{"id":12507,"date":"2026-03-08T16:46:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T16:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zwaanborkel.nl\/?page_id=12507"},"modified":"2026-04-07T19:06:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T19:06:25","slug":"historie-de-zwaan-borkel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/zwaanborkel.nl\/en\/historie-de-zwaan-borkel\/","title":{"rendered":"SWAN History"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\tThe Swan\t<\/h2>\n\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The history of
Grand Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Where the story of
The Swan begins<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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This is the story of a place in beautiful Brabant where people have been coming together for generations. In the middle of the square, next to the Servatius church, De Zwaan has become a trusted place for villagers, associations and passers-by.<\/p>

Over the years, the caf\u00e9's appearance changed, but its essence remained the same: hospitality, meeting, and a place where you feel welcome.<\/p>

On this page, we'll take you back in time, with stories and photos, ending with an overview of former owners and proprietors who have shaped De Zwaan.<\/p><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"Because if you want to move forward, you need to know where you came from.\"<\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The oldest known image of
The Swan<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Janus and Jana Janssens<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The story of De Zwaan, as far as is known, begins in 1912, when the property still belonged to the church. There, the books mention an expense of 600 Guilders for fitting it out as Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan according to the new Liquor Act.<\/p>

\u00a0Adrianus Johannes Jansens and his wife Adriana Jonkers are considered to be the first known proprietors of Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan.\u00a0<\/p>

In the village, they were known as Janus and Jana.<\/b><\/p>

Janus didn't just limit himself to running the caf\u00e9. He was also a merchant and worked as a tailor, trading in manufactured goods and bespoke clothing. He also dealt in colonial goods such as coffee, tea, cocoa, and tobacco, making De Zwaan not only a catering establishment but also a place where one could buy daily necessities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Postcards from 1914\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Here we see the village square of Borkel en Schaft, with St Servatius Church and Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan in the background. In front of the caf\u00e9, Dutch soldiers are posing with villagers, including the then-pregnant Jana Jansens. It is noteworthy that this picture postcard was published and sold by Janus himself, thus providing him with an extra source of income.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jan Bijnen<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The photographs on these postcards were taken by the now well-known regional photographer Jan Bijnen from Waalre. He travelled through Southeast Brabant and far beyond on his bicycle, where he photographed tirelessly. He carried his glass negatives in a box on the back of his bicycle, to print them himself later.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dutch soldiers at
\u201cCaf\u00e9 De Zwaan\u201d<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The interior of Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan in Borkel en Schaft at the beginning of the twentieth century. This shows how De Zwaan was already an important meeting and gathering place at the time for both villagers and soldiers during the mobilisation for the First World War in 1914.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A meeting place
For the whole village<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The old photos clearly show the function De Zwaan fulfilled in the village. At the top left of the window it stated\u201cCaf\u00e9 De Zwaan \u2013 A. J. Jansens-Jonkers\u201d <\/strong>And next to it, the white swan was emblazoned. The caf\u00e9 was not just a place for a drink or a meal, but above all a place where the social life of Borkel and Schaft converged.<\/p>

Villagers, young and old, gathered outside the pub. Behind the table, sitting on the left, Mayor Baken can be recognised.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Catholic Farmers' Wives Association<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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This photograph from 1918 shows female members of the Roman Catholic Farmers' Association, together with Father Van den Biggelaar, in front of Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan. De Zwaan already played an important role at gatherings of associations and within Catholic village life at the time.<\/p>

This tradition is To this day<\/span> continued. The former K.V.O., nowadays known as ladies' association D.O.E. (Ladies Among Themselves), still celebrates its annual Christmas party at De Zwaan.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Well-known place in the village<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan since 1916<\/p>

De Zwaan was not only a building on the square, but a fixed part of the daily life of Borkel en Schaft. A well-known place in the village and surrounding area. Here it is still seen with its original thatched gable roof, which was replaced by roof tiles around 1930.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Fanfare E.M.O.S.\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The EMOS (Eendracht Maakt Ons Sterk) fanfare band was founded in 1920 and quickly played an important role in the village life of Borkel en Schaft. In the early years, the association did not have its own space, meaning rehearsals and performances often took place at Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan.<\/p>

For years, De Zwaan's hall provided the setting for music evenings and gatherings where musicians and villagers came together. In doing so, the caf\u00e9 was not only a meeting place, but also an important stage for the village's rich associational life.<\/p>

To this day, this history lives on and a part of the restaurant still bears the name EMOS.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The name \"The Swan\"<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Around old pubs and inns, the most exciting stories often circulate. The name too \u201cThe Swan\u201d<\/strong> used to be associated with immoral practices or with ladies who didn't just drop by for a cup of coffee.<\/p>

