DWARS through Overijssel: Kampen

The Blue Finger in Kampen

I was about 20 years old when I first came to Kampen. I immediately fell in love with the city because of its beautiful city front and cosy beautiful city centre. I decided to live there and bought a small house in the city centre when I was 22. As a Zwolle resident, this certainly earned me some criticism, because as a Blauwvinger(Zwollenaar), you don't go and live in Kampen. Family and friends didn't come to visit easily at first, either. Kampen seemed extremely far away, even though it is only 15 km from Zwolle. As a Blauwvinger, you have no business living in Kampen near the Kampersteuren(Kamper Onions).

That the people of Zwolle have such a DWARS image of Kampen is beyond me. I have now lived in Kampen for 15 years. In Kampen, almost everything is nicer, better and bigger than in Zwolle. Kampen has more monuments, Kampen has the longest shopping street in the Netherlands, a better cinema, a great theatre, fine festivals, the most exciting Escaperoom, and the Music Club is bigger than Hedon. Of course, I'm slightly exaggerating although none of the above is true, but in particular it is also a nod to the history between Kampen and Zwolle. In the Middle Ages, there was a certain rivalry between the inhabitants of Kampen and Zwolle. People from Zwolle stole cattle from Kampen and Kampeners robbed Zwolle ships when they had to pass Kampen. There were regular encounters and fights between the Kamper Steuren and the Blauwvingers. Where do these nicknames come from and what about this rivalry? For that, you really should come to Kampen sometime.

I have now lived in Kampen for 15 years. I regularly get the question are you a blue-fingered or a Kampersteur? I feel more like a Kampener, but my roots are in Zwolle. Let's call it both, but Kampen is my city and is also there for you and has surprisingly much to offer.

Come and see www.kampen.nl.
Tip: https://kamperevents.nl/escaperoomkampen/
Edwin Burgman
Councillor Kampen
GroenLinks