The story of Wanderwolf: A contested tale on the re-emergence of 'new wilderness' in the Netherlands

Abstract

In this chapter, the author studies what the particular wolf has come to signify culturally in the contemporary public imagination and understanding of the Dutch landscape. It suggests that the Wanderwolf 'wandered' into the production of a new landscape ideology, i.e., another genesis of the Dutch landscape, in which it fulfils a different kind, yet equally controversial, iconic role compared to those we know from West-European ethnological and folkloric traditions. The media commotion surrounding the sightings of the Wanderwolf should be seen in the context of a much larger interest and effort to 'rewild' Europe. The visions expressed by the enthusiasts on the apparent return of the wolf reflect strongly those which Cronon has critically analysed in his influential essay on the notion of wilderness. The wolf's adversaries spoke out equally during the Wanderwolf's appearance. As media announced during the Wanderwolf incident, the comeback of the wolf is no longer a fairy tale.