Het Gindrahuis

Het Gindrahuis takes its name from the painter Joseph Gindra (1862–1938). On the advice of his friend, the painter Victor de Buck, he settled in Bladel. The two artists were contemporaries of Vincent van Gogh. They were among the first generation of artists to use photographs as study material for their paintings. Armed with their camera, they set out to photograph farmers working in the fields. In 1895, Joseph Gindra had the mansion built, which is now known as ‘ het Gindrahuis’. He moved in there with his wife and child. Three daughters and two sons were later born to the Gindra family in their new home. Victor de Buck was a regular lodger, renting part of the house from 1906 onwards. Later, when Gindra could no longer afford the rent, the roles were reversed: De Buck became the owner and the Gindra family the tenants. In 1914, Joseph Gindra became the owner once more, and the house remained in the family’s possession until 1977. In that year, the municipality of Bladel acquired the property.
Haunted House
Even today, stories circulate in Bladel about the Gindra House, which has traditionally been dubbed a ‘haunted house’. De Buck was an eccentric figure, cloaked in a black cape. Gindra was also known for his many mistresses and his wayward character. Outwardly, the family appeared wealthy, but inside they lived in abject poverty. Then there are the screams of the daughter, tormented by religious delusions, and a Gindra scion blinded by love, as well as the mysterious disappearance of Victor de Buck in 1914. Officially, his whereabouts are unknown; according to local lore, he is buried in the back garden. After the war, a gardener found human bones in the garden, but these were discarded on the assumption that they belonged to someone in hiding. Following the disappearance of De Buck, the then owner of the property, the Gindra House was put up for auction. The buyer: Joseph Gindra; who suddenly found himself in possession of the proceeds from the sale of Victor de Buck’s possessions. A happy coincidence or – as some whisper – a premeditated plan.... Did De Buck perhaps meet a violent end? Nobody knows. The Belgian bricks remain silent, but sometimes the stairs creak…...
Source: ‘t Gindrahuis