The Flying Dutchman
The legend of the Flying Dutchman, a captain who was cursed to sail the seas with his crew on his ghost ship until Judgment Day, never to dock at a port or be redeemed by death, is world-famous. This ancient legend has inspired numerous artists to create literary and musical works, including the legendary composer Richard Wagner, whose opera “The Flying Dutchman” premiered in Dresden in 1843. The legend of the wandering captain is based on the real-life sailor Bernard Fokke. He was a Frisian ship captain in the Dutch East India Company who achieved fame during his lifetime by completing the trade route from the Netherlands to the spice island of Java in Indonesia in three months and four days in 1678. This was a real sensation, as it took him only half the usual travel time for this route. Many therefore believed that Bernard Fokke had made a pact with the devil, as this could not have been achieved by normal means. These rumors were reinforced by the fact that Bernard Fokke was an above-average tall and muscular man who constantly swore. In fact, his high speed was due to the clever sailor having iron crossbars attached to the mast. These were heavy, but they allowed him to sail even in strong winds and storms without them breaking. But one day, Bernard Fokke did not return with his ship. Rumors quickly spread that he had fallen prey to the devil and was now doomed to sail the world’s oceans forever on a ghost ship with his crew of a boatswain, a cook, and a single sailor, all of whom had long beards and were ancient. Many sailors reported seeing the ghost ship flying across the sea even in the worst storms. When the sailors asked the crew questions, they disappeared without a word. After Captain Fokke’s disappearance, a bronze statue was erected on Kuiper Island in memory of him and his ship, which could be seen by all ships sailing from the roadstead of Batavia. However, it was removed by the English, who conquered Java in 1811. To this day, the Flying Dutchman continues to be the subject of numerous films and books.
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