# dorpsbode (profession)



## Countbad

Hello,

I have been researching my family history.  The profession of my fourth great grandfather is listed as "dorpsbode".  Can someone please tell me what this means?  He lived in the 1700s in Noord Holland along the coast north of Alkmaar.


----------



## Suehil

Welcome to the forum Countbad!

Literally translated, 'dorpsbode' means 'village messenger' - I'm afraid I don't know what that involved.


----------



## jippie

The 'dorpsbode' is the predecessor of the 'postbode' (= postman), the person that goes through the village shouting public announcements to the public.


----------



## Vincit

jippie said:


> The 'dorpsbode' is the predecessor of the 'postbode' (= postman), the person that goes through the village shouting public announcements to the public.


 
Here in my region people called that man "de belleman", the man with a bell announcing official news.


----------



## Baunilha

I'm no expert, but I tend to agree with Vincit... 

Are there other options?


----------



## Suehil

The English equivalent would be 'town crier'


----------



## Spectre scolaire

Suehil said:
			
		

> The English equivalent would be 'town crier'


 I’d call him herald, “an official crier or messenger” (Webster; *2*).

This profession corresponds to Turkish tellâl, “town-crier”, a very important communication link between government and people in pre-literate societies. I have seen a τελάλης [telális] in action in a remote Greek village more than thirty years ago. As this word is of Arabic origin, we can easily assume how widespread this profession was - and in some places still is. There is no reason to believe that he was less important in a Germanic setting. 

Dutch _dorp_ corresponds to Standard German _Dorf_.
 ​


----------



## Frank06

Hi,

I have been trying to find some information on the word slash profession, but as far as I understand it, the 'dorpsbode' could have _a lot of different meanings or functions at different locations and in different epochs_. So not only a town crier, belleman or herald.

Here (it's about the 1840s), a dorpsbode definitely is not a town crier or herald, but somebody who hands over letters.
In this book on Vondel, the poet, a dorpsbode is described as somebody who also brings letters. I am not sure if this texts says more about the task desciption a 'dorpsbode' at the time of the publication of the book (1855) or the time of Vondel (who RIP'ed in 1679).
In this 1897 book about Java, a dorpsbode is described as somebody who brings the orders of the head of the _desa_. Probably not just orally.
Here we can read "Overigens kregen vorster en schutter in de loop ter tijd ook andere taken: *dorpsbode*, deurwaarder, ..." A "deurwaarder" is more or less a process server, bailiff. This meaning I also find back in the Van Dale dictionary of 1961.

Groetjes,

Frank


----------

