Hollands Glorie

Jan de Hartog

Hollands Glorie is a classic novel by Jan de Hartog that delves into the world of tugboat sailing. The story portrays the harsh and perilous life at sea, which was often poorly compensated. Set in the early 20th century, between 1906 and 1920, it follows the journey of Jan Wandelaar, a sailor who rises from a deckhand to an internationally renowned captain in the tugboat industry.

Wandelaar's path to success is fraught with challenges, including near shipwrecks, job loss, the death of his wife Nellie, imprisonment, and the tragic shooting of his second wife Riekie. Despite these setbacks, he is depicted as a tough yet principled seafarer who perseveres. A central theme of the novel is Wandelaar's struggle against the powerful shipping company Kwel & Co, which stops at nothing to expand its influence, even at the expense of people's lives.

As the story unfolds, Wandelaar starts his own tugboat company, Wandelaar & Co, initially with one boat but quickly expanding to compete with Kwel & Co. By the end of the novel, he seeks a form of reconciliation with Kwel & Co, proposing a merger on the condition that Kwel steps down as director.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.