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From the Chairman (C.L. Kolff) The board has nine members of which some have special functions and
others not. The regulations state that - if at all possible - all
branches of the family are represented in the board. Presently all
members are from the CB-branch Apart from this the usual criteria
for a board are valid: a proper representation of ages and of gender.
The average age of the board is relatively high and that is why in
the past years some younger members were added. Coming changes will
show that, first, the vice-chairwoman, then the treasurer and also
the chairman will resign. An opportunity for younger members to join
and, apart from this, to create a better representation of the branches.
This way the present board hopes to maintain the vitality of the association,
where all members have the feeling they are well presented in the
board. Feel free to apply!
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From the Editors
This is the 9th edition of De Colve. We are heading for number 10...
and we want your help! With De Colve VIII we started with a theme,
in this issue it has been 'Water'. An issue that could be extended:
many Kolffs have something with water. It is our intention to maintain
the idea of a theme. More in the way of column or feature, then as
theme as a whole for the issue. (..)
Human rights and human wrongs
Marina d'Engelbronner-Kolff tells about her life and work abroad from
1992 - 2003. During these years she taught and conducted research
on human rights and human wrongs in Southern
Africa. |
The Family Archive
The archive of the Kolff Family Association have been transferred
to the Rotterdam Municipal Archive. This was
agreed on by the general assembly of the association in June, 2002.
The archive, which contain amongst other things eight meters of in
total sixty boxes with documents, will be described by professionals
at the Municipal Archive. The documents remain the property of the
Family Association. They are accessible to the public with the restriction
that for documents not older than 50 years permission has to be obtained
from the Family Association.
The boxes contain documents are of the founding of the association
in 1926, secretarial and financial documents, correspondence of
the board, twelve boxes contain portraits and other images, seven
hold documents of several members of the family, sorted by branch,
ten boxes are of the liquidated firm Hollertt & Kolff. Almost
all documents are from the 19th and 20th centuries, but there are
also older pieces such as an image with an older version of our
coat of arms (1670) and documents from Middelharnis from the 17th
century. The board thanks Mrs. E.A.G. van den Bent MA, Municipal
Archivist of Rotterdam, and Mr. Grootveld, Head of Archive and PR
for their advice and their interest in the history of the Kolff
Family.
The Kolff Foundation of 1881
Some time ago the name of this foundation, which was unknown to us,
came to our attention. We discovered that the Kolff Fonds van 1881
was founded by friends in the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies
(now: Indonesia) of Gualtherus J. Kolff (CCB
XIVs) (Dutch pages: CCB XIVs)
after his sudden death in 1881. Gualtherus was a journalist and publisher
and hosted a literary Salon in Batavia, which made him a well known
man in the years between 1850 and 1868. His name survived him in the
name Drukkerij G. Kolff & Co., booksellers, publishers and printers
in the Dutch East Indies. The funds were initially intended to erect
a monument in Leyden, the city where he died, but soon it was decided
to use the funds for a foundation that would continue his spirit.
And so the purpose of the foundation was to assist impoverished Dutch
Indonesian families or widows and orphaned children, things Kolff
did during his life. Further to achieve stronger ties between the
two parts of the kingdom for their mutual benefits. Well known people
formed a board, sent out requests to Kolff 's friends, of which 96
contributed. Of these 96 there were 46 contributors from the Netherlands,
and 50 from the Indies. All together an amount of Dutch Guilders 2295,50
was raised, and a great number of people also reported to the board
that they were prepared to take in children from families in the Indies
whenever necessary. In 1882 the Kolff Fonds of 1881 was approved by
Royal decision. This Kolff Fonds still exists and works closely together
with the still very active HALIN (Hulp aan Landgenoten in Indonesië - Help to Fellow Citizens
in Indonesia), in fact - since a couple of years - the boards of both
organizations consist of the same persons. Persons of which it was
considered important that they had some kind of Dutch Indies background,
a preference that has been dropped in the sixties of the 20th century. |