Leyn Weckx

De putheks

About the saga and the giant

THE SAGE

LEYN WECKX

From its inception, the coal mine of Zolder suffered some very major setbacks.
The local workers knew for sure this was all bewitched and they knew by whom, Leyn Weckx, whom their grandmother always warned about. After three bankruptcies and 30 years of setbacks, they were finally able to start erasing. But the story of the local witch went down into the depths with them, as the only young woman she threatened to rip off the young miners’ fingers who in turn managed to avert disaster with bars of chocolate ‘Victoria Big Nuts’. Many unexplained faults were assigned to the pit witch in the underground to the level of work reports. Cause: ‘The pit witch’.

The imminent closure and total demolition of the coal mine of Zolder nb. the only employer at the origin of the entire mining region and the awareness that everything was in danger of being forgotten gave rise to the construction of a giant. The mad tale of the pit witch is linked to the historical trial of Leyn Wecks and this is mixed with Alvermen (gnomes) severed fingers, bars of chocolate, koolde the cat and the Zen lesson that you should never bully and witches devils and ghosts do not exist.

THE GIANT

DE PUTHEKS

1987
BUILDING YEAR
2015
RENOVATION
5.50m
HEIGHT
95kg
WEIGHT
The giant is rolled and accompanied by miners in a miner’s uniform, helmet and lamp.

ZOOTJE

ONGEREGELD

‘Het zootje ongeregeld’ accompanies the giant with music. They are musicians from the Harmonie ‘De Verenigde Vrienden’ Heusden.

The women are dressed in retro dresses from the 1960s, the men in suits with bow ties and hats.

background
The giant on the move!
See photos of all past events and giant processions!
Agenda
  • 30 July - Witch procession Beselare (West Flanders)
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