In 1947, the word ‘Lieverdje’ became famous thanks to journalist Henri Knap, who wrote in the daily newspaper Parool about a ten-year-old boy with a heart of gold. This boy had saved a small dog from drowning, and he was soon nicknamed ‘Lieverdje’. This one ‘Lieverdje’ quickly became the symbol of the Amsterdam street urchin - always looking for mischief, but with a heart of gold.
When a group of fellow citizens saw a statue by the Amsterdam sculptor Carel Kneulman, they recognised in it the true Amsterdam ‘Lieverdje’. However, their initiative to give the statue a place in the city centre failed. Years later, Henri Knap received a remarkable request from a cigarette manufacturer in Eindhoven, who wondered what gift he could give to the people of Amsterdam. Knap's answer was clear: ‘Put Kneulman's “Lieverdje” on the Spui.’
Since then, Lieverdje has had many adventures. In the 1960s, it served as a meeting place for social innovators, such as the Provo movement, who organised their ‘happenings’ here. The statue has endured festive decorations, vandalism and even kidnappings. In recent years, however, things have quietened down around the ‘Lieverdje’. The statue remains a symbol of Amsterdam's characteristic qualities: lively, quirky and a little mischievous. It stands there on the Spui as a reminder of the street wisdom and open-mindedness that make the city so unique.
