Since 1992, a statue of Jip and Janneke has been walking their dog Takkie in the Gelderland town of Zaltbommel. But this morning it suddenly appeared to have disappeared without a trace.
The statue is normally on the Waalkade in Zaltbommel. The municipality thinks a New Year’s Eve association is behind the theft, says a spokeswoman. It is not yet known whether the municipality will take steps to restore the image.
Annie M. G. Schmidt
Zaltbommel is the birthplace of the illustrator Fiep Westendorp, who shaped the figures of Jip and Janneke. Writer Annie M. G. Schmidt is the creator of the children’s stories. Westendorp and Schmidt unveiled the statue themselves in 1992.
The sculpture of black painted steel plate was made by artist Ton Koops and stood on a brick plinth.
The image also disappeared once in 2007 as a New Year’s Eve stunt. Zaltbommel then got the image back after the turn of the year.
Stereotype
Jip and Janneke were discredited last month when a Utrecht PvdA politician advocated removing the booklets from the library, because they were too stereotypical and role-affirming.
Are the adventures of Jip and Janneke – who were born in the 1950s – still suitable for the children of today? EditieNL made this report two weeks ago.
