Herman Louis Cesar Teirlinck (
Sint-Jans-Molenbeek
( French, ) or (Dutch, ), often simply called Molenbeek, is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, from which it is separated ...
, 24 February 1879 –
Beersel-Lot, 4 February 1967) was a
Belgian
Belgian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to, Belgium
* Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent
* Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German
*Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...
writer. He was the fifth child and only son of
Isidoor Teirlinck
Isidoor Teirlinck (Zegelsem, 2 January 1851 - Forest, Brussels, 27 June 1934) was a Belgian writer. He is best known for his work on folklore.
Isidoor Teirlinck went to school in Lier. He married with Oda van Nieuwenhove and he was the father of ...
and Oda van Nieuwenhove, who were both teachers in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
. As a child, he had frail health and spent much of his time at the countryside in
Zegelsem
Zegelsem is a village in the municipality of Brakel in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Zegelsem is an agricultural community in the Flemish Ardennes. It is located about south of Ghent.
Overview
Zegelsem is a part of the hilly landsca ...
(
East Flanders
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Province of Belgium
, image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg
, flag_size =
, image_shield = Wapen van O ...
), with his paternal grandparents. He was nominated for the
Nobel Prize in Literature
)
, image = Nobel Prize.png
, caption =
, awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature
, presenter = Swedish Academy
, holder = Annie Ernaux (2022)
, location = Stockholm, Sweden
, year = 1901
, ...
six times.
Education
From 1886 until 1890 he went to the primary school ''Karel Buls'' in Brussels. He went to high school at the ''Koninklijk Athenaeum'' (E: royal athenaeum) in Brussels, where he studied Greek and Latin. One of his teachers was
Hyppoliet Meert, a
Flamingant
The term ''flamingant'', in both Dutch and French, refers to an adherent of the Flemish Movement. Originating as a pejorative term use by Belgian nationalists, it may be equally used as an adjective or substantive and the term ''flamingantisme'' ...
and language purist. In 1879, at the request of his father, he started as a student at the ''Faculty of Science'' at the
Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), but he himself wanted to become a writer, not a scientist. He succeeded in his first year of medicine, but he then left the ULB and went to the
University of Ghent
Ghent University ( nl, Universiteit Gent, abbreviated as UGent) is a public research university located in Ghent, Belgium.
Established before the state of Belgium itself, the university was founded by the Dutch King William I in 1817, when the ...
(RUG) to study
Germanic philology
Philology () is the study of language in oral and writing, written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defin ...
; he didn't do well here either and left RUG also without graduating. He wrote his first poems, ''Metter Sonnewende'' (1899) and ''Verzen'' (1900). In
Ghent
Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...
, he met
Karel van de Woestijne
Carolus Petrus Eduardus Maria "Karel" van de Woestijne (; Ghent, 10 March 1878 – Zwijnaarde, 24 August 1929) was a Flemish writer and brother of the painter Gustave van de Woestijne. He went to highschool at the ''Koninklijk Athenaeum'' (E:Royal ...
, and they would become lifelong friends until the death of Karel van de Woestijne in 1929.
Career
In 1902, he married his first wife Mathilde Lauwers, and together they had two daughters: Stella and Leentje Teirlinck. He became appointed the civil servant responsible for the Fine Arts in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
. Also in 1902, he published ''De wonderbare wereld'' (E: The Wonderful World), followed by ''Het stille gesternte'' (E: The silent stars) in 1903. In 1903, he was also co-founder of the illustrated magazine ''Vlaanderen'' (E: Flanders), which succeeded ''Van nu en straks'' (E: Of now and soon). In 1906, he became Belgian correspondent for the
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
newspaper ''Het Handelsblad''. He became more and more interested in the city life of Brussels and in 1909, he published the novel ''Ivoren Aapje'' (E: Ivory monkey), which was his first novel about Brussels. Also in 1909 he published his essay ''Het Vlaamsch Tooneel'' (E: Flemish theatre), which showed his appreciation for
Edward Gordon Craig
Edward Henry Gordon CraigSome sources give "Henry Edward Gordon Craig". (born Edward Godwin; 16 January 1872 – 29 July 1966), sometimes known as Gordon Craig, was an English modernist theatre practitioner; he worked as an actor, director and ...
. He went to live in
Linkebeek
Linkebeek (; ) is a Belgian municipality in Flanders, part of the province of Flemish Brabant, and in the administrative district of Halle-Vilvoorde. The municipality only comprises the town of Linkebeek proper. As of 1 January 2006, Linkebeek h ...
, where he, as a
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
, got involved in local politics.
From 1912 until 1926 he was director of the furniture factory ''Ateliers Victor De Cunsel''. He even became secretary of the Wood-industry employers’ organization, which allowed him to visit
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (french: Congo belge, ; nl, Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
Colo ...
.
Literary career
In the meantime he continued with his writing, such as with Johan Doxa and De lemen torens in 1917 and Nieuwe Uilenspiegel in 1922. From 1910 through 1936 he was a teacher of Dutch at the Stedelijke Jongensnormaalschool (E: Urban boy teacher school) in Brussels. From 1925 through 1938, he taught Dutch at the Akademie voor Schone Kunsten (E:Academy for Fine Arts) in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, and from 1928 up to 1936 at the Stedelijke Meisjesnormaalschool (E: Urban little girl teacher school) in Brussels.
In 1917 he became a member of the Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde (E: Society for Dutch Literature) in
Leiden
Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...
, and in 1919, he became a member of the
Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde (E:Royal Flemish Academy for Language - and Literature). In 1928, his first wife died. The same year Herman Teirlinck married Johanna Hoofmans from Linkebeek. Five years later, they moved to the house at the ''Uwenberg 14'' in
Beersel.
In 1920 he became teacher of Flemish at the Royal Court of Belgium; in 1933 ''Private Councillor'' of
King Albert I
Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934.
Born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-S ...
; in 1934 ''Councillor for Art and Science'' of
King Leopold III
Leopold III (3 November 1901 – 25 September 1983) was King of the Belgians from 23 February 1934 until his abdication on 16 July 1951. At the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the German invasi ...
and in 1951 ''Honorary Councillor for Art and Science'' of
King Baudouin I, in Dutch King Boudewijn I.
Herman Teirlinck wrote in a typical Flemish style, and he considered
Karel van de Woestijne
Carolus Petrus Eduardus Maria "Karel" van de Woestijne (; Ghent, 10 March 1878 – Zwijnaarde, 24 August 1929) was a Flemish writer and brother of the painter Gustave van de Woestijne. He went to highschool at the ''Koninklijk Athenaeum'' (E:Royal ...
, to be his most important example. This becomes apparent in his work in ''t Bedrijf van den kwade'' in ''De doolage''. He was acquainted with impressionistic painters, who also had a strong influence on his work. His collection of poems ''Zon'' (E:sun) is the best example of this influence. Over the years his language became more Dutch and less Flemish.
Theatre interested Herman Teirlinck most. He wrote plays such as ''De vertraagde film'' (E: Slowed down movie) (1922), ''
Ik dien'' (E: I serve) (1924) in ''De man zonder lijf'' (E: The man without a body) (1925). Other plays are ''De ekster en de galg'' (E: The magpie and the gallow) (1937) and ''Ave'' (1938) in which he experimented with modern techniques to involve the public more in the action.
In his last literary period, which started with the novel