Waspik is a village in the

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

province of

North Brabant North Brabant ( ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, Dutch Brabant or Hollandic Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to ...

. It is located in the municipality of

Waalwijk Waalwijk () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands. It had a population of in and is located near the A59 and N261 motorways. The villages of Capelle, Vrijhoeve-Capelle, Sprang (the former mun ...

History

Waspik was first mentioned in 1257 as Waspich, and means "headland in the mud". Waspik was established in the 12th century in a

peat Peat is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

excavation area. It was severely damaged in the St. Elizabeth's flood of 1421 and the village started to concentrate more southwards. The Dutch Reformed church dates from the 15th century, and never had a tower. The Catholic St Bartholomeus and Barbara Church was built in neoclassic style in 1840 and 1841. To the south of the village, a

Carmelite The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...

monastery was built between 1926 and 1927 in

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style. Waspik was home to 1,667 people in 1840. Waspik was a separate municipality until 1997, when it became part of Waalwijk. Waspik came to national attention in 2007 when a Liberian family was forced to flee the village after repeated racist attacks. An official report into events in the village concluded that everyone involved in the affair including the town council and housing corporations had failed to protect the family. 11 youths were initially charged with the attacks, though only 8 were found guilty and sentenced to community service in April 2008. After they moved from the village to Waalwijk, they were also forced to flee from this town.Collectief falen in aanpak racisme Waspik – Binnenland – de Volkskrant
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Gallery

File:Waspik, de Hervormde kerk RM38393 IMG 7427 2020-09-13 12.53.jpg, Waspik, reformed church File:P1070343Waspik.JPG, Apartment building File:P1070353Sociaal Cultureel Centrum Den Bolder.JPG, Cultural centre File:Waspik D 7 WAK GM Raadhuisstr 10 07042020.jpg, Pub in Waspik

References

{{reflist Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 1997 Populated places in North Brabant Former municipalities of North Brabant Waalwijk