Radio Kootwijk

Radio Kootwijk is the name of the former broadcasting station around which the village was built. It is located in the middle of a forest, drifting sand and heath area on the Veluwe, east of the Kootwijkerzand and the village of Kootwijk.

The residential buildings of Radio Kootwijk were created as a result of the construction of the eponymous transmitter park from 1918. In 1923, the P.T.T. began transoceanic telegraphy via long wave at this remote location. Houses for employees were built in the immediate vicinity of the transmitters. Sociologically, the village was a melting pot of regional, religious and cultural identities, which resulted in a special society with, until the mid-sixties, exceptionally rich association life in a unique social context.

Until 2006 there was not only a hotel in Radio Kootwijk besides the radio masts, 'Hotel Radio' from 1921. On March 19, 2006, this building, used for anti-squatting habitation, was completely destroyed by fire. Shortly after the fire in the Hotel, on 29 April 2006, Building F on the Turfbergweg was also destroyed. In both cases, there was arson. The perpetrators were never found. Hotel Radio (like Building A a design by Luthmann) is being rebuilt.

Radio Kootwijk is a former transmitter park that in the 20th century formed an important communication link between the Netherlands and its former colonies, especially the Dutch East Indies. It was built from 1918. Houses were also built for employees, which together formed the village of the same name.

The main building of the former transmitter park, Building A, is a national monument. The Art Deco-style building, with sculptures by sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde, is a mixture of the Berlin and Amsterdam School and appeals to the imagination of artists, artists and theatre companies. It served as the setting for the American film Mindhunters (released 2004) and the Dutch film Ver van familie (shot in 2007);
the Volendam singing duo Nick & Simon recorded a music video for the single Kijk omhoog (2007);

Hans van Meerendonk