Lecture Lorentz, Lely Thijsse and the Afsluitdijk

It took more than 40 years to realise the plans for the Afsluitdijk, from 1891 to 1932. Dr Ir Cornelis Lely was the inspiration, after many prior plans. There was much opposition to it. After the "minor" flood of 1916, progress was made through the work of a State Commission (1918 - 1926) led by Nobel laureate Prof Dr Hendrik Lorentz, then the scientific "curator" of the Teylers Foundation. His right-hand man in this was the Bloemendaler (later Prof Dr) Ir Jo Thijsse (son of biologist Dr Jac P. Thijsse).

Lorentz and Thijsse developed a complex mathematical model of the current profiles in the Wadden Sea. As a result, the course of the Afsluitdijk was modified. Thijsse later became the founder of the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium in Delft.

Frank W. van den Berg (Haarlem) talks about all these plans and the special lives of the protagonists involved. He is chairman of the "History of Technology" section of the KIVI and a tour guide at Teylers Museum.

Synopsis CV Ir. Frank W. van den Berg

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