Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis-Fonds

The Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis-Fonds is a Dutch foundation established in July 1914 by A.M. Reens and S.W. Coltof. Reens was an old comrade of Domela Nieuwenhuis who had since adopted a different conviction, while Coltof was among Domela Nieuwenhuis's earliest collaborators. Shocked by the poverty into which Domela Nieuwenhuis was at risk of falling, they collected money from sympathizers to provide him with a carefree old age. After Domela Nieuwenhuis's death, the funds were used to find more suitable housing for his widow and to allow his son César to study. The remaining capital was seized during the Second World War by Rost van Tonningen and only partially recovered afterwards. The fund has been and continues to be used to make payments for the museum and to subsidize activities that keep alive the memory of Domela Nieuwenhuis's life and work. The foundation is associated with the Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis Museum, which maintains a portrait gallery and organizes the annual Domeladag. In 2024, the Historisch Genootschap Wormer donated a woodcut portrait of Domela by the Purmerend artist Jacob Biesboer (1898–1925) to the museum during the Domeladag. The fund remains active in the Netherlands, supporting commemorative and educational initiatives.

The Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis-Fonds was founded in July 1914 by A.M. Reens and S.W. Coltof. Reens was an old comrade of Domela Nieuwenhuis who had since adopted a different conviction, while Coltof was one of Domela Nieuwenhuis's earliest collaborators. Both were alarmed by the poverty in which Domela Nieuwenhuis risked ending his days. To secure him a carefree old age, the fund collected money from sympathizers. After Domela Nieuwenhuis's death, the money was used to find more suitable housing for his widow and to enable his son César to study. The remaining capital was seized during the Second World War by Rost van Tonningen and only partially recovered after the war. It was and continues to be used to make payments for the museum and to subsidize activities that preserve the memory of Domela Nieuwenhuis's life and work. The foundation is closely linked to the Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis Museum, which maintains a portrait gallery and hosts the annual Domeladag. In 2024, the Historisch Genootschap Wormer donated a woodcut portrait of Domela by the Purmerend artist Jacob Biesboer (1898–1925) to the museum during the Domeladag. The fund remains active in the Netherlands.

• 2024

  Historisch Genootschap Wormer donated a woodcut portrait of Domela by Jacob Biesboer to the museum during the Domeladag.

• 1914

  Foundation established in July by A.M. Reens and S.W. Coltof.

• After Domela Nieuwenhuis's death, funds used for housing for his widow and education for his son César.

• During World War II, remaining capital seized by Rost van Tonningen; partially recovered after the war.

A commemorative foundation dedicated to preserving the legacy of Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis.

1. 1Het Domela Nieuwenhuis Fonds - Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuisferdinanddomelanieuwenhuis.nl
2. 2Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis-Fonds - Wikidatawikidata.org