Leiderdorp, the Netherlands – 25 April 2025
FIVA is proud to announce that its President, Tiddo Bresters, one of the world’s leading advocates for historic vehicles, has been appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau, a prestigious Royal Honor awarded by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has a special system for honouring individuals who make a major contribution to society. By virtue of the proposal of third parties, a Royal Decoration may be awarded to such persons, under strict conditions. In principle, the commitment must be voluntary and unpaid, and the contribution must be widely recognised as being of significant value. These awards are traditionally presented on a date which is often a day or two earlier than the King's birthday which takes place on 27 April.
By virtue of the initiative of the Air-cooled Volkswagen Club Netherlands (LVWCN) and the Dutch FIVA ANF Federatie Historische Automobiel – en Motorfietsclubs (FEHAC), it was proposed that Tiddo Bresters be nominated for this high honour. The application and assessment procedure took approximately a year, during which the nominee must remain unaware — a challenging task, particularly when the individual holds an important international position. As the ceremony approached, keeping the secret became ever more difficult.
The decoration was presented to Mr. Bresters by the Mayor of Leiderdorp, Tjarda Struik, during the national celebration known as Lintjesregen (“Rain of Decorations”), held annually to recognise outstanding contributions to Dutch society. In a ceremony at the Leiderdorp town hall, Mr. Bresters — who arrived unsuspectingly with his wife Marianna and daughter Sacha — was honoured for his remarkable dedication to the preservation and promotion of mobile heritage, both nationally and internationally. Mayor Struik delivered a personal and moving speech, traditionally concluding with the words:
"It is a great honour for me to inform you, on behalf of His Majesty the King, that it has pleased the King to appoint you a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau."
For over four decades, Tiddo Bresters has been a passionate and tireless champion of historic vehicles. Since 1980, he has been active within FEHAC and has played a key leadership role within FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens), where he currently serves as President. His work has been instrumental in safeguarding the future of historic vehicles, advocating for legislation that respects automotive heritage, and promoting the cultural significance of historic mobility worldwide.
In addition to his contributions to mobile heritage, Tiddo Bresters has also served his local community through political engagement as a representative of the VVD party in Leiderdorp.
This Royal Honor recognises not only Tiddo Bresters’ lifelong commitment to historic vehicles but also the broader importance of protecting cultural heritage in all its forms.
As Mayor Tjarda Struik emphasized during the ceremony, each award during the Lintjesregen reflects the gratitude of both the Netherlands and local communities for exceptional service. In Tiddo Bresters' case, this gratitude extends far beyond national borders, resonating with historic vehicle enthusiasts around the globe.
We at FIVA wish to use this opportunity to provide our warmest thanks and appreciation to Tiddo for all his years of dedicated service for the protection and preservation of historic vehicles and hereby extend our heartfelt congratulations to Tiddo on his receipt this most well-deserved recognition.
Text: Bert Pronk, Ramin Salehkhou
Images: Bert Pronk