Street Names of Controversial Figures
On September 5, 2023, the municipal executive adopted a street-naming policy. This policy also outlines how we, as a municipality, intend to handle streets named after controversial figures. We are cautious about changing street names. However, we understand how important it is to acknowledge events from the past.
The municipality of Voorschoten is doing this by adding an appropriate caption to the street signs, along with a QR code. The QR code links to this page, where you’ll find more detailed biographies with additional context.
Jan Pieterszoon Coen Street
Jan Pieterszoon Coen (Hoorn, 1587–Batavia, 1629) was a merchant, director-general, and governor-general of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He is regarded as the architect of the VOC’s successful trading empire in Asia. He was also the founder of Batavia, now known as Jakarta.
Coen is praised as a dynamic and visionary leader. But he is equally criticized for his violent tactics in securing trade monopolies in the Dutch East Indies.
In 1621, Coen led a punitive expedition against one of the Banda Islands because the inhabitants had defied the VOC’s ban by supplying nutmeg to the English. Thousands of Banda Islanders lost their lives in the process, and the survivors were deported to Batavia.