International Four Days Marches Nijmegen
Encyclopedia
Standard categories:
- 30 km x 4 days
- 40 km x 4 days
- 50 km x 4 days
Military category:
- 40 km x 4 days - Wearing uniform + at least 10 kg backpack for persons ages 18 or over (+ water, etc.)
- 50 km x 4 days
Summary
The "vierdaagse" (Dutch for "Four day Event") is an annual walk that has taken place since 1909, being based at Nijmegen since 1916. Depending on age groupDemographic profile
A demographic or demographic profile is a term used in marketing and broadcasting, to describe a demographic grouping or a market segment...
and category, walkers have to walk 30, 40 or 50 kilometers each day for four days. Originally a military event with a few civilians, it now is a mainly civilian event. Numbers have risen in recent years, with over 40,000 taking part - including about 5,000 Military. It is now the world's largest walking event. Due to crowds on the route, since 2004 the organizers have limited the number of participants. The first day of walking is always the 3rd Tuesday in July. Many participants take part every year, including several that have taken part in 50, and even 60 different annual marches.
Each day of the marches is named after the biggest town it goes through. Tuesday is the day of Elst
Elst (Overbetuwe)
Elst is a town in the municipality of Overbetuwe in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Elst is situated in the Betuwe, between the cities of Nijmegen and Arnhem. Elst has 19,743 inhabitants....
, Wednesday the day of Wijchen
Wijchen
' is a municipality and a town in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern part of the Netherlands, at .- Neighbourhoods :Neighbourhoods in Wijchen include:*Centre: Kloosterakker*Wijchen-Oost: Valendries, Oosterweg and Uilenboom....
, Thursday the day of Groesbeek
Groesbeek
Groesbeek is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.-Description:Groesbeek is named after a small stream called the Groesbeek, which in its original form doesn't exist anymore...
and Friday the day of Cuijk
Cuijk
Cuijk is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands of pre-historic origin. Its existence is recorded on the Roman roadmap Tabula Peutingeriana under the name of Ceuclum. Cuijk is twinned with Maldon in Essex, UK. It is a big commuter town with very good public transport services to...
. The routes always stay the same unless there is a specific need to change, as it did in 2007 (route changed in 2006 but cancelled) when the walkers went through the Waalkade on Wednesday for the first time since the original route got too crowded and walkers had to wait for over an hour at some times. 2006 was the first year to be cancelled in 90 years (apart from WW II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
). After the first day's march there were thousands of drop-outs and two deaths because of extreme heat.
On the Friday, as participants near the finish, the public awards the walkers with Gladioli
Gladiolus
Gladiolus is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family...
. A symbol of force and victory stemming from Roman times where gladiators where showered with Gladioli, the Nijmegen walkers are similarly 'showered' in flowers on their arrival. The entry into the city and towards the finish, the St. Annastreet, is for that reason called Via Gladiola during the Nijmegen Marches.
Awards
- Cross for the Four Day MarchesCross for the Four Day MarchesThe Cross for the Four Day Marches is an official Dutch decoration awarded for successful participation in the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen held annually at Nijmegen, Netherlands. The full title of the decoration is the Cross for Marching Proficiency...
(DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Vierdaagskruis): awarded to participants who successfully completed the Four Days Marches according to regulations. The medal is an official Dutch decoration that can be worn on a Dutch military uniform. It is fully named "Cross for demonstrated marching skill", as defined by Royal Decree on 6 October 1909. The walker receives a specific medal depending on the number of times he or she successfully finished the event. The Four Day Marches Cross can be awarded in bronze, silver or gold, which may have a crown above the cross, together with enamelled arms. The ribbon bears numbers and/or a laurel wreath and number or single or double pearl necklace and number, all depending on the number of times the participant has completed the marches. - Group Medal of the Four Day MarchesGroup Medal of the Four Day MarchesThe Group Medal of the Four Day Marches is a non wearable bronze presentation medal awarded to each registered group who successfully completes all four days of the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen held annually at Nijmegen, Netherlands.-Qualification:The medal is awarded by the KNBLO,...
- Orderly Medal of the Four Day MarchesOrderly Medal of the Four Day MarchesThe Orderly Medal of the Four Day Marches is awarded to those who give support to walkers participating in the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen held annually at Nijmegen, Netherlands.It was established in 1965 by the KNBLO, The Orderly Medal of the Four Day Marches (In Dutch:...
