The Dutch Republic in the 17th century was a flourishing center of trade, science, and also culture.
Often hailed as a beacon of progress, tolerance, and republican governance, the Netherlands during this period experienced a Golden Age that placed it at the forefront of European civilization.
Yet in 1672, a year remembered in Dutch history as Het Rampjaar or "The Disaster Year," this veneer of stability shattered.
In a chilling episode of political violence, Johan de Witt, the Grand Pensionary of Holland, equivalent to a modern-day prime minister, was brutally murdered and cannibalized by a furious mob.
This moment of collective rage remains one of the most disturbing events in all of European history.
The Political Climate of the Time
Johan de Witt had served as Grand Pensionary since 1653 and was a key figure in maintaining the Dutch Republic’s republican form of government.
He was highly educated, deeply analytical, and a skilled negotiator who opposed the monarchical ambitions of the House of Orange.
De Witt’s power was built on a coalition of urban elites who preferred a decentralized government managed by regents rather than princes.
However, beneath the Republic’s commercial success and naval power, tensions were brewing. Many in the population remained loyal to the House of Orange and distrusted the ruling merchant elite.
These tensions grew more volatile as de Witt’s government prioritized diplomacy and economic management over military preparedness, a decision that would have devastating consequences.
1672: The Year of Disaster
The crisis erupted in 1672 when the Dutch Republic was simultaneously attacked by England, France, and the German bishoprics of Münster and Cologne. The sudden multi-front invasion caught the Republic off guard.
French troops quickly advanced into Dutch territory, and the English navy threatened the country's dominance at sea. The defenses, undermanned and poorly coordinated, began to collapse.
Panic gripped the population. People lost confidence in the existing leadership, and Johan de Witt was blamed for the military failures and for leaving the country vulnerable. At the same time, the popularity of William of Orange surged.
A direct descendant of William the Silent, he represented the return to strong, centralized leadership and the military action the people now demanded. The political tide turned swiftly, and de Witt became a scapegoat.
The Plot Against the De Witt Brothers
The tragedy culminated in August 1672. Cornelis de Witt, Johan’s brother, was falsely accused of plotting to assassinate William of Orange. After being tortured, Cornelis was found guilty and sentenced to exile.
Johan, who had already resigned from his position weeks earlier after surviving an earlier assassination attempt, traveled to The Hague to bring his brother home from prison.
What awaited them, however, was not justice but mob violence. A large crowd had gathered outside the Gevangenpoort, the city prison, inflamed by rumors and stirred by Orangist propaganda. The authorities, either unwilling or complicit, did little to stop what would unfold.
The Lynch Mob and Cannibalistic Aftermath
On August 20, 1672, the de Witt brothers were dragged from the prison by an angry mob. They were beaten, mutilated, and ultimately killed in the street. Their bodies were then hung upside down in the square, a gruesome spectacle watched by hundreds.
What made the event truly infamous was what followed. Members of the crowd began to desecrate the corpses, cutting off fingers, noses, and genitals. Body parts were distributed like trophies.
According to multiple contemporary accounts, pieces of the de Witts' bodies were cooked and eaten by members of the mob. One man was reported to have eaten an eyeball; another took a piece of liver to roast over a fire.
This act of cannibalism, while shocking, was also symbolic. To consume the body of a political enemy was a profound statement of hatred and rejection.
It transformed public rage into ritualized violence and turned the de Witts into objects of vengeance rather than citizens deserving legal protection.
No Justice nor Accountability
Despite the public nature of the lynching and the widespread knowledge of those involved, no one was ever held accountable for the murders. The political shift that followed saw William of Orange rise to power, and few had an incentive to pursue justice for the de Witt brothers.
Their deaths effectively eliminated the last major republican resistance to the return of the Orangist monarchy.
