On June 12, 1672 the Dutch republic was attacked on all sides by France, England and the bishoprics of Cologne and Münster. Within a month, three of the seven provinces had been conquered and the people of Gelderland, Utrecht and Overijssel brutally felt the pinch as foreign soldiers looted, raided and plundered at will. Many fled westward, sailing across the Zuiderzee, where they found refuge in the Waterland region of Holland. In this episode we speak to historian Loek Zoon of Waterlands Archief whose recent work has shone a light on how the towns of Waterland reacted to the sudden surge of strangers, about the people who fled and those who helped them and how the whole event can inform us better as we similarly face a world in which high-level politics distills into dislocation and strife.

Do you want to know more about Flemish and Dutch history and culture? Visit ⁠⁠www.the-low-countries.com⁠⁠.

Our theme music is created by Samuel P K Smith.

Music clips provided by Storyblocks:

"Minimal Documentary Background Music" by Volodymyr Piddubnyk ⁠https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/minimal-documentary-background-music-skxjrbbvvketzhdzl.html

"Documentary Corporate Marimba Background Music" by Media-Music Group ⁠https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/documentary-corporate-marimba-background-music-rivttg71dkk2oc0dt.html

"Escaping Forever" by Michael Vignola https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/escaping-forever-hog3rptosk2xlgdd7.html

"Jazz Bass And Drums Solo" by Volodymyr Piddubnyk https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/jazz-bass-and-drums-solo-bjj7ev19vkhjpmbps.html

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