An Amsterdam expat has published an open letter to complain about the noise from the city’s historic Westerkerk bells — and her Dutch neighbours aren’t impressed.
Wait, what? Yup, this woman moved to a historic city, into an apartment next to a centuries-old church and is now complaining about its bells.
To put this into perspective: that’s as if someone moved into a home right next to an airport and complained about the planes.
But the story gets worse. Through the magic of social media, the woman is now getting some pretty intense online hate, as De Telegraaf writes.
A call for help
Let’s rewind to the beginning.
The whole debacle started on good ol’ Facebook, where an international woman living in Amsterdam wrote an open letter suggesting silencing the belltowers of the Westerkerk at night.
“My partner and I have lived in the neighbourhood for over 2 years now,” she writes, and “before the renovation, bells rang every 15 minutes, all day and night”.
Actie van een groep bewoners rondom de Westerkerk in Amsterdam. Ze wonen al twee jaar in de hoofdstad en willen het klokgeluid van de Westertoren in de nacht laten stoppen. pic.twitter.com/EqHT9h95bh
— Richard van de Crommert (@RichardCrommert) January 22, 2024
The woman had previously contacted the city council about the issue, who told her that “it would need more complaints to make a change”.
So, the woman took it upon herself to call on others who share her annoyance.
In her letter, she asks those who share her sentiment to “ask the City if bells could stop at night in order to guarantee better sleep.” 🔕
Furious Amsterdammers
After the letter has been shared and re-shared hundreds of times, Amsterdam locals and Dutchies from all over the country are now taking to social media to express their opinions.
And they’re frustrated (to say the least).
“Go back to your country”, “learn Dutch”, and “Here starts the bullshit again” — those are just some reactions that have surfaced online.
Other people are saying that “these new Amsterdammers have no idea what this church and this tower means to us.”
The overwhelmed writer of the letter regrets taking to Facebook.
As she tells De Telegraaf: “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt anyone or force anything, just exchange thoughts.” “I do my best [to learn Dutch] and love the city. What should I do now? Move?”
Are Amsterdammers right to ruthlessly attack the woman? No. Is the woman entitled to have an opinion? Yes. But should she have expected bells when she moved next to a church? Also yes.
I’ll say this: If she has enough money to live in the Jordaan neighbourhood, then she has enough money to move into a flat where there will be absolute blissful silence. 👀
What do you think about this discussion? Whose side are you on? Share your thoughts in the comments!
How is this any different from someone who moves to the Red Lights but then expects/encourages the mayor to move them (and thereby potentially increasing their own property value)?
I’d argue they are the same – so then how come one group gets to have their wish (moving the red lights) while the other gets ridiculed?
I’m of the mind that you know what you’re getting into when you buy into a neighbourhood. It’s different if things significantly change after you’ve moved in.
She is free to move. When we come to the Jordaan, we love the bells tolling, even in the middle of the night. Greetings to Hennie on Marnixstraat!!
It takes a bit of time go “get more Dutch” in your system – after that you will enjoy.
Greetings from New Zealand from an expat. John Heynen, Auckland NZ
There have been similar instances in the UK, where people move to a village, buy a property overlooking the cricket pitch & then take the cricket club to court because of about the cricket balls flying towards their house. Didn’t get anywhere.
And my long departed opa lived in the W Amsterdam all his life & ran his life by the Westerkerk bells, particularly the meticulous coffee making ritual on the dot of 11.
My husband & I live close to the church. We love to hear the bells. In fact, I’ve recorded the variations they play every 15 minutes during the hour. When we travel to the USA to visit our grown children, I like listen to them. I guess she’s not happy where she she is living so she should move as the church was there first.