Gipsy Bands Seek Entrance Into Holland

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 580, 5 February 1929, Page 11

Gipsy Bands Seek Entrance Into Holland

Unwelcome Visitors Kept Out by Guards on Duty Day and Night A large number of gipsies have gathered near the Dutch-Brabant frontier. During the last three months they have come into Belgium from France, and have trekked north till stopped by the Dutch frontier guards. There is now a kind of friendly conflict between the Dutch and Belgian frontier guards—on the Belgian side to get rid of the gipsies, and on the Dutch side to prevent them from entering Holland. The gipsies are now wandering along the frontier seeking unguarded gaps through which to enter Dutch territory. The gipsies have also been refused permisison to cross the German frontier south of Maastricht. Meanwhile, the number of gipsies in the area is greater than ever. Between SO and 100 Dutch frontier guards are on duty day and night to prevent them from crossing the frontier out of Belgium. At some points the guards are reinforced by military police, and thus far they have succeeded in keeping the gipsies out of the country.

Some of these poor people claim to be Dutch subjects, and are asking for admittance on the strength of their nationality, but they are unable to prove it. Others seem to be of Swedish nationality, and are asking for permission to pass through Holland and Germany on their way to their own country, but they also are uot allowed to pass. Most of them come from France, and even further south, and some of them are asking for admittance in order to attend the Dutch farmers’ horse market. Although the Dutch have thus far prevented the gipsies from entering Holland, the question remains whether at some unexpected time and place they may not find an opportunity of crossing the frontier, as they have been trying to do for three months. Once they enter Holland, it will be impossible to send them back into Belgium, as the Belgians are just as much on the alert as are the Dutch.