Good news for all Efteling fans. After three years, the oldest building in thepark has been rebuilt and with it the resident returns: Vrouw Holle. Extraspecial for designer Robert-Jaap Jansen and his 88-year-old mother Ella, whoonce modeled for the snow lady.
Written by
Sven de Laet
It was a bit of a swallow for many enthusiasts, when the iconic, but outdatedhouse was demolished at the end of 2019 for safety reasons. After all, thatwas already there around 1940, years before the Efteling existed. It wasoriginally built as a wooden log cabin for the scouting scouts. Later, afamily even lived there, who could no longer stay in their own destroyed housedue to war bombing.
The cottage was originally a log cabin for the scouts (photo: Eftelingarchive).
When the Well of Vrouw Holle was added to the Fairytale Forest in 1952, theadjacent house was also given a makeover by Anton Pieck. After that it was,among other things, a souvenir shop and a fairytale museum, but it was notuntil 2006 that it actually became the house of Vrouw Holle.
All this thanks to designer Robert-Jaap Jansen, who got the idea during a walkthrough the Fairytale Forest. “How funny would it be if Mrs. Holle appearedevery so often in that nice little house to really make it snow?”
“Then came the question if anyone knew a nice Woman Holle.”
The management of Efteling also agreed with this plan. “The nice thing wasthat there was a beautiful drawing by Anton Pieck in the archive, on whichVrouw Holle shakes out a pillow.”
A nice starting point, but to bring the fairy tale to life, something extrawas needed. “Someone had to model so we could see how the doll had to move.Then the question came if anyone knew a nice Woman Holle. Well, I couldsometimes poll my mother.”
On the left the sketch by Anton Pieck, on the right Ella Jansen as a model.
Mother Ella herself didn’t hesitate for a second: “I’m up for all kinds ofcrazy things.” She remembers everything about that day in the park. “I had toput on a long dress and a big hat. Well, that was sweltering hot.” Robert-Jaaplaughing: “We let her walk up and down again and again. There is a photo,where she is completely exhausted.”
Still, it was all worth it, according to the proud son. “At one point shejokingly said, ‘Shall I make it snow?’ That turned out to be so nice that westill use that phrase in the fairy tale.”
Since then, Ella feels forever connected to Lady Holle. “When we come to thepark, I always go and see her. The story may not be as well known as LittleRed Riding Hood or the Wolf and the Seven Goats, but for me it is extraspecial.”
In fact, Ella is a bit like Vrouw Holle these days. “In the nursing home whereI live, people think that’s my real name. For many people I’m one and thesame.” Still, there’s one question that Ella hasn’t solved after all theseyears. “I always think: don’t those kids ever wonder where Mr. Holle is?”
“I also see it as a tribute to my mother.”
After almost three years, Ella’s favorite fairytale character is now back inher place. Although the reconstruction of the house was not a matter ofstacking some stones and putting a roof on it.
“Before demolition, the house was scanned to the millimeter with lasers,” saysRobert-Jaap. “That was used as a new building plan. It looks exactly the sameand some parts have even been reused. It’s honestly as if it never went away.”
Fortunately, because the designer himself also has a special and emotionalbond with the house. “I also see it as a tribute to my mother. Hopefully itwill now be back for eternity.”