Page 11 - Lambert Wackers

Javan Gibbon, Hylobates Moloch (exclusively on Java)

Lambert's connections with Amsterdam
When Lambert went back to the Netherlands after retiring from his military career, he did
not return to his native Limburg. This should be surprising; Limburgers are very attached
to their home province.
As a retired senior commander of the KNIL and engineer, he was offered a position as the
founding director of a Rotterdam management company of real estate, "Aerdenhout-
Bentveld". I can imagine that this was not exactly what he had in his adventurous and
innovative engineer’s mind.
Lambert's tenure at this job in Rotterdam did not last very long; He and Catherina decided
to move to Amsterdam.

I discussed on pg.45 the connections and ties that Lambert had with Amsterdam.
Lambert's older sister Maria Louisa Wackers (43), her husband Christiaan Schneider (44),
and their sons Casper (22 ) and Frans (20) lived in Amsterdam. I suspect that Lambert and
Catharina also had other friends in Amsterdam, the city where they met and married.
On February 17, 1905, their first and only child, Maria Louise, was born in Amsterdam.

Lambert was not someone to rest on his laurels in retirement. At only 40 years old had
other interests and ambitions.

Candidate for the Municipal Council of Amsterdam
Around May 28, 1904, the "Comité van den Handeldrijvende Middenstand" (Committee of
Middleclass Merchants) in District IX of Amsterdam, held a meeting to discuss the
desirability of having someone with more technical expertise on the City Council of
Amsterdam. The Committee overwhelmingly voted for the nomination of a qualified strong
candidate for one of the vacancies on the Council. Lambert Wackers, retired major of the
Corps of Engineers, was unanimously elected as the candidate who had the Committee's
trust and support.
Lambert's nomination to run for the City Council, is another indication that Lambert was
not an unknown stranger, but someone who already was viewed as an invaluable asset.
As an aside, here is once again evidence that members of the Wackers family have interest in
public service.

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