The present lot is a cast of a study for the monument of De Dokwerker on the Jonas Daniël Meijerplein, Amsterdam. Although this work commemorates one special episode in the Second Worldwar in the Netherlands - the February strike of 1941 - , De Dokwerker became the symbol of the Dutch resistance against Nazi tyranism. On 22 February 1941, 425 Jewish men and boys were arrested in Amsterdam for deportation to German concentration camps. Amongst others there was a terrible rowd on the Jonas Daniël Meyerplein. New razzias on the next day evoked an enormous furiosity with the Amsterdam people. On 25 February 1941 all labourers in the harbour went on strike. The occupying paper tried to break the strike with all means of power. As a represaille ten men were fusillated. As a symbol of the first openly resistance against the baiting of the Jewish people, Mari Andriessen made The Dokwerker in commission of the City council of Amsterdam. The final statue is 2.65 meter high and was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Juliana in 1952.

See illustration