The 'De Wittenkade' is called after the brothers Johan and Cornelis de Witt. They were murdered in The Hague on 20 August of the Disaster Year 1672 by members of local militia. Their bodies were severely mutilated. None of the perpetrators were punished. This political double murder is a momentous event in the history of the Netherlands.
Johan de Witt was one of the most influential Dutchmen of his time. He was Grand Pensionary of the province of Holland from 1653-1672. This made him the most important politician of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, for a long time with great success.
Under his rule, an Eternal Edict was drawn up in 1667, in which the stadtholdership was abolished. Henceforth, the tasks of the stadtholder would be performed by the States. However, provisions were included that the Prince of Orange could be given supreme command over the army.
Johan's brother Cornelis held a number of local positions, but he was also a deputy in the field, which meant that he took part in battles on behalf of the States General. He played an important role under Admiral Michiel de Ruyter in the successful Tour of Chatham and the Battle of Solebay.
The abolition of the stadtholdership caused bad blood among the Orangist faction in the Netherlands and among Prince William III of Orange himself. And the reduction of the state annuity in 1671 at the instigation of De Witt, which increased the income of the state, but reduced that of, for example, widows, caused a loss of popularity.
When the Republic appeared to be in bad shape in the Disaster Year 1672, the States of Holland were blamed in the person of Johan de Witt, while his brother was suspected of military cowardice. Rumors and false accusations - for example Cornelis was supposed to plan a murder on the Prince of Orange - created a rebellious situation, which led to an attack on Johan and Cornelis de Witt on June 21, 1672 and finally to the murder and subsequent orgy of violence on June 21, 1672. August.