After a decade-long campaign to promote the Drenthe dialect, the anonymous group Drents op Stee has announced its mission accomplished and is disbanding, according to RTV Drenthe. The group’s clandestine actions resulted in the installation of bilingual signs in six municipalities, inspiring others to follow suit.
Drents op Stee’s mission was to make the Drenthe dialect more visible by placing stickers with the Drenthe names of towns and villages next to the official Dutch ones. The group’s actions sparked a conversation about the importance of preserving and celebrating regional languages.
From nighttime adventures to official recognition
The group’s members, now revealed as Klaas Koops, Anne Doornbos, and Janny Roggen, reminisce about the excitement of their clandestine missions. They describe the thrill of sneaking around at night and the satisfaction of seeing their work come to life. Ms Roggen, in particular, admits she’ll miss the adrenaline rush: “Those ten years were incredibly exciting. Wonderful. Sneaking around at night was spectacular.”
Their efforts have paid off. In 2023, the first official bilingual place name sign was installed in Nieuw-Roden, followed by several others. This success shows that the movement to promote Drenthe has gained momentum and no longer requires the clandestine actions of Drents op Stee.
A call to action for local governments
With their mission accomplished, Drents op Stee encourages municipalities and local council members to take up the cause and continue the work of promoting the Drenthe dialect. They urge communities to come together and advocate for the recognition and preservation of their regional language.
