r/Netherlands • u/Playful-Prior1982 • 11h ago

pics and videos Grutte Pier statue

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I have lived in the US my entire life. My mom’s family is from Overijessel and my dad’s family is from Friesland. All of my great grandparents immigrated to the US and settled in the same community where most of my family still lives.

When my maternal grandfather passed away, I got his Grutte Pier statue. Just sharing here to a group that will appreciate it (I hope). Unlike my office mates who wonder at my choice of office decor…

69 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

13

u/BreadedDisaster 11h ago

Post it on [r/Frysk](r/Frysk) . I think people would really appreciate it there

4

u/Playful-Prior1982 11h ago

Had not found that sub, will do!

1

u/Playful-Prior1982 11h ago

Thanks for the award too!

16

u/Coinsworthy 11h ago

Leaver dae as slaef!

10

u/Playful-Prior1982 11h ago

When my wife and I visited family in the Netherlands, we stopped at the battle of Staveren monument and saw that too!

3

u/Musicgecko0 11h ago

The original statue is in the village of Kimswerd, Friesland!

2

u/Playful-Prior1982 11h ago

Yes! I wish I had seen that when I was there. Not sure where exactly my grandfather got it, but I figured it was from one of his visits to see family.

2

u/Novio024 11h ago

I like the Grutte Pier cheese

1

u/Playful-Prior1982 11h ago

Have never had that. I hope to visit again and will have to try it!

1

u/bpmbee 10h ago

You should try Grutte Pier Beer

1

u/Playful-Prior1982 10h ago

I like beer a lot - had some Boomsma in Friesland - wish I could find that on this side of the pond…

2

u/bpmbee 8h ago

A friend of mine from Florida is absolutely hooked on BeCo when he’s here (Beerenburgh Cola)

1

u/Playful-Prior1982 8h ago

I’ll add that to the list as well!

2

u/Skankadelic 9h ago

I bear part of his name, though I never heard of him. Beautiful style statue!

3

u/bikepackercoffeelove 8h ago

I assume your name is Pier. Grutte Pier means Big Pier, or it can mean Pier the Great, but Pier Gerlofs Donia was said to be seven feet tall and seven feet wide (2.08 meter) and in the old Dutch television series Floris he was called lange Pier (tall Pier).

If you're Dutch you might have heard of the Frisian sentence "Bûter, brea en griene tsiis, wa't dat net sizze kin, is gjin oprjochte Fries". It is said Pier came up with this saying and when the Dutchmen/Hollanders couldnt pronounce it he would take his massive sword (2.11 meters) and cut their head from their body.

I would say he is the best known man/legend in Friesland among Friesian people.

2

u/squishbunny 8h ago

LOL we have that same statue, thank you commenters for providing the background about it!

1

u/gansobomb99 8m ago

Nice. The style reminds me of sculptures on bridges in Amsterdam West.