Eerde
Encyclopedia
Eerde is a hamlet in the Dutch
province of Overijssel
. It is a part of the municipality of Ommen
, and lies about 21 km northwest of Almelo
.
At the heart of the Eerde hamlet lies Eerde castle, a castle in the Dutch-classical style from 1715, surrounded by a 1,667 hectare estate
in the Baroque
style managed by the Natuurmonumenten
foundation since 1965.
The first castle on this site was built in the 14th century, but was soon destroyed by the forces of the Archbishop of Utrecht
in 1380. The Van Twickelo, Van Renesse
and Van Pallandt families have lived in castles on this site since.
In the early 1920s, baron Philip van Pallandt
deeded the castle and surrounding land to the Order of the Star in the East
, an organization connected to the famous philosopher and spiritual teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti
, of whom the baron was an avid follower. The Order held annual gatherings of its members in the castle grounds until its dissolution in 1929; the deed to the estate was officially transferred back to the van Pallandt family in 1931, however Krishnamurti continued to occasionally use the estate for lectures and meetings until the outbreak of World War II
. During the war the estate had been used as a concentration camp (Camp Erika
) by the occupying German forces, and afterwards Krishnamurti felt this precluded its use as a proper meeting space.
Nowadays the castle houses the private international boarding school Eerde, which offers the IB programme.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
province of Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
. It is a part of the municipality of Ommen
Ommen
Ommen is a municipality and a Hanseatic city in the Vecht valley of the Salland region, which is at the heart of the province of Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands. Historical records first name Ommen in the early 12th century and it was officially founded as a city in 1248...
, and lies about 21 km northwest of Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
.
At the heart of the Eerde hamlet lies Eerde castle, a castle in the Dutch-classical style from 1715, surrounded by a 1,667 hectare estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
in the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style managed by the Natuurmonumenten
Natuurmonumenten
Vereniging tot Behoud van Natuurmonumenten in Nederland is a Dutch organisation founded in 1905 by Jac. P. Thijsse, that buys, protects and manages nature reserves in the Netherlands. It was awarded the Gouden Ganzenveer in 1986....
foundation since 1965.
The first castle on this site was built in the 14th century, but was soon destroyed by the forces of the Archbishop of Utrecht
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht
The Archdiocese of Utrecht is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands. The archdiocese is the metropolitan for 6 suffragans, the dioceses of Breda, Groningen-Leeuwarden, Haarlem-Amsterdam, Roermond, Rotterdam, and 's-Hertogenbosch....
in 1380. The Van Twickelo, Van Renesse
Van Renesse
Van Renesse is an old Dutch aristocratic family that stems from the town of Renesse in Zeeland.-History:There is some debate regarding the origin of the family; some historians claim that they are the Renesse family was a branch of the German Sayn dynasty. The family played an important role as...
and Van Pallandt families have lived in castles on this site since.
In the early 1920s, baron Philip van Pallandt
Philip baron van Pallandt
Philip Dirk baron van Pallandt, heer van Eerde was a Scoutmaster in the early years of Dutch scouting. He was the owner of Gilwell Ada's Hoeve on his Eerde Estate, which he gave to Scouting in 1923....
deeded the castle and surrounding land to the Order of the Star in the East
Order of the Star in the East
The Order of the Star in the East was an organization established by the leadership of the Theosophical Society at Adyar, India, from 1911 to 1927...
, an organization connected to the famous philosopher and spiritual teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti or , was a renowned writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive change in society...
, of whom the baron was an avid follower. The Order held annual gatherings of its members in the castle grounds until its dissolution in 1929; the deed to the estate was officially transferred back to the van Pallandt family in 1931, however Krishnamurti continued to occasionally use the estate for lectures and meetings until the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war the estate had been used as a concentration camp (Camp Erika
Kamp Erika
Kamp Erika was during the Second World War, a Nazi concentration camp, Arbeitseinsatzlager Erika, was situated at the Besthemerberg. Only eight Jews were detained here; the camp was designated mostly for Dutchmen convicted of black market trade or resistance to the occupational authorities...
) by the occupying German forces, and afterwards Krishnamurti felt this precluded its use as a proper meeting space.
Nowadays the castle houses the private international boarding school Eerde, which offers the IB programme.