Stockfish and Deventer koek
New permanent exhibition at the Waag
From 10 December 2011 onwards
Whoever wants to know why Deventer grew into such a flourishing town would do well to pay a visit to the Waag. The suitable location beside the river IJssel and the flourishing trade in Stockfish (dried and unsalted fish, usually cod), and Deventer koek (honey-cake) makes Deventer an important Hanseatic town with a big annual market. After 1850, industrial developments caused a new regeneration of the town. This exciting multimedia-based exhibition brings the history of Deventer to life!
An introductory film brings the oldest maps, drawings and prints to life. It shows the lively trade in international products such as wood, woolen fabrics (blankets), salt, grain, spices, stockfish and herring. De Brink was the busiest economic centre. The Waag itself is the symbol of the flourishing trade. The audio tour tells all sorts of background stories about the stockfish, the Deventer coinage, and the unique, extremely long membership list of the merchant guild. For the period from 1249 till 1387, this document mentions as many as 1455 names.
Industry in those days
The secret recipe for Deventer koek was
renowned from around 1400 onwards, and a large number of them were
exported. The town was also well-known for its Deventer carpet.
Ankersmit produced cotton fabrics that were exported all over the
world. The iron foundry of Nering Bögel was an important employer,
as were the Eerste Nederlandse Rijwielfabriek (First Dutch Bicycle
Factory) of Hendrik Burgers and the Auping bed factory, and the
tins and cans factory of Thomassen & Drijver also enjoyed a
great deal of success.
