SAVED FROM THE FLOOD — Oera Linda studies
Some cognates (meaning smoke, vapor):
reek - Frisian
rook - Dutch, Afrikaans
Rauch - German
røg - Danish
røyk - Norse
rök - Swedish
reykur - Icelandic
Raach - Luxembourgish
ryk - Old-Norse
When meaning bad smell:
reek - English
reuk - Dutch
Geruch - German
The most scholarly work published thus far about the Oera Linda-book was a dissertation by Goffe Jensma.(1) It presents a theory in which a triumvirate, backed by several co-conspirators, produced the manuscript in order to initially fool their intended audience and eventually, when their victims would have understood the prank, make a theological statement. A basic assumption of the study was that it had to be a 19th century fictional creation.
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The three creators would have been pastor and poet Haverschmidt (1835-1894), his friend the librarian and linguist Verwijs (1830-1880), and royal navy shipyard superintendent Over de Linden (1811-1874). While the first two were known to have been college friends, Haverschmidt would have had to get to know Over de Linden well enough in the 1.5 year (December 1862 to July 1864) that he was one of three pastors at the Den Helder parish of 9,300 members. Over de Linden was known to not be a church-goer, he was a generation older than the pastor, was (grand)father and remarried as a widower in May 1863. The 28 year old Haverschmidt got married in August 1863 and would one year later become father. Both will have had other things on their mind — not least of all to work for a living — than concocting a highly advanced (and potentially dangerous) mystification.
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After the two supposedly would have gotten acquainted, they would have had to mostly work together with Verwijs through mail, as the pastor moved to Schiedam in 1864 and the linguist lived in Leeuwarden, hours of travel separating the three of them.
However, most implausible of all circumstances was that the intelligent and talented Verwijs would have risked not only losing his career, but also being criminally prosecuted. After all, having examined the manuscript in 1867, he initially concluded that it was "irrefutably authentic" and "an ancestral manuscript, copied many times",(1) asking the Frisian Provincial Executive permission to negotiate a purchase from the owner as well as funds to have it copied and translated.(2)
If the manuscript would have been intended to be obviously fake at second consideration, as Jensma theorized, Verwijs' request would have been unforgivable, if he had been complicit. And even if the three creators would have agreed to keep their teamwork a secret, would Verwijs have had reason to trust especially Over de Linden, whom he could hardly have gotten to know well and who, like he, was known to be a drinker and thus could easily have talked past his mouth?
What if King William III would have insisted to see the manuscript and what if he would have taken offense at the anti-monarchist sentiments expressed in the work? If it had been a joke, it was a very dangerous one. As it was later stated: "Some see [it] as the deceptive masterpiece of dark powers, created with the apparent goal of undermining the foundations of church and society."(1)
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In a publication about Germanic words for woman,(1) Verwijs suggested that the name of the town Vronen was derived from 'vroon' meaning 'lord/master' (Dutch 'heer', p.14), while in Oera Linda the original form FOR.ÁNA (Dutch voor-aan; in front) is suggested. He published much more about etymology. If he really created the Fryas language, it should be possible to identify his signature. However, in the meticulous studies that tried to prove him guilty, such evidence was never found.
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Jensma's three suspects all had a life. They were not hermits with unlimited time or resources. Even if they would have had the time and skills to create it, as well as the courage to possibly enrage the establishment, would they have taken the risk that the manuscript remained unnoticed? If Ottema had not translated and published it, hardly anyone would have known it ever existed. Would none of them have wanted any credit for it, if only posthumously?
Before theorizing about possible modern creators, it should first be compellingly proven that it cannot possibly be a 13th century copy, or a copy thereof. If it would be a 19th century fantasy, loosely based on a selection of sources, this should have become ever more evident in the last 150 years, but the opposite is the case.
In 1938, the manuscript known as The Oera Linda-book was given to the province Friesland by custodian and owner Cornelis Over de Linden, the fourth of that name, who was confident that "through Science the Truth will triumph over the mystery surrounding this manuscript".
