De Heikapper (heath cutter)

A “Heikapper” was someone who cut sods on the ‘Lange Heuvelheide’, the extensive heathland on the military domain of Beverlo Camp. These sods were mainly used as fuel, fertilizer, or as roofing material.

The Heikapper symbolizes the many poor heikappers of Heppen who worked the heath in the past centuries, out of dire necessity. At the same time, however, they laid also the basis of the current village. The statue made of bluestone has been on the Pastoor Leo Jansenplein since 1996.

In 1998, the party committee of Leopoldsburg added the giant “De Heikapper” to the rich folkloric tradition. The giant is dressed with a blue overalls, a red scarf with white balls and a forest green cap. As an attribute, he wears a long-handled scythe.