History
Physical educationPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
(P.E.) in the Netherlands during the early twentieth century had been organised by teachers and former soldiers, who provided instruction in school gymnastics and basic military training. In the autumn of 1904, sergeants from the 6th Infantry Regiment in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
founded a football club. This created much excitement among the soldiers and on the first anniversary of the club, they organised a tournament which became the 1906 and 1907 Field Army Sports Days. The success of their initiative motivated various sports associations and social organisations to set up an umbrella organisation.
On 3 April 1908 the Dutch Physical Education Association (NbvLO), the first sports umbrella organisation in the Netherlands, was founded in a coffeehouse, het Zuid-Hollandsch Koffiehuis in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. Based on an idea to organise a four days march to the sports days in Breda, proposed in July 1907 by Lieutenant C. Viehoff from Arnhem, the NBvLO designed 15 routes for the first Four Days Marches in 1909. The day after the Queen’s Day
Koninginnedag
Koninginnedag or Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Celebrated on 30 April , Koninginnedag is Queen Beatrix's official birthday. Though Queen Beatrix was born on 31 January, the holiday is observed on 30 April as it was the birthday of her mother and...
celebrations, then in August, Wednesday 1 September, 306 participants set out from ten barracks on the 150 kilometre walk from garrison to garrison. They were accompanied by ten civilians. In Friesland the poor condition of the roads caused their march to be cancelled and three other sections were omitted due to an outbreak of cholera in Rotterdam. ‘The Four Days’ theme was very popular in those days. At various times of the year, other events were held such as a four days (horseback) riding event, a four days cycle event over almost 500 kilometres and four days rowing on our rivers (some of which still exist). In 1910 the Association limited its four days marches to one route from Arnhem through Doesburg, Zutphen and Apeldoorn.
The importance attributed by the government to the performances achieved was already reflected in the recognition of a Decoration to military participants for their marching skills (the Four Days Cross) by Queen Wilhelmina in October 1909.
Utrecht (1911)
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, Nieuw-Milligen
Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000...
(1916), Den Bosch (1918), Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
(1919) and Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
(1924) joined Nijmegen as a starting point or centre of the Four Days Marches, before Nijmegen became the permanent host of the Four Days Marches in 1925. Despite a gradual rise in the number of civilian participants, it was not until 1919 that the first woman successfully completed the Four Days Marches: Mrs N. van Stockum-Metelerkamp from Amersfoort.
In 1928 the first walking club was founded in Rotterdam (Rotterdamse Wandelsport Vereeniging). With Amsterdam hosting the Olympic Games, march leader Jonkheer W. Schorer decided to invite international delegations to the Four Days Marches. Delegations from Germany, France, Norway and the United Kingdom arrived in Nijmegen. The forty British participants of the Road Walking Association
Race Walking Association
The Race Walking Association is the governing body for the sport of race walking in England, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It was founded in 1907 as the Road Walking Association, and organises National Road Walking Championships and is responsible for England teams in international...
were divided into four groups according to social class, all of which won a group prize. Even today, a relay competition is held for the ‘Nijmegen shield’, to which these four medals are attached!
The fame of the Four Days Marches grew during the 1930s, thanks to the efforts of the Koloniale Reserve (Colonial Reserve) in Nijmegen, and in particular the Indonesian ‘nasi’ meal prepared by their cooks. Walkers took home unforgettable memories of pillow fights in the attics of the Prins Hendrik barracks and in the tent camp on the Molenveld. In 1932 H.A. van Mechelen composed the music for a Four Days Marches anthem to words written by J.P.J.H. Clinge Doorenbos. As the years went by, both the organisation and the participants learned what made the Four Days Marches such a special event, renowned throughout the whole (walking) world. While some forty percent of the participants dropped out in 1921 due to the heat wave around Amersfoort (602 reached the finish post), in 1939 there was only a 2.39% drop-out rate - an unrivalled record.
After the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, despite the ravages caused by the bombing of 22 February 1944, Nijmegen took up the challenge of reviving the Four Days Marches. Thanks to a fund-raising campaign among the population and the efforts of many volunteers, its efforts were successful. In 1946 there were more participants than ever before, a trend which would continue.
But the war had left deep scars in 1954 the Four Days Marches organised by the Nederlandse Wandelsport Bond (Dutch Walking Association) started in Apeldoorn. However this did not stop developments in Nijmegen and after several decades there is room for both: Apeldoorn starts its marches on the second Tuesday in July, Nijmegen starts on the third Tuesday.