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| G.A. Wumkes |
"It is less significant to me who wrote the Oera Linda-book. What matters is its inherent, spiritual value, as a testimony to the Westfrisian love of freedom at a time when the national character was threatened with utter destruction. Both its moral and literary quality, as well as the spirituality it expresses, I consider more relevant than authenticity and historical facts." (3)
However, four months later, in a reply of two sentences, the president of the Frisian Society, baron Pieter A.V. van Harinxma thoe Slooten, who was also the Queen’s commissioner for the province Friesland, informed the initiators that the Society refused to give any support, financially or morally. (4)
Wumkes had not been the only respectable advocate of Oera Linda's value, but he was one of the last who dared to openly praise it. The first and foremost had been Dr. Ottema, whose introduction to his first edition of 1872 was translated by William Sandbach in the 1876 English edition. This introduction will be known to most readers and remain accessible. A less well known introduction to Oera Linda, and perhaps a more notable one, for it was published by the same Frisian Society that would later so disdainfully reject it, is translated below.
Frisian Antiquities (1)
The Over de Linden family in Den Helder is in possession of an old manuscript, of which script, language and content were unknown. It had been passed on from generation to generation, with the advice to preserve it with care, as a family-treasure. They guessed it was written in Old-Frisian and suspected it might contain information about ancient ancestors.
When Dr. Eelco Verwijs, archivist-librarian of Friesland, heard about this, he informed the Dutch government, that commissioned him to examine it. On December 17, 1867, he reported his first conclusions and that the owner had given him permission to copy and translate the manuscript. [...]
Thanks to the persevering zeal and care of Dr. J.G. Ottema, the content was understood and translated. In detail he reported the results of his examination in a meeting of the Frisian Society on February 10, 1871. This report was printed and distributed, leading to a great public interest in this curious document.
In Ottema's opinion, the doubts that had risen about the manuscript's authenticity had no grounds. He saw it as a most important source of old Frisian history, revealing relevant new information. As he concluded: "We may thus accept that this manuscript, of which the oldest part was composed in the sixth century before our era, contains the oldest product (after Homer and Hesiod) of European literature. It describes an ancient people in our fatherland, thus far unknown, with a development, civilization, industry, navigation, trade, literature and pure, sublime religious values. In our imagination, our history did not reach beyond the arrival of Friso [c. 300 BC], the supposed Frisian founding father. Here however we discover a history beyond 2000 BC, surpassing the antiquity of Greece and equaling that of Israel."
The manuscript is a copy from 1256, (2) made by Hidde Oera Linda. In all debates about its authenticity and value, it was impossible to have a well-founded judgment, until the printed version was published in 1872. [...]
After publication, the book that was remarkable from any point of view remained a source of conflict and both sides of the debate sought to defend their belief. In 1973, Dr. Ottema explained the content in a brochure, titled Historical Notes and Clarifications to the Oera Linda-book, (3) and defended it a year later in The Royal Academy and the Oera Linda-book. (4) Dr. A.T. Reitsma from Groningen studied it and presented the results of his research in three meetings of the Frisian Society. (5) He concluded that the work has both internal and external marks of authenticity, and gave examples of its high historic value. In the last of these meetings the opponents also had the opportunity to raise their concerns. The manuscript itself was also displayed at that occasion, so the possible authenticity as 13th century copy could be judged.
The most extensive research thus far was reported in the Deventer newspaper in 1874 and later published separately, titled In response to the Oera Linda Book. (6) It is obvious that the author was someone knowledgeable and unprejudiced. His answer to the thought that the book would be a forgery, made after 1853, when the stilt-houses in lake Zürich were discovered, is: "Who then would be the author? Not just anyone would be capable of such a thing. Accurate knowledge would have been needed for that of the oldest Frisian language, of which a very limited vocabulary from only a few sources is available. Moreover, knowledge of how that language changed in the course of time. For remarkable differences can be noticed between the linguistic varieties used by the first and last composers of the manuscript. The forger would also have needed exceptional historic and geographic knowledge. It could not have been done without many years of preparatory studies. Writing the odd script would have been a drudgery. And what would all those efforts have been good for? Honor? — But forgers have good reasons to keep their name a secret. Money? — That publication would hardly cover printing costs could have been known beforehand. The pleasure of fooling scholars? — Would a very well-educated and talented man, as the assumed creator must have been, sacrifice so much time and effort in order to gain such questionable delight? None of all that is plausible.
