The district Fivelingo gets its name from the river the Fivel, which sprang from a field in the north of Kolham and meandered through peat, bog and clay to end in the Fivel estuary at Eenum.  Oosterwijtwerd was situated - just as Eenum was - outside the estuary and is one of the oldest villages. In 500 BC people lived here and were dependent on the ocean for their living. Next to fishing and trade they lived from the land. They threw up mounds to keep people and animals safe from high tides. In Holland such a mound is called "Wierde" or "Terp"

More recent roads run straight and parallel to each other. In the twelfth and thirteenth century most of the Fivel-estuary was reclaimed from the sea and the landscape which emerged is distinctly different from the older landscape.

The village is mainly situated on a mound. Rubbish and manure deposited by inhabitants through the centuries made the soil of these mounds very fertile and around 1900 this mound was partly dug off and sold as fertilizer. The leveled part of the mound is called "lege wier", which means "empty mount" . 

This is the Maria Chapel, situated at the highest part of the mound. It is one of the oldest brick Roman churches in Groningen.  The church is focused East- West, according to mediaeval tradition with a slight deviation to the North (8 N).

The Dorpstraat en de houses alongside this road are situated on the " hoge Wierde ",which means "high mound"  In the curve of the road, on one of the pictures on this page you can see the almshouse. This asylum was granted to the village by the Lady of the Manor and was restored and renovated in the eighties.

The Manor is the stronghold Ripperda unfortunately demolished after 1745. The grounds of the stronghold can still be seen on the east-side of the village, behind the house called "de Wijtwerder Heerd". In recent years the moat has been restored.

In the battle between the Town-city and the surrounding country about 1500 the village played a strategic role in the battle of Appingedam.

The "Manor of Oosterwijtwerd", shown here on a later drawing from the record office was occupied by the Town-city shortly after new year 1500. They fortified the manor and encamped an army of 60 men at the grounds

This map dates back to about 1825, when the land registry office began an inventory. By clicking on this map you will reach a page with several maps of Oosterwijtwerd in the last two centuries.

The aspect of the Dorpstraat (which is the main street of Oosterwijtwerd) has changed dramatically in the 20th century. Most of the houses on this street used to be shops except for number 7, at present a building contractor. There used to be a smithy at no. 9, a bakery at no. 11, a school at no. 15, a tailor at no. 10,  a seamstress at no. 12, a cooper/cartwright at no. 28, a shoemaker at no. 30, and a grocery at no 32. 

The inhabitants of Oosterwijtwerd are mostly an industrious, modern people. Many are self-employed persons, others with jobs in surrounding cities and villages or even abroad and very few unemployed. The retired and elderly are usually very active till life forces them to rest.

Most family households make use of the computer and Internet and since 1990 we have a cable television network.

Fortunately we also retained some good habits from the past. We still have time for one another, we greet each other in passing and speak out each others name and when somebody needs assistance, there usually will be someone spontaneously giving it.

If there is snow and ice in winter the place is crowded and lively with skaters who come to eat pea soup or drink a hot chocolate.

When visiting this part of Groningen there is accommodation to be found with Jim and Betty Lambeck at the Wijtwerder Heerd, Dorpstraat 20, Tel (+31) 0596 627453. More information about this on our page of the "Wijtwerder Heerd"

Behind this residence the grounds of the stronghold can still be seen. In recent years the moat has been restored and a large signboard explains the history of the place and also gives information about the project on the "Little Owls".  

Clubs

• Vereniging Dorpsbelangen Oosterwijtwerd
• Speeltuincommissie
• Toneelvereniging Mimicri
• Kaartclub Oosterwijtwerd
• IJsvereniging De Scheve Schaats
• Plaatselijke commissie St. Groninger Kerken
• Begrafenisvereniging "Oosterwijtwerd"
• Begraafplaatsvereniging "Rusthof"

Football is played at the field in a neighbouring village Zeerijp, where they also have the clubhouse. Fivel voetbalclub Zeerijp

No. of inhabitants: app. 11.050
Area: app. 112 km²

Other villages in this municipality:

Eekwerd, Eekwerderdraai, Eenum, Fraamklap, Garrelsweer, Garsthuizen, Hoeksmeer, Honderd, Huizinge, Kolhol, Leermens, Loppersum, Lutjerijp, Lutjewijtwerd, Merum, Middelstum, Startenhuizen (ged), Stedum, Stork, Toornwerd, Westeremden, Westerwijtwerd, Wirdum, Wirdumerdraai, 't Zandstervoorwerk, 't Zandt, Zeerijp, Zijldijk (ged)