So after September, August and June, the “last full week of July” (decided on by Major Breunese) has become history.
Rising numbers of participants arriving from all over the world has meant that the Flag Parade had to be relocated from the courtyard of the Prins Hendrik barracks, via the Molenveld and the Wedren to the Goffert stadium
Stadion de Goffert
The Goffertstadion or Stadion de Goffert , formerly known as McDOS Goffertstadion for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Nijmegen, Netherlands, located in the Goffertpark. It is home to football club NEC...
.
Increased prosperity and leisure time meant a rise in the number of countries taking part in the Four Days Marches from 7 or 8 to 60 in 2004. Moreover the predicate ‘Royal’ awarded to the Association (1958) and the participation of HRH Prince Claus resulted in a spectacular rise in the number of participants. By that time, more than a hundred countries have been represented at some time in the Four Days Marches, including many from Eastern Europe after 1989.
In 2004 a restriction on the maximum number of registrations is set for the first time. The maximum number of 47,000 registrations is reached within 6 weeks. One of the 47,500 participants for the 89th Four Days Marches in 2005 is the record-holder Annie Berkhout from Voorburg, a woman who succeeded in finishing the Four Days Marches 66 times. She is an onlooker of the far-reaching measure of a registration limit set by the Stichting DE 4DAAGSE, led by chairman Wim Jansen, being put into practice since 2004. In 2005, the registration limit led to an official drawing by lot, whereas this was not necessary in 2006. The number of registrations for the 90th Four Days Marches did not reach the limit.
Vierdaagsefeesten
During the week of the Vierdaagse the accompanying festivities (known as the Vierdaagsefeesten) always draw a large crowd. It is known as one of the biggest festivities in the Netherlands, drawing a crowd of 1 million visitors. It starts on the Saturday before the marches, and ends on the Friday. There is free music during the week, and special events on each day, such as the famous firework displayFireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
on Tuesday night. Amongst the festivities is the annual rock festival
Rock festival
A rock festival, or a rock fest, is a large-scale rock music concert, featuring multiple acts.The first rock festivals were put on in the late 1960s and were important socio-cultural milestones. In the 1980s a minor resurgence of festivals occurred with charity as the goal.Today, they are often...
de Affaire that takes place every day during the Vierdaagsefeesten.
On Friday, thousands upon thousands of people line last few kilometers of road before the finish to cheer on the walkers. That street, the St. Annastraat, is dubbed "Via Gladiola" for the day (the gladiola is the official flower of the marches, and it is tradition to give them to the participants). As far as a week ahead people will reserve spaces alongside the Via Gladiola by placing chairs and even couches. The finish is also shown on Dutch TV.
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
and Cadets from all over the world send contingents to take part in the marches. In recent years the military participants have numbered approximately ten thousand. Although some military personnel
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
march as individuals, they usually march in teams. Military teams can contain as few as eleven members or as many as thirty. Military teams typically march as a unit and sing marching songs, and as a result are very popular with the crowds. Military teams follow a slightly different route to other participants, this is because they do not start in Nijmegen but in the military camp
Military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites. In the Roman era the military camp had highly...
Heumensoord which is built every year just south of Nijmegen. On Friday military participants change uniforms just a few kilometers before the finish, and their superiors will be waiting for them in the stands at the finish. Military participants have a choice of two options; they either walk 50 km a day or 40km when they have at least 10 kilogrammes of dead weight (if they are over 18 years of age), in addition to large amounts of water to keep hydrated in the heat. When temperatures get too high (as in 2006), the military participants are allowed to walk without their dead weight. This decision was also made in 2006, just before the decision was made to cancel the event as a whole.
Recent Marches
In 2005 Paul Botman, Sr., a tulip breeder named a tulip after the walking event as a thanks to the organization after completing the event.The 92nd Four Day Marches was held from 15 July to 18 July 2008, with 43,450 registered participants, of which 5,018 did not start, and 3,470 who did not finish, leaving 34,962 finishing participants, from 24 nations. The 2008 edition featured 6,620 participants which volunteered in a chip project where a chip was connected to the shoelaces of participants which registered on special floormats on the routes. With the data collected in this way the organization was able to monitor individual progress as well as predict bottlenecks. The chiplace project also allowed for the prediction of rush hours of emergency and first-aid posts and to predict emergency models in case of calamities.
The 2009 93rd Four Day Marches started on 21 July. Registration was from 2 February onwards until 9 April.