"We thus face an odd dilemma: Either we allow ourselves to be fooled by the creation of a highly devoted, mad genius — or a great deal of old history is placed in such light, that a revolution in this field will become inevitable.
"You might then suppose it was the product of a bored monastic? This cannot be the case either. As we intend to explain, the Oera Linda-book teaches ethics and an understanding of God that are so ultimately true and pure, so unmonkish and untheologic, that someone, raised under the influence of Catholic or even Protestant dogmas, could impossibly have expressed such true free-thinking and entirely unbiased feelings."
And yet this scholar had to conclude: "Although nothing goes against the physical possibility; although we discovered nothing that convinces of a forgery, — still there is something suspicious about the parts that deal with Greek-Roman antiquity. We have no doubts about the honesty and frankness of the gentlemen Over de Linden and Dr. Ottema. If any element is forged, they were not involved — we are wholeheartedly convinced of that. We have suspicion, but it is not serious enough to outright reject the Oera Linda-book."
All things considered, we may call this book remarkable. As long as it will remain difficult, to distinguish myth, legend or embellished tradition in the earliest history of any nation, the Oera Linda-book — considered by some as a glorification of the Frisian race — will remain an object of meticulous research. Still, anyone who has read the book will have to admit, that the work contains inner marks of great value. Therefore we readily agree with the following statement by the Deventer scholar: "Although I have come to love the book with all my heart, I look forward to the results of scientific examination without concern. Because, even if it would be convincingly refuted on historic grounds, the book would still keep its great ethical value as an allegory or as fiction."
That Cornelis Over de Linden was custodian of the manuscript in 1867 when he first sought help getting it translated is undisputed. The earlier history of the manuscript is less certain and will be discussed below.
| lifespan | Ms. ownership* |
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| 1 | Jan Andriesz Over Lende | c.1719-1794 | ? -1794? |
| 2 | Andries Over de Linden | 1759-1820 | 1794?-1820 |
| 3 | Hendrik Reuvers, married | 1796-1845 | 1820-1845 |
| to Aafje Over de Linden | 1798-1849 | ||
| 4 | Rijkent Kofman, married | 1820-1861 | 1845-1848 |
| to Cornelia Reuvers | 1818-1878 | ||
| 5 | Cornelis Over de Linden I | 1811-1874 | 1848-1874 |
| 6 | Leendert F. Over de Linden | 1837-1919 | 1874-1919 |
| 7 | Cornelis Over de Linden IV | 1883-1958 | 1919-1938 |
| - - - - - - - | |||
| 8 | Friesland Library/ Tresoar | since 1938 |
If Cornelis received the manuscript in 1848, as he maintained and as several witnesses testified, it will have come from his grandfather Andries Over de Linden, carpenter and shipbuilder. If the latter had intended to have his grandson inherit it, one would expect an explaining letter of instruction to accompany it. Another possibility is that Andries instructed his son in law Hendrik Reuvers who was at least acquainted with the family since 1818 and who may have later instructed his son in law Rijkent Kofman. There are facts suggesting that Cornelis was not handed over the manuscript voluntarily in 1848 as he claimed, but rather that that there had been discord related to the handover. Cornelis may have been convinced that he was the rightful heir, passing on the Over de Linden surname, but he had not been properly instructed about the manuscript and its content.
