History of the textile industry in Twente and Tilburg

Knooppunt “Sprekende geschiedenis,” in collaboration with De MuseumFabriek in Twente and the Textile Museum in Tilburg, has launched a pilot project as part of the National Historical Initiative: History of the Textile Industry in Twente and Tilburg.

The history of the textile industry and its impact on the lives of the people who worked in it, as well as on the surrounding environment, is largely unknown to many Dutch people. From an oral history perspective, we are particularly interested in the stories of individuals who were connected to this industry in various ways and the new insights these stories can offer. This pilot project in Twente, Tilburg, and the surrounding areas provides an opportunity to uncover forgotten stories, collect new narratives, and develop presentations that engage a young and diverse audience.

“Sprekende geschiedenis” will play a supporting role in locating existing oral history interviews, digitizing and preserving them, and developing a methodological approach for new interviews. We will also analyze the similarities and differences between the two regions. The findings will be documented and widely shared through an essay.