For De Zwaan in Borkel and Schaft<\/strong> However, that image actually seems to be completely unfitting. This property was owned by the church for a long time and was therefore quite neatly supervised by the church board. Then Jan Sprengers<\/strong> the property at 1954<\/strong> He therefore did not get it just like that, without conditions.<\/p>

During the sale, it was explicitly stipulated that in De Zwaan no performances, exhibitions or entertainments were allowed that were contrary to Catholic doctrine and morals<\/span>.\u00a0<\/p>

Or, in other words: the pastor apparently didn't like overly wild surprises in the audience.<\/p>

And to be fair...
Fortunately, that has also remained the case over the years.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Harrie and Diny Peters\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Harrie Peters, on the right in the photo, bought De Zwaan in 1964 and ran the pub together with his wife Diny (bottom left wearing glasses) until the end of 1973. The photos show the interior of the pub from that period, with the long bar, the beer taps, and the typical village pub atmosphere of De Zwaan. She cooked for over a hundred wedding guests at the time from their own \u201cordinary\u201d kitchen at home, as their daughter Rita recounted.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jos Franken and Harry Baken\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Over the course of the twentieth century, De Zwaan continued to develop, while the core of the place remained the same.<\/p>

Jos Franken and Harry Baken, two architects, bought the property in 1973. They renovated De Zwaan and the residence between 1973 and 1975 and rent it out afterwards<\/span>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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From village pub to pub-restaurant<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0The cafe grew along with the village and the region, developing increasingly into a cafe-restaurant that not only attracted local villagers but also visitors from outside Borkel and Belgium. Its location on the square, close to the church and situated near the Dommel river and the surrounding nature, also made \u201cDe Zwaan\u201d a natural stop for residents, walkers, tourists, and passers-by.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pieter and Els Oostveen<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In October 1987, they took over De Zwaan. Together, they developed the pub into a warm and trusted place for the village. In the kitchen and in the establishment, hospitality and attentiveness were central, as you would expect from a true Brabantian Cafe Restaurant at that time.<\/p>

Family also helps out where needed: father Adriaan and mother Rietje lend a hand when it's busy. It is the season of coffee mornings, family celebrations and extensive cold buffets. With care and dedication, Pieter and Els ensure that everyone feels welcome.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The interior of
De Zwaan in the 80s<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The interior at the time exuded cosiness and character. Wooden tables with Persian rugs, a billiard table and a dance floor that was regularly polished and waxed formed the heart of the pub.<\/p>

Here there is feasting, dancing, and eating together. The hall is the setting for countless gatherings, from clubs to weddings. These images show what De Zwaan has stood for for generations.\u00a0<\/p>

Pieter and Els bought De Zwaan in 1996 as the culmination of their hard work, expanding De Zwaan and the adjacent house.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Our Marjo<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Marjo Verstraaten here, together with Pieter Oostveen. Marjo has been associated with De Zwaan since she was sixteen, making her one of the regular faces at the establishment for decades.<\/p>

She started in the time of Richard Wodak and grew into an indispensable force within 'De Zwaan'. With her experience, overview, and sense of planning, she knows better than anyone what is needed.<\/p>

Marjo always knew how to gather people around her. She used to call her mother, and her children have all worked here for a time too. And her son \u201cOur Danny\u201d is currently a permanent fixture in the kitchen.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Probus Kempenland at the Zwaan<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Since the early 2000s<\/strong> the members of Probus Kempenland<\/strong> an indispensable part of De Zwaan.<\/p>

This association of involved and active seniors regularly meets here for gatherings focused on socialising and conversation.<\/p>

Around these moments, De Zwaan has for years been the place where they come together for lunch, dinner, or a drink. This has allowed a strong bond to grow over the years. The ladies also have their own traditions, such as the cosy Ladies' lunch<\/em>, and annually, the Christmas celebration and joint year-end dinner also take place with us.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Swan Through the Generations<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Over the years, De Zwaan has been run by different generations of landlords and owners. Each period shaped De Zwaan in its own way, but the core remained the same: a warm and welcoming place in the heart of beautiful Borkel en Schaft.<\/p>

The layout changed, generations changed, the village grew and the world around it changed with it. De Zwaan remained a place where people came together. That makes this location special not only as a catering establishment, but also as a living piece of history.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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De Zwaan today<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Since 2021, we, Patrick Poeliejoe and Carola Adriaanse, have been continuing this special place. With respect for the rich history of the building and a passion for our craft, we, together with our team, are continuing to build Grand Caf\u00e9 De Zwaan.<\/p>

What has been the strength of De Zwaan for generations, we want to preserve: a homely and welcoming place for villagers, regular guests, visitors from the region, walkers, cyclists, tourists, and everyone who wants to experience Borkel en Schaft.<\/p>

The history of De Zwaan lives on not only in old photographs and stories, but also in the hospitality, encounters and moments that are created here anew every day. <\/b><\/p>

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