Adriaan de Blander is an important figure in Eddy Adriaens’ historical novel Elisabeth De Pot, The Witch of Aspelare: • He is one of the villagers of Aspelare who—like Elisabeth De Pot and others—barely escaped similar accusations of witchcraft. • The author “stepped into the shoes” of Adriaan de Blander, which allowed him to form a deep emotional connection with Elisabeth and her husband Pieter. This gave the narrative an intimate, insider’s perspective on the events and highlighted the personal tragedies within the village. In short, Adriaan de Blander is a character in the novel who serves as a bridge between the collective drama of the community and the author’s mission to bring out the deeply human side of the story.