The Legend of the Goatriders
July 19, 2011 9:22 AM Subscribe
The Legend of The Goatriders (Bokkenrijders): In the Limburg region at the end of the 18th century, between 300 and 600 individuals were tortured, tried and executed, accused of being members of a notorious and heretical band of robbers (who rode across the night sky on the backs of goats). But were they devil-worshipping hoodlums or the product of the economic and class pressures of their time? Regardless they have made their way into legend on TV and the printed page. (PDF link, from the European Ghost Literary Project)
Some good starting places for further exploration:
Hille’s Bokkenrijder Startpage and Forum (both in Dutch)
Some good starting places for further exploration:
Hille’s Bokkenrijder Startpage and Forum (both in Dutch)
If I could ride through the sky on the back of a flying goat, I probably would, if it wasn't for all the torture.
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:33 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:33 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Goat riders iiiiiiiiiiiiin......
GOAT RIDERS IN THE SKY
*guitar solo*
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:38 AM on July 19, 2011 [5 favorites]
GOAT RIDERS IN THE SKY
*guitar solo*
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:38 AM on July 19, 2011 [5 favorites]
It's the cheese wasn't it... drives people mad.
But were they devil-worshipping hoodlums or the product of the economic and class pressures of their time?
These are not a priori mutually exclusive possibilities.
posted by Jahaza at 9:42 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
But were they devil-worshipping hoodlums or the product of the economic and class pressures of their time?
These are not a priori mutually exclusive possibilities.
posted by Jahaza at 9:42 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is interesting. And very consistent the general trends associated with witch-belief and prosecution. Aside from some of the minutiae, it fits very neatly into that particular broader narrative. Thanks for bringing it up! It's fun, and relevant to my interests.
posted by Stagger Lee at 9:52 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by Stagger Lee at 9:52 AM on July 19, 2011
This is where I first learned of the Bokkenrijders.
posted by atrazine at 9:58 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by atrazine at 9:58 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
put on your Che Guevara pin ... we're gonna sail through the night sky like a pair of bottle rockets - the Mountain Goats
posted by Surfurrus at 10:17 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by Surfurrus at 10:17 AM on July 19, 2011
The storm that was to become the French Revolution was no more than a dim shadow on the historical horizon at the time that the Goatriders were being executed, but nevertheless there already existed all over Europe secret societies who, inspired by the works of the writers of the Enlightenment, were dreaming of better days to come.
Hmm, a preemptive strike by a terrified elite, determined to to hold onto their privileges by any means necessary, just as they are now.
Worked pretty well, too-- right up to WWII.
posted by jamjam at 10:22 AM on July 19, 2011
Hmm, a preemptive strike by a terrified elite, determined to to hold onto their privileges by any means necessary, just as they are now.
Worked pretty well, too-- right up to WWII.
posted by jamjam at 10:22 AM on July 19, 2011
Hey, I used to live in Limburg! Most of the people I met rode bikes, though, not goats.
posted by swift at 10:23 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by swift at 10:23 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Can I find that comic strip online somewhere?
posted by humboldt32 at 10:23 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by humboldt32 at 10:23 AM on July 19, 2011
Most of the people I met rode bikes, though, not goats.
Most? Please tell us more....
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:49 AM on July 19, 2011
Most? Please tell us more....
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:49 AM on July 19, 2011
Can I find that comic strip online somewhere?
The full series of Suske en Wiske is available on torrent sites, De Bokkerijders is #136. Of course these are all in Dutch.
posted by atrazine at 12:05 PM on July 19, 2011
The full series of Suske en Wiske is available on torrent sites, De Bokkerijders is #136. Of course these are all in Dutch.
posted by atrazine at 12:05 PM on July 19, 2011
Hmm, a preemptive strike by a terrified elite
Don't know about the Goatriders specifically, but many of these "secret societies" were comprised of members of the elite. I'd say the proper parallel would be the St. Simonians or turn of the last century progressives like H.G. Wells, dreaming of a properly ordered world to come.
posted by AdamCSnider at 12:08 PM on July 19, 2011
Don't know about the Goatriders specifically, but many of these "secret societies" were comprised of members of the elite. I'd say the proper parallel would be the St. Simonians or turn of the last century progressives like H.G. Wells, dreaming of a properly ordered world to come.
posted by AdamCSnider at 12:08 PM on July 19, 2011
Of course these are all in Dutch.
Yep, that's what I'm after. I'll have a look on the torrent sites.
thanx.
posted by humboldt32 at 2:37 PM on July 19, 2011
Yep, that's what I'm after. I'll have a look on the torrent sites.
thanx.
posted by humboldt32 at 2:37 PM on July 19, 2011
Most? Please tell us more....
What happens in Gulpen stays in Gulpen.
posted by swift at 7:32 PM on July 19, 2011
What happens in Gulpen stays in Gulpen.
posted by swift at 7:32 PM on July 19, 2011
A few weeks ago, I was at a Dutch amusement park, Efteling, and a ride there called Villa Volta has a theme related to this. I couldn't quite get a straight story from my Dutch companions about the historical veracity and I don't understand Dutch, so the animatronic fellow who looked Chinese made no sense to me as he yammered on. Thanks for this!
posted by knile at 5:12 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by knile at 5:12 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by Naberius at 9:31 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]