Heijningen Flood Memorial

Features

Address	Hoge Heijningsedijk (unnumbered)
Zip Code/City	4794 Heijningen
Known by cadastral number	–
Current Position	Monument
Original function	Monument
Year of Manufacture	1955
MIP code	BK035-00250

Explanatory description

History

The flood memorial on Hoge Heijningsedijk was erected in memory of the 76 residents of the municipality of Fijnaart and Heijningen who lost their lives during the February 1953 flood disaster. The base of the monument bears the name of the soldier who died during the rescue efforts: Johannes Everardus Willemsen. The flood memorial, created by Henk Etienne, was unveiled on February 1, 1955, by the then-mayor of the municipality of Fijnaart and Heijningen, Mayor Ter Haar. Over time, the statue became increasingly weathered due to the elements. It was restored in 2008 and re-unveiled on February 1, 2009. Following the municipal reorganization (1997), the new municipality of Moerdijk took over the commemorations. The monument was expanded to honor all victims from the new municipality. A plaque bearing the 103 names of the residents of the municipality of Moerdijk who lost their lives was placed near the existing monument. This plaque was unveiled on February 1, 2003, during the 50th-anniversary commemoration.

Location

The monument is located on Hoge Heijningsedijk in Heijningen, at the intersection with Polderstraat.

Architectural and art-historical features:

Exterior

The statue was created by the Delft sculptor Henk Etienne (1895–1968). It is carved from a type of French limestone (Euville, from the French town of the same name in Lorraine). It depicts a powerful man protecting a frightened woman from an approaching danger. The following text is inscribed on the pedestal:

KILLED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN RESCUE EFFORTS
THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
LIVE ON
IN OUR MEMORIES
FLOOD
FEBRUARY 1, 1953
SOLDIER JOHANNES
EVERARDUS WILLEMSEN
SIGNED: MONOGRAM HE.

The memorial plaque features a stainless steel frame with a Belfast Black granite stone bearing all the names inscribed in white letters, based on a design by Quadrant Architects of Zevenbergen.

Public Interest

The object is of public interest. It has cultural-historical value as a reminder of the 1953 flood disaster and the subsequent reconstruction. It has art-historical value as a unique limestone sculpture by H. Etienne.

Protection

The protection applies to the Flood Monument in Heijningen. The main aspects of
—the elements worthy of protection as historic monuments that are related to the historic values of the entire site—are included in the explanatory description. Future changes or modifications will be assessed against these criteria.

Evaluation Criteria	Subcriteria	Parameter Descriptions	Score	Weighting	Points	Explanation
Silhouette effect	Silhouette Value	The object’s unique, defining significance to the character of its surroundings, neighborhood, city/town, or region	1	2.0	2.0	It holds special significance in relation to its surroundings, though its silhouette is only partially visible.
Silhouette effect	Subtotal			0–6	2.0
Location	Ensemble Value	special significance of the property due to the high quality of the buildings in relation to the historical and spatial context	2	0.5	1.0	Located at the foot of the Hoge Heijningsedijk, in the heart of Heijningen.
	Ensemble Value	the significance of the object as an essential (cultural-historical, functional, and/or architectural-historical and visual) component of a complex	0	0.5	0.0	Not part of a complex.
	situational value	Distinctive location	2	0.5	1.0	The statue stands along a main road at a crossroads. It stands alone, with an unobstructed view on both sides, on a slight elevation, though at the base of the dike.
	situational value	special significance of the property due to its layout, design, or amenities	0	0.5	0.0	The property has no impact on the historic land-division structure.
	Subtotal			0–6	2.0
Form	representativeness	the property’s special significance to the history of architecture and/or construction technology and/or the body of work of a master builder, architect, engineer, or artist	3	1.0	3.0	The sculpture was created by sculptor H. Etienne.
	aesthetic value	significance of the property due to the design's high aesthetic qualities	3	1.0	3.0	The sculpture is made of Euville limestone. It depicts a powerful man protecting a frightened woman from impending danger. There is text inscribed on the pedestal.
	Use of Materials and Ornamentation	significance of the object due to its unique use of materials, ornamentation, and/or monumental art	3	1.0	3.0	The sculpture is a work of art made of Euville limestone.
	integrity/recognizability	significance of the property due to its material, technical, structural, and/or architectural integrity and/or recognizability	3	1.0	3.0	The statue is fairly intact and recognizable, and in good condition. It was restored in 2008 and had a plaque with names added to it in 2003.
	rarity	significance of the building/complex due to its exceptional rarity from an architectural-historical, structural, typological, or functional perspective	3	1.0	3.0	The statue is unique in the municipality of Moerdijk.
	Subtotal			0–15	15.0
Cultural History	cultural and historical value	the significance of the property as a unique expression of cultural, socioeconomic, administrative/policy-related, spiritual, geographic, landscape, historical-spatial, technical, and/or typological development(s)	3	2.0	6.0	As a special tribute to the flood disaster, a central location for commemoration.
	innovativeness	significance of the property due to its innovative value or pioneering nature	0	1.0	0.0	No innovative value.
	sentimental value	significance of the property due to its special sentimental value	3	2.0	6.0	The 1953 flood disaster remains deeply etched in people's memories.
	Subtotal			0–15	12.0
Position	authenticity	the significance of the property as a still clearly recognizable expression of its original or an important historical function	3	2.0	6.0	Still in use as a memorial.
Position	Subtotal			0–6	6.0
Total				0–48	37.0