Photo exhibition: The Story of Jan and Lies
From 29 July, a photo exhibition about Lange Jan and Lange Lies, two well-known chimneys of the Oranje-Nassau Mines, can be seen at SCHUNCK Library.
Price
€ 0,-
Historian Marcel Put curated the exhibition. His book ‘The Story of Jan and Lies’ is also available in the SCHUNCK museum shop.
In August 1976, Heerlen’s skyline changed in two blows. The first came from the 155-metre-high Lange Lies (tall Lies) chimney. She fell exactly as planned, into the bed prepared for her. Five days later, on Saturday 21 August, it was the turn of the 130-metre-high Lange Jan (tall Jan). Carnival singer Wiel Knipa called him ‘a friend waiting for you’ in the Lange Jan Marsj. Jan fell the wrong way, damaging several houses, including an office villa belonging to the Oranje-Nassau Mines. Fortunately, no one was injured. People soon began speaking of ‘Lange Jan’s revenge’.
Lies was 25 metres taller than Jan, but she always stood in his shadow. Even in the end. Jan was given a memorial card, a funeral attended by around 20,000 mourners and a coffee table for two thousand guests. There was nothing for Lies.
Not a ‘lieu de mémoire’, but an ‘idée de mémoire’
Would you like to know more about these two chimneys? Then come to the coffee table for Lange Lies and Jan on Saturday 29 August, at at Festivalplein during Cultura Nova.
Coffee table for Lange Lies and Jan
Fifty years after they were forced to leave Heerlen, the Nederlands Mijnmuseum, SCHUNCK and Stichting Ouwe Leem, with support from PANDA, are bringing Heerlen’s best-known pair back to life during Cultura Nova: not just Jan, but Lies too. At the coffee table, we will share their stories through words, song and images. Naturally, with black coffee and black plum flan, just as it was fifty years ago. Everyone who wants to share their memories is welcome at the table.
Registration
Would you like a place at the coffee table for Lange Lies and Jan? Share your memory with us. You can do so in writing, through images and/or sound, via info@nederlandsmijnmuseum.nl.
Even if you do not want or are unable to sit at the table, you are of course welcome to send in your story. We would love to hear your memory.
Practical information
- Date: Saturday 29 August
- Time: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
- Location: Festivalplein
- Cost: free
Drop-in is from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM. The coffee table for Lange Lies and Jan starts at 1:00 PM.
The coffee table is a collaboration between the Nederlands Mijnmuseum, SCHUNCK and Stichting Ouwe Leem, with support from PANDA.