Joint interview with Pien Leukenhaus and Jan-Willem Klink

‘This isn’t really the place for coffee, is it?’ Jan-Willem sits on a stool at the bar in the main hall of the Burgerweeshuis and takes a sip of his brew. Pien, from behind the bar: ‘Normally, we do send visitors to the Burgercafé for coffee or tea, but this is an interview, not a concert or a dance night. Just this once, it’s allowed. Our menu is constantly changing, by the way. For instance, we’ve recently started serving sweet shots for the younger crowd. But coffee in the hall? No, that’s a bridge too far.’

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Pien is the volunteer coordinator at the Burgerweeshuis. She manages a pool of 124 volunteers. ‘We still get new applications almost every week. Without us even having to try. People know how to find us.’ The bars, among other things, are run by volunteers. Pien herself doesn’t usually work behind the beer taps. Once the volunteers have taken their places during a concert or club night, she takes on the role of hostess and floor manager.

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‘What do you find in the drain? A summary of the night’

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New recruits have to go through an initiation—an unofficial one, but still: “drain duty.” Jan-Willem, pointing to the grate in the middle of the hall: ‘At the end of the night, we always went around with a fire hose and a bucket of soapy water.’ Pien: ‘That’s still the case.’ Jan-Willem: ‘Entire nights disappeared down that drain. But there would always come a moment when the drain got clogged. You guessed it: someone has to reach in by hand. A job for the newbies. What do you find in there?’ He laughs: ‘A summary of the night.’

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A few tokens for less

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Jan-Willem was a volunteer at the Burgerweeshuis for over ten years. First behind the bar, later at the door. ‘What Go Ahead Eagles is to football fans, the Burgerweeshuis is to me: coming home. One day, my friend and the then-director, Pascal Bouma, dragged me in by my hair. I was summoned, so to speak. He said: “I’ll see you tomorrow at eight, or seven-thirty is fine too.”’ Jan-Willem didn’t resist, because, as he knows, you build places like the Burgerweeshuis together. ‘Besides, as a volunteer at Burger, I didn’t have it so bad. I could go to all the concerts and got a few tokens for less.’

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‘Without volunteers, we might as well close the place down’

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In daily life, Klink, as most people call him, is a supporter coordinator at Go Ahead Eagles. He experiences a similar dynamic there. ‘Volunteers are the backbone that keeps organizations like Go Ahead and Burger afloat.’ Pien agrees: ‘Without volunteers, we might as well close the place down.’ Jan-Willem: ‘And it works both ways, right? Clubs like these can’t do without people, and people can’t do without clubs. I’ve attended funerals and weddings at Burger. We humans are social creatures; we look for connection. It’s not for nothing that some call Go Ahead Eagles a red-and-yellow church. Everyone wants to belong somewhere, don’t they?’

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‘Good story, this’

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Volunteers at the Burgerweeshuis call themselves “Weesjes” (Little Orphans). Pien: ‘That’s no coincidence either. The sense of community is strong; people have found each other here. Take a group of Syrian guys in our pool. They started here years ago when they were still living in the asylum seekers’ center. By now, they feel at home here, and partly because of Burger, they’ve come to love Deventer and the Netherlands too.’

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Jan-Willem: ‘If we’re dissecting the place anyway, the last syllable is “huis” (house). That’s how Burger feels: like home—accessible and safe. You always know someone here; you’re never anonymous. It’s a “we know each other” culture. And if you’re new and don’t know anyone yet, you’ll fit in quickly. Is that the Hanseatic mentality? Maybe. Deventer has always been a place where people come and go.’

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Pien: ‘On paper, Deventer is a city; in its heart, it’s a village. We are a down-to-earth people. The result is a unique, pleasant sense of camaraderie.’ For that reason, trouble is rare at the Burgerweeshuis. Pien gets up from her stool and walks to a red button to the left of the row of refrigerators. She presses it, but nothing happens. ‘Good story, this. It’s off now, but during shows, an alarm would go off. Just in case there is any trouble. Partly because of that button, volunteers feel safe. We’re a small venue; security is on the scene quickly.’

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“We know each other” culture

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Jan-Willem: ‘There will always be minor scuffles; it’s the same at Go Ahead. Put a bunch of people together with alcohol, and things will go wrong eventually. It’s part of it. We all have to slip up once in a while, don’t we? The question is: how have you handled it? With a button like that and a few security guards, I think you’re well covered. Besides, social pressure does its work. Because of the friendly atmosphere and the “we know each other” culture, people know they have something to lose here. You don’t have to do much to ensure that everyone in town is talking about you tonight.’

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‘I think the municipality should embrace both institutions more’

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In an attempt to capture the character of the Burgerweeshuis, the same words keep coming up: unique, friendly, approachable. Jan-Willem: ‘But that’s how it is. It’s not for nothing that the press always writes so glowingly about both the Burgerweeshuis and Go Ahead. I really think the municipality should embrace both institutions more. Does a total stranger still think of “koek” (gingerbread) when they hear Deventer? I don’t think so. Come on, people, we are your calling card.’

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A tentative kiss

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Volunteers, a social function, a unique and welcoming atmosphere: drawing parallels between the Burgerweeshuis and Go Ahead Eagles is not that difficult. To strengthen their core values, 'Burger' and 'Kowet' joined forces earlier this year. "As icons of the city, both parties understand the power of collaboration and want to have a positive impact on the development of talent and young people in the region," stated the press release announcing the partnership.

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Jan-Willem laughs. "Nice words. I see it this way: they’ve been fond of each other for a while, now they’ve started flirting. Maybe there’s even a tentative kiss here and there." Pien: "We are organizing a 'Make your own club song' workshop with the Young Eagles this autumn." Jan-Willem: "Very good. Who knows where that will lead in the future. Given the current situation, I think it’s smart for the Burgerweeshuis to anchor itself even more firmly in the city."

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"It’s a beautiful black hole, but one that is in need of replacement"

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Because there is indeed another parallel to be drawn: both Go Ahead Eagles and the Burgerweeshuis are ready for a larger, more modern home with a higher level of service. Plans are currently being forged at the Vetkampstraat for the expansion of the stadium, while preserving its character and identity. If all goes well, construction will begin after the current football season. At the Bagijnenstraat, there are mostly questions. Pien: "Of course, it’s a beautiful black hole where we’re sitting now with our coffee, but it is a black hole that is in need of replacement."

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Made by people

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Years ago, Go Ahead Eagles threatened to build a new stadium by the highway. Everyone who has any connection to Go Ahead is glad that didn't happen. Elsewhere in the country, for example at AZ, you can see what that leads to. Jan-Willem: "The service level is good in Alkmaar, but the soul is missing. What makes Burger, Burger? That is what you have to build on." Pien: "If you ask our volunteers that question, they mention things like the cozy, small-scale feel and the characterful building. The Havenkwartier was great in that respect."

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Jan-Willem: "I get that, but in principle, you could create something like that anywhere, right? I was recently in Leuven in a beautiful venue. From the outside, it looked terrible, but inside it was top-notch—very atmospheric. You could even do that in the Schouwburg. But then you want to welcome guests at your own front door, at the very least. In my eyes, that’s where the party should start. Burger is a unique institution with forty years of history, made by people. Those people deserve a place of their own."

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Photography: Isabelle Renate la Poutré

Interview: Job Hulsman