Blauw Dámpke

Blauwe Dámpke (translation: Blue Vapor), otherwise known as Blauw Wolkje was synonymous for the plague in Enschede, a city close to the German border in Overijssel. A story tells of the plague and how it offed entire cities and villages in the area by sneaking through door cracks and chimneys, leaving wolves to take over their homes. With all farming properties in their surroundings gone quiet, the Lappe farmers were among the last survivors in the area. The Lappe was a nickname for a group of fearless farmers from the outskirts of Enschede. These farmers were named after their farming property, which laid close to a bog known as Aamsveen. The people of Enschede were convinced that the plague manifested itself as a blue flame (not to be confused with Hémänneken) or cloud that slipped into people's houses and killed everyone.

The Black Death

According to the tales it was but one bold farmer who was crazy enough to invite the black death with his doors wide open. Then one night he saw it creep by his door, silent, cold and devoid of color, but it left him alone and slipped through the cracks to kill the last of his neighbors. He was now the only one left, but that didn't faze him. Again he left his doors wide open, awaiting the arrival of the black disease. His call was answered. The misty death bringer entered his property and tried to slip through the wide open doors when the Lappe brought down the removable mullion and impaled the fiend. It was by his bravery that the area was finally rid of the plague.