Isn’t it remarkable how one person’s vision can leave such a lasting impact? Right here we stand before the Monument Peter Wilhelm Janssen. It is a tribute to a man who significantly shaped Amsterdam and beyond.
Peter Wilhelm Janssen was born in 1821. He wasn’t born in the Netherlands. He was born on the island of Wangerooge, part of Germany at the time. Janssen moved to Amsterdam in 1843. He started working for the firm Lavino. He became a Dutch citizen in 1865.
Janssen made his fortune in the grain trade. Later, he co-founded the Deli Company in 1869. He partnered with Jacob Nienhuys. They cultivated high-quality tobacco in Deli, Sumatra. Janssen invested 30000 Dutch Guilder. The first harvest brought a net profit of 37000 Dutch Guilder. Janssen managed the sales from Amsterdam. Nienhuys managed the plantations. The company became very successful.
But P.W. Janssen was more than just a businessman. He was also a philanthropist. He believed his wealth should benefit others. Janssen supported many charitable causes. He established the P.W. Janssen’s Friesche Stichting in 1903. This foundation combatted poverty in Friesland. He bought land and set up farms. Impoverished laborers received livestock. They could cultivate the land. Janssen invested 30000 Dutch Guilder in land and houses.
Janssen also founded a courtyard for poor people. It was on the Da Costastraat. It is now called ‘t P.W. Janssenhofje. He initiated “Ons Huis”. It was a place with many children’s clubs. They were for the development of the working class.
This monument to Peter Wilhelm Janssen was unveiled in 1908. Jacob Theodoor Cremer unveiled it. He was a former minister and chairman of the committee. The mayor of Amsterdam, Wilhelmus Frederik van Leeuwen, attended the unveiling. The monument features a bronze bust of Janssen. It sits on a granite pedestal. The inscription reads “Peter Wilhelm Janssen 1821-1903”.
The sculptor Bart van Hove created this monument. It stands four meters tall. The monument was temporarily removed. This was during the replacement of the fountain with a paddling pool. It was reinstalled in 1955.
Janssen died in 1903 in Amsterdam. He is buried at Zorgvlied Cemetery. His grave monument is a national monument.
Notice the German saying under the names of Janssen and his wife. It says “Thue Recht und Scheue Niemand”. That means “Do right and fear no one”. It reflects Janssen’s commitment to justice.
The P.W. Janssen Stichting continues its work today. It focuses on social-cultural work in Friesland. Peter Wilhelm Janssen’s legacy lives on. He is remembered as an entrepreneur and a benefactor.