Deventer is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel on the east bank of the IJssel river. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen was merged with Deventer as part of a national effort to reduce bureaucracy in the country.

Population centres

• Deventer
• Colmschate
• Diepenveen
• Lettele
• Okkenbroek
• Schalkhaar
• Apenhuizen
• Bathmen
• Dortherhoek
• Loo
• Pieriksmars
• Zuidloo

Deventer (city)

Deventer was probably founded by the English missionary Lebuinus around 768, who built a wooden church on the border of the IJssel. This was not the first human settlement at the location: in Roman age there probably was a stronghold called Daventria in place. The favorable location has probably seen habitation ever since.

City Rights and Medieval Times

Deventer received city rights in 956. From this date fortifications were built around the city for defense. Between 1000 and 1500, Deventer grew to be a flourishing trade city because of its harbour on the river IJssel, which was reachable for large ships. The city was a member of the Hanseatic League.

Deventer is the place of birth of Geert Groote and home to his Brethren of the Common Life, a school of religious thought that was of great influence on Thomas a Kempis and Erasmus in later times.

World War II

In its long history, Deventer has seen very few military engagements but her industrial area and harbour were bombed heavily during World War II. Luckily, her city centre was largely spared and the city has a scenery which has remained largely unchanged for the past few centuries.

A female Jewish poet and writer, Etty Hillesum, lived in Deventer during the war before being deported to Auschwitz.

Deventer has been somewhat popular with the filmindustry; the famous film A Bridge Too Far shot all of her scenes taking place in nearby Arnhem in Deventer as Arnhem herself no longer had a historic center.

Modern Times

More recently, the city hosts two events of national and even international fame. In august there is a book-fair, attracting some 400.000 visitors and being the largest in Europe. In december there's the Dickens Festival, which sees some of the oldest streets and alleys in the city dressed up in Victorian style, as per Dickens' writings. The latter attracted 135.000 visitors in 2004.

External link

Official website