History /// Drenthe was the energy provider of the Netherlands for centuries. Peat, oil and gas: Drenthe had it all. In the 20th century, peat was also known as ‘brown gold’ and as important as oil is nowadays. After hundreds of years, dead plants in a swampy bog created meters thick layers of peat. The peat would be cut out of the bog and when dried it could be used as fuel. The work done by thousands of peat workers is unimaginable. They worked six days a week, often with their wife and children to be able to maintain their family. The excavation of 1000 square km of bog, the digging of 1000km channels to drain water from the swamp and transport of the peat was all done with a shovel, two hands and a curved back. The peat workers created the landscape of Drenthe as we know it today. In Drents Archief you can find some old video’s showcasing the life of a peat worker from the 20’s till 70’s. In 1992 the production of peat stopped because there was almost no peat left in the bog.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/organisatie/dava/themafilms/turfwinning https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/1992/06/26/het-veen-is-op-nederlands-laatste-turfwinning-stopt-7147920-a517002