Don’t call the Philatelistenclub “Rotterdam” a ‘vereniging’ (association). It is a club.
This immediately sets the tone. It is not just an association of stamp collectors. No, it is a club. Nor can you sign up as a member. You have to be nominated by one of the members and then balloted.
The number of members allowed to join is also limited, and the club deliberately wants to remain small as well. In the corridors it is also called ‘De kleine club’. (the small club)
They still like to party. Every 25 years is celebrated in a big way. The first time was in 1930. At that time, a 10-course dinner was served in restaurant ‘Tivoli’ in Rotterdam.
The entire complex (theatre, cinema, winter garden and café-restaurant) was destroyed in the bombing on May 14, 1940.
The menu is a nice memento, and members of the club have signed on this copy. Among them are familiar names, including two Messrs. Van Dieten.
Thanks to Jan Vellekoop, most of the names have been detected: