Boxmeer, Sint Anthonis, Oploo

The cuddly dwarf of Oploo, Tôntje the Dwarf... Toon van Els, as he was really called, grew from a reviled tramp to a village legend. Toon was born in 1865 on the Bekenstijn castle farm in Sambeekse Hoek. He was remarkably small, reportedly no taller than his own sheep, and was therefore quickly nicknamed ‘Toontje d'n Dwerg’ (Dwarf Toontje). Despite his height, he had an impressive appearance: perky with a rough beard and a powerful voice.

Toon became a shepherd at a young age, the lowest paid profession in agriculture. He gathered the sheep from the farmers around Oploo to take them to the heath in the Peel. There is now a gazebo where he would gather the sheep. He lost his job when sheep farming in the Peel disappeared around 1900. From that moment on, he led a wandering existence, looking for work or shelter.

He travelled through the Peel, occasionally stayed in Westerbeek and was seen in all kinds of villages in the region, from Heusden to Someren. Toon had no fixed abode. In the winter he slept in sheepfolds or turf huts, in the summer under the starry sky. He transported his belongings in an old pram.

As the years went by, he became lonely and became alienated from people. He was often mocked, and would defend himself with sand or stones. He died in 1922 in Weert at the age of 56.

Although he died alone, Toon was not forgotten. In 1986, a bronze statue of him was placed at the watermill in Oploo. The statue was made by Harrie Willems. In 1992, the Doekmaroploo theatre company staged a play about his life, ‘Toon d'n Dwerg’, which drew a large audience.

Photo: Oploo ©National Archives