16 In the crescent moon 16

The name "The Half Moon" belongs to the list of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon and stars. The current depiction in the upper light of the door is modern, but as far as we know the name was first mentioned here in 1638.

In March of that year the trial against a number of residents who were accused of having tried to play the city into the hands of the Spaniards in a treacherous way started before the court-martial in Maastricht. After Frederick Henry had driven out the Spaniards in 1632, he could not continue that campaign because of lack of money. Therefore, a strong Spanish force remained active in the surroundings of the city. The commander in Maastricht Joachim van Goltsteyn, a skilled military man and a fierce Calvinist, did not trust the Catholic population, especially the clergy among them. There are several versions about the trial. The case came to light because the impoverished nobleman Claude La Court, who served in the State army, could not explain where all the money that he had spent generously came from, slipped up and then pointed out brewer Jan Lansmans as his accomplice. The latter had bought the building in this street, called "Half Moon", next to his house, with money from the Spaniards, because behind the "Half Moon" there was a rather weak wall and an opening had to be made in it. Lansmans would rent that property to La Court for that purpose. More and more others got involved, including the popular Father Servaes Vinck and other clergymen. Documents show that many of them were not involved in the betrayal but knew about it - the clergy because of the confession. Anyway, because of "the gruesome treason of Maastricht in 1638" they were all beheaded.

In those days the name of the street was Helstraat. The property was located next to a brewery for centuries, functioning as a residence. In 1857 the Prick family, owners of the brewery next door, bought the property. The building was made shorter and sold in 1884 to Meijer Heijmans, registered as a merchant in the land register merchant and as a skin curer in the population register. In 1907 the property was sold to Franciscus Claessens, model maker by profession. They also went to live at this address and in 1926 the street name changed to St. Bernardusstraat. From 1941 onwards several successive owners buught the property more as an investment. Currently, the owner is again occupying the property.