We launched 24 Oranges in February 2007 and, after more than 4,100 posts, we’ll be moving over to DutchNews.nl as a column under the same name in late January 2022. While we may drop in occasionally, we don’t currently plan to continue the site: between running our own businesses and everything else, we’ve simply run out of hours in the day.
Before we sign off—perhaps indefinitely—let’s revisit some of the stories that still spark conversations today, in no particular order:
1. A beautifully preserved Jewish home in Amsterdam
We didn’t break the initial discovery, but we were the only ones to secure permission to share the photos—all it took was a polite request, while other outlets had to ask us for images we didn’t own.
Recently discovered Jewish interior will not be wrecked for now.
2. The Dutch neighbourhood built by the Nazis
Close to the German border in Heerlen, an entire district bears a distinctly Dutch façade but was designed under Nazi occupation to offer efficient family housing—proof that architecture can carry a darker backstory.
Visiting a neighbourhood built by Hitler.
3. Diehard elderly Frisian man finishes 240 km bike race
Our cycling features always hit home, especially when they’re firsts or biggests. This one follows Wiebe Idsinga, a Frisian gentleman who, at the tail end of a 240 km tour, refused to quit and crossed the finish line as his bike’s last rider. Don’t miss the video.
Diehard elderly Frisian man finishes 240 km bike race.
4. Friesland home to world’s oldest working planetarium
In 2020, amid limited museum openings, I finally visited the Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker and was blown away. I even bought a French booklet for my engineer dad, who knows the place by heart. It’s a marvel—and as of 2023, it’s on UNESCO’s heritage list.
Friesland home to world’s oldest working planetarium.
5. Man found not guilty after blacking out hospital
We love oddball stories—this one went international. A man, convinced he was trapped in Silent Hill, caused a blackout in a hospital during a psychotic episode. The gaming community helped it go viral.
Man found not guilty after blacking out hospital.
6. A French Canadian soldier single-handedly freed Zwolle
Writing from Québec, I jumped at stories with a Dutch-Canadian connection. Few are as incredible as Léo Major’s solo liberation of Zwolle—a feat locals still celebrate today.
The French Canadian soldier who freed Zwolle.
7. Fertility doctor uses his own sperm
Perhaps our creepiest tale: a Dutch fertility specialist who may have fathered around 60 children without their knowledge. After his death, dozens scrambled to discover if they were his offspring, tangled in legal battles.
Dutch fertility doctor bragged about using his sperm.
8. Sexist advert denigrates Dutch women and men
We exposed a tone-deaf ad from Nyenrode Business Universiteit that assumed managers were “dumb straight men” and downplayed women’s capabilities. After our critique—and a call from the school’s PR—they pulled the campaign.
Sexist advert denigrates Dutch women and men.
9. Photoshoot with original Leeuwenhoek microscope and specimens
Using cutting-edge digital imaging, we captured Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s surviving specimens like never before. It was a rare peek into the work of one of the world’s first microbiologists.
Photoshoot with original Leeuwenhoek microscope and specimens.
10. Subsidizing astrologers for job seekers raises eyebrows
One government employment-reintegration scheme funded clairvoyants, tarot readers and even alien communicators—an idea that outraged many taxpayers who saw it as throwing money down the drain.
Subsidizing astrologers for job seekers raises eyebrows.
Take care of yourselves—and each other—and thank you for following us!