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| etching for new year wish 1789 by printshop Over de Linden |
The oldest known information thus far about the family is from January 1741, when Jan Over Lende, 21 years old, signed accounts in Leeuwarden as (what may be translated as) assistant of the public prosecutor. Four years later, in the summer of 1745, he got married in Harlingen, Friesland, where he and his bride Janke Hansen then lived. His surname was spelled by different scribes as Over de Lende and Over Linde respectively. Soon after the marriage they must have moved to Enkhuizen in Westfriesland, on the other side of the Zuyderzee, now IJsselmeer, because their first child was baptized there in June 1746. An older sister of Janke, Antje Hanses already lived in Enkhuizen when the latter got married in 1742, and a younger brother Oene Johannesz also married there in 1751. It is still unknown what profession Jan Over Lende had between 1741 and 1765, but in 1746 he signed five notarial documents as a witness. His signature then was Jan Andriesz, using his patronymic instead of the surname Over Linde. Also, at the registrations of baptisms between 1746 and 1764 of all his children, the surname was not used. When he and his wife signed their testament in 1783, he wrote Over Lende again. At his death in 1794, the scribe wrote Over de Linden, which would remain the spelling when family names became formalized in 1811, under French rule.
There is no direct clue as to where Jan Andriesz Over Linde was born, but it can hardly be a coincidence that a Lijsbet Andriesdr from Steggerda, married to Engele Haitzes, had a son Andries, born in Lemmer in 1763, who would later (1811 at the latest) also adopt the name Over de Linde. The Linde or Lende was and is the name of a stream in the south of the province Friesland. Seen from Leeuwarden, Harlingen and Lemmer, Steggerda lies on the other side of it. To go there, or to have come from there, one had to go over the Linde.
Is this why Jan used it as a surname in Leeuwarden in 1741 and in Harlingen in 1745 and why he initially did not use the name in Enkhuizen, because there they would not have known of a stream called Linde? Or did he move to Enkhuizen to flee from something and did he hide for a while with the more anonymous patronymic? Did he as a book trader get hold of the manuscript and keep it because of the stunning coincidence that it had been copied by an apparent namesake, or had he had it for much longer, before he moved to Westfriesland? Was Okke, son of Hidde Oera Linde, addressed on page one of the manuscript an actual forefather of Jan, or did a later ancestor start using the surname Over Linde, because he read it in the manuscript that had otherwise come in his possession?
These questions and speculations will only have value for readers who are willing to consider authenticity of the Oera Linda manuscript. With the advancing digitization of archives, relevant information may be found more easily in the future, if not about the Over de Linden family, then perhaps in other families with curious names, like Tex, Jol and Van Adelen.
2) Compare the choice of words: first line (CAPITALS) is transliteration Ott (2021),
second line translation Ott (2021)
and third line (italic script) translation Sandbach (1876).
[00b] LJAWA ERVNÔMA.
[00b] Dear heirs,
Beloved successors,
VMB VSA LJAWA ÉTHLA.S WILLE ÀND VMB VSA LJAWA FRYDOM.S WILLE, THVSAND WÁRA SÁ BIDD.IK TO JO. OCH LJAWE
For our beloved ancestors' sake, and for the sake of our precious freedom, a thousand times I beg you — dearest —
for the sake of our dear forefathers, and of our dear liberty, I entreat you a thousand times
NE LÉT THA ÁGON ÉNIS PÁPE.KAPPE [5] TACH NIMMERTHE OVER THISSA SKRIFTA NE WÉJA.
to never let the eyes of a monk go over these writings.
never let the eye of a monk look on these writings.
HJA SPRÉKATH SWÉTA WIRDA, MEN HJA TORNATH VNMÀRKSÉM AN ALLES HWAT FON VS FRYAS TREFTH.
They speak sweet words, but unnoticed they meddle with all that concerns us Fryas.
They are very insinuating, but they destroy in an underhand manner all that relates to us Frisians.
VMBE RIKA PREBENDNE TO WINNANDE SÁ HÉLATH [10] HJA MITH THA POPPA KENINGGAR.
They collaborate with foreign kings, who pay them well.
In order to gain rich benefices, they conspire with foreign kings,
THISSA WÉTATH THAT WI HJARA GRÁTESTE FJANDA SEND. THRVCHDA WI HJARA LJUDA TO SPRÉKE THVRA, VR FRYDOM RJUCHT ÀND FORSTNE PLJCHT.
