A Rare Photograph
The image depicts the graves of a Catholic woman and her Protestant husband, who were not allowed to be buried together in Holland of 1888.
In 1842, Jacobus Warnerus Constantinus van Gorkum (1809-1880), a protestant colonel of the Dutch cavalry, married the catholic noble woman Josephina Carlina Petronella Hubertina van Aefferden (1820-1888).
Their marriage would’ve caused a storm of scandal back in the 19th century.
Not only was it religiously mixed, but they were from two very different social classes.
However, despite the taboos of the 19th century society, the couple’s marriage lasted for 40 years, only ending with the colonel’s death.
Eight years later, when his wife passed away, her wish was to be buried next to her husband.
A form of religious segregation known as Pillarisation was still in effect at the time, and according to the law, this was prohibited.
However, with a little creative stonework, both husband and wife were linked eternally together in a different way.
The tomb of van Gorkum was placed as close as possible to the wall dividing the Catholic and Protestant parts of the cemetery.
Immediately behind this wall, Lady van Aefferden also bought a place for her last refuge.
Her relatives honored her wish and buried her there, installing a very symbolic tombstone on the grave:
Two identical monuments from which the hands of the two lovers are connected over a stone wall.
Their hands are clasping one another again - albeit across the graveyard wall - joined forever.
The cemetery was redesigned by architect Pierre Cuypers in 1858, who is also buried at this cemetery.
The funeral monument of Van Gorkum-Van Aefferden, is also known as “The grave with the hands”, or “Het graf met de handjes”.
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Story Sources: @ fair use
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillarisation
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Cuypers
