Before you stands De Reus van Bickerseiland since 1647. A weathered giant a testament to Amsterdam’s rich maritime past.
This statue’s story begins not here but centuries ago. It started life as a figure adorning the mansion of Jan Bicker a prominent Amsterdammer. Bicker a successful merchant shipbuilder and even burgomaster purchased Bickerseiland in 1631. He built a grand house complete with a tower. From this tower he could watch his ships arrive and depart. A drawing from 1647 shows De Reus perched above the mansion’s entrance. It was likely a depiction of Mars the Roman god of war. A ship’s carpenter in Bicker’s employ may have crafted it.
After Bicker’s death around 1700 the mansion’s tower was demolished. De Reus however survived. It found a new home on the De Reus shipyard. There it became a symbol of the yard’s motto No task is too great no challenge insurmountable.
The statue’s journey continued. In 1850 De Reus was sold to Machinefabriek HK Jonker & Zoon. Luckily then-burgomaster Cornelis Fock intervened. He ensured the statue’s preservation. Years later around 1951 De Reus was in poor condition. A Jonker & Zoon carpenter D Rijnsdorp created a replica. This replica was unveiled in a ceremony attended by burgomaster Arnold d’Ailly.
In 1972 Jonker & Zoon left Bickerseiland. Their director took De Reus to Alicante Spain as a memento. For nearly a decade the statue was lost. Then in 2000 island residents began a search. They found De Reus in Canada with a Jonker descendant. The descendant donated the statue. A global journey ensued. It finally arrived back in Amsterdam in 2009.
De Reus was restored in 2011. It stands on a custom plinth designed by artist Egon Schrama. The plinth features lines from a poem Jan Witte wrote for the statue. It rests near the water on Touwslagerstraat close to where Jan Bicker’s house once stood.
De Reus is more than just a statue. It’s a symbol of perseverance resilience and the enduring spirit of Bickerseiland. It’s a reminder of the island’s rich history and the community that fought to bring this piece of their heritage home. A truly remarkable tale of Amsterdam’s past.