Winterswijk’s Timeless Charm: 1920 in Radiant Color!

This captivating colorized footage unveils the picturesque town of Winterswijk, located in the eastern Netherlands within the Achterhoek region of Gelderland Province, in 1920—over a century ago—offering a vibrant glimpse into its pre-war rural beauty. Filmed as a silent documentary in vivid hues, the film captures Winterswijk’s charming streets, historic timber-framed houses, and bustling market squares, set against the rolling hills and farmland typical of the Achterhoek. Founded around 1000 AD as an isolated farming community, Winterswijk’s early 20th-century life is showcased through scenes of horse-drawn carts, local villagers in traditional attire, and the town’s quaint architecture, including landmarks like the De Vreeheide estate and the St. Jacob’s Church. With a population of about 15,000 in 1920, the footage reflects the town’s peaceful, agrarian lifestyle before the road to Zutphen via Winterswijk was built in 1830, boosting connectivity, and before the mass emigration to Michigan around 1840. A dazzling window into Winterswijk’s golden age, this restored archive grips history buffs, Dutch heritage enthusiasts, and travel lovers, offering a vivid glimpse of the town frozen in time.