled to the other on school visits or as members of sports or other community clubs and many long-lasting friendships have been established.
The donation was held during a week of special events, displays, talks and guided walks, held to highlight the continuing community and civic links between the two cities.
A linked story is that of Dr Rosenberger who settled in Bath at the same period and who was related to the Prins family. Dr Walter Rosenberger established a new home for Keesings Archives a Dutch publication of monthly unbiased world news which would have been banned under the Nazi Occupation. It was written in a Bath office and printed in Keynsham . Had a long life here then published by Longman and others.