Back on the other side of the building. An Arabic looking piece of graffiti and numbers on the wall.

"Close door please." Don't think I could. Almost no plaster left on the walls

Another staircase going up, almost completely covered in plaster. Would have felt saver with a hard-hat here.

Lots of writing on the elevator doors upstairs.
"Neuk de Tijd" - Fuck time
"Waar is die goeie ouwe tijd?" - Where's the good old time?
"AC/DC"
"Fock system"
"Roots, Rock and Reggea
"Bob Marley"
"Ik in de Jumbo" - Me in the Jumbo
"Boudewijn in de Jumbo (16 nov)"
"Stop that train I'm leavin'"
"Fock Police"
"Fock 2e Kamer"
"Kill all cops / punk"
"Can't stop Rock 'n Roll"
"Fock Cammeart"
"Rasta 4-ever"
"I love Trway Wompel." ??


A look through the window into the world were normal people live.

Green slime growing on the ceiling, moss growing on the floor.

I couldn't find a way into the elevator room. The only way I can think of is some way to get onto the roof from the outside or from inside the elevator. Doors of the elevator wouldn't open.

Back outside. The tunnel under the railroad, now from the other side.

Nice example of nature taking over, a bird mad a nest in this old lamp.

Jumbo/4-east/Jan Steen/Gelderman office as seen from the factory.

I walked around the western side of the building and noticed a platform outside.

Stairs, platform and door. The blue "uitgang" (exit) sign is of the plastics factory next-door.

The stairs to that platform were in reasonable condition, but the platform itself was totally unreliable so I stepped from the stairs through the door. Soon noticing the floor was of wood, had some holes here and there and didn't creak I took one not interesting snapshot and quickly got out again. Very scary, wood so rotten it doesn't creak.

I left across the railroad tracks again, but now taking a route around the thorny bushes. Thus ends the story of the last remnants of the Gelderman factory. For the time being anyway. The company and it's owners have had a huge impact on Oldenzaal so I wouldn't be surprised if I run across one of the Geldermans again.

Update 2010: The building has deteriorated enormously in the 8 years since I was here. The picture is from a company renovating old buildings and putting them to new uses.

#