Drenkelingenhuisje Oost-Vlieland - Special buildings

The Drenkelingenhuisje is an iconic building on the Dutch Wadden Island of Vlieland. It stands on the Vliehors, a vast sandy beach on the west side of the island, and has a rich history as a refuge for stranded sailors. The cottage is now a popular place that offers visitors a glimpse into the life of the rescuers and the rescued on the Vliehors.

The Drenkelingenhuisje was built in 1879 as part of the rescue network on Vlieland. The cottage was intended as a shelter for stranded sailors who got stuck on the sandbanks off the coast. At that time, navigating the Wadden Sea was a dangerous undertaking, and ships regularly got stuck in the shallow waters around Vlieland. The Drenkelingenhuisje provided a welcome shelter for the crews waiting to be rescued.

The cottage is a small, white-painted building that could accommodate no more than eight people. The inside is sober and functional, with a wooden bench and table in the middle, and a stove against the wall. In the corner is a small pantry where food and water were kept for the stranded sailors. A narrow ladder leads to an attic where extra bedding and clothing were stored.

In the early years of the Drenkelingenhuisje, life for the rescuers and the rescued was hard and dangerous. The Vliehors is an inhospitable area with strong winds, high waves and quicksand. If a ship got into trouble, the rescuers had to spring into action with their horses and chariots, which were specially adapted to drive over the sand. They had to act quickly to save the stranded crews before the flood engulfed them.

Over the years, several improvements have been made to the rescue network on Vlieland, including the introduction of motorized rescue vehicles and a helicopter. The Drenkelingenhuisje was closed in the 1950s as a refuge for stranded sailors, but the building was preserved as a reminder of the rich history of rescue work on Vlieland.

Today, the Drenkelingenhuisje is a popular museum that offers visitors a glimpse into the life of the rescuers and the rescued on the Vliehors. The museum shows, among other things, photos and objects that were used in rescue operations, and gives a picture of the hard life of the rescuers in earlier times. The Drenkelingenhuisje is an important cultural heritage