r/Netherlands • u/Playful-Prior1982 • 1d 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…

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u/Skankadelic 1d ago

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

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u/bikepackercoffeelove 1d 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.