These know that we are their greatest enemies, because we dare speak about freedom, justice and royal obligations.
who know that we are their greatest enemies, because we dare to speak to their people of liberty, rights, and the duties of princes.
THÉRVMBE LÉTATH HJA ALLES [15] VRDILIGJA. HWAT FON VSA ÉTHLUM KVMTH ÀND HWAT THÉR JETA REST FON VSA ALDA SÉDUM.
Therefore, they want to obliterate all traces of our ancestral heritage and what is left of our morals.
Therefore they seek to destroy all that we derive from our forefathers, and all that is left of our old customs.
OCH LJAWA IK HÀV BI THAM ET HOVE WÉST.
My dear ones! I have visited their palace.
Ah, my beloved ones! I have visited their courts!
WIL WR.ALDA .T THJELDA ÀND WILLATH WI VS NAVT STERIK NE [20] MÁKJA, HJA SKILUN VS ALGÁDUR VRDILIGJA.
If Wralda allows it, and if we do not strengthen ourselves, they will exterminate us all.
If Wr-alda permits it, and we do not chew ourselves strong to resist, they will altogether exterminate us.
SKRÉVEN TO LJUD.WERD, ACHT.HONDRED ÀND THRJU JÈR, NÉI KERSTEN BIGRIP.
Written in Liudwerd, year eight hundred and three in Christian understanding.
Written at Liudwert, Anno Domini 803.
[25] LIKO TONÔMATH OVIRA.LINDA.
Liko, surnamed Ovira Linda.
Liko, surnamed Over de Linda.
Codex Oera Linda ~ English edition will have a hard cover with linen back, 96 pages color (original manuscript) + 256 pages black/white (translation, transliteration, introduction, index etc.) = 352 pages and three reading ribbons.
Size: 17,5 x 24,5 x 3,1 cm; Weight: 1,1 kg
Price per copy is € 36, -
Shipping cost per destination group
1. Netherlands
| incl. VAT (btw) |
track & trace, post office delivery |
track & trace, home address delivery |
registered and insured |
| 1 - 8 copies (max. 10 kg) |
€6,25 |
€6,75 | €8,70 |
| 9 - 19 copies (max. 23 kg) |
€12,50 | €13,- | €15,- |
2. USA: [as from Sept. 10: see 5.] thanks to our main sponsor, mail costs are only € 10, - per book (the share in shipping boxes to US). However, as from August, parcels are only mailed on the first day of each month. Parcels with under 10 copies are sent with USPS and have a tracking code.
— listed below are only the destinations from which orders have been received so far —
Note: For registered & insured mail to EUR1, EUR2 and Other, please add € 2,50.
3. EUR1: Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, etc.
| incl. VAT |
basic, no track & trace |
track & trace |
| 1 copy |
€9,30 |
€13,- |
| 2 - 4 copies (2 - 5 kg) |
x | €19,50 |
| 5 - 8 copies (5 - 10 kg) |
x |
€25,- |
| 9 - 16 copies (10 - 20 kg) |
x |
€34,- |
| 17 - 19 copies (20 - 23 kg) |
x |
€45,- |
| incl. VAT | basic, no track & trace |
track & trace |
| 1 copy |
€12,- |
€18,50 |
| 2 - 4 copies (2 - 5 kg) |
x | €25,- |
| 5 - 8 copies (5 - 10 kg) |
x |
€31,- |
| 9 - 16 copies (10 - 20 kg) |
x |
€40,- |
| 17 - 19 copies (20 - 23 kg) |
x |
€55,- |
| incl. VAT | basic, no track & trace |
track & trace |
| 1 copy |
€23,- |
€29,30 |
| 2 - 4 copies (2 - 5 kg) |
x | €46,80 |
| 5 - 8 copies (5 - 10 kg) |
x |
€83,30 |
| 9 - 16 copies (10 - 20 kg) |
x |
€145,30 |
Note: For registered & insured mail, please add € 2,50.
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| wharf or shipyard by Jan Luyken (1697) |
