Jaap Valkhoff

Who was Jaap Valkhoff?

Jacobus Valkhoff was a Dutch musician, composer and text writer.

His most famous text he wrote in 1961 on demand of Johnny Hoes called "Hand in hand kameraden". The melody used was already 70 years old and the text was used to promote several Dutch football teams such as Ajax Amsterdam and Feyenoord Rotterdam. Hoes sung the song for all clubs at first, but eventually only the Feyenoord edition stayed alive, in fact the song became their official club hymn.

In 1991 at the age of 81 he died in a car accident in Hoek van Holland. In 1998 a statue of him was built, which is located at the corner of the Schilderstraat and the Schiedamsedijk in Rotterdam. The statue was made visible for the world by alderman Hans Kombrink.