Ritzema Boshuis

The Ritzema Boshuis, once the Laboratory for Tropical Agriculture at Wageningen University, stands as a testament to the rich academic and wartime history of Wageningen, Netherlands. This building, though no longer standing, played a pivotal role in the educational and historical landscape of the region.

Design and Construction

The Ritzema Boshuis was conceived in 1937 and completed in 1939, under the architectural guidance of Gustav Cornelis Bremer. The building was designed in the Delft School style, characterized by its traditional and functional aesthetics. The construction costs were estimated at over 160,000 guilders, a considerable sum at the time. The structure featured a basement, a main entrance, three floors, and an attic accessible via a fixed staircase. The basement extended along both side walls, and the rear façade housed an architectural element containing the staircase. Unlike other laboratories from the same period in Wageningen, the Ritzema Boshuis did not have a risalit in its front façade, giving it a unique appearance. In the 1960s, two large dormer windows were added to the rear (south façade) of the building.

Situated at Ritzema Bosweg 32 in Wageningen, the building was part of De Dreijen, the old campus of Wageningen University. It served as the home of Tropical Plant Cultivation and was used as both a laboratory and an educational building. The area behind the building housed several large greenhouses, further emphasizing its role in agricultural education and research. The building was named after the botanist Jan Ritzema Bos, reflecting its academic heritage.

Role During World War II

During World War II, the Ritzema Boshuis played a crucial role as a shelter and emergency hospital. In October 1944, during the airborne landings, the Wageningen hospital faced an influx of military casualties. The hospital's capacity was insufficient, leading to the transfer of some patients to the basements of the Ritzema Boshuis on the night of September 26, 1944. These patients were later moved to Veenendaal and Utrecht on October 1.

In 1940, the Ritzema Boshuis was the tallest building in Wageningen, a fact known to the Germans from their staff maps. Consequently, an observer was stationed on a scaffold behind the rose window on the top floor to direct artillery fire on Dutch positions on the Grebbeberg. The Dutch army was unaware of this and suspected that the shelling was being directed from the tower of the Sint-Johannes de Doperkerk on Bergstraat.

The building's significance during the war is further highlighted by the visit of General Charles Foulkes on April 16, 1953, underscoring its historical importance.

Relocation and Demolition

In the 1990s, the Ritzema Boshuis served various administrative purposes, including housing the office of the study coordinator for the biology program at Wageningen University. Interestingly, the sitting coordinator at the time was coincidentally named Bos, though not related to the renowned professor. The building also accommodated the study association for biology students, 'Biologica.'

As the new millennium approached, plans were developed for a new Wageningen Campus on the north side of the city along Mansholtlaan. The Ritzema Boshuis remained in use by Wageningen UR until 2005, and the Biologica study association also had its quarters there. In 2005, there were plans to repurpose the building as a police station, but these plans were later abandoned. In 2006, the building was taken over by the artist collective De Muiterij.

Wageningen UR aimed to divest and demolish three buildings on De Dreijen: De Dreijenborch from 1961, the Botanical Center from 1934 (also by architect G.C. Bremer), and the Ritzema Boshuis. None of these buildings had monumental status, and demolition permits were sought. Despite protests, the then-GreenLeft alderman saw no reason to designate the Boshuis as a municipal monument. The demolition permit was granted in 2007. The artist collective had posted the message BOSHUIS BEDREIGD (Boshuis Threatened) in large letters behind the windows of the front façade. According to project manager Eric van der Meer, a miracle was needed to prevent demolition, as it would be too costly to keep the Boshuis and the Dreijenborch standing. The artists had to vacate the building by September 1, 2008.

In January 2009, negotiations between WUR and the municipality of Wageningen about a comprehensive plan for De Dreijen were still ongoing, and demolition was postponed. The intention agreement was finally signed on April 1, 2009. The buildings of the Botanical Center, whose demolition was planned for July, narrowly escaped demolition. In April 2009, the demolition of the adjacent Dreijenborch complex began. On June 23, 2009, the demolition of the Ritzema Boshuis commenced but was quickly halted due to the presence of bats and swifts. A fire broke out on June 30, and the demolition was completed in July.

As of 2023, the distinctive fence around the site, which also formed the outer boundary of the historic Dreijen campus, remains, but plans for the redevelopment of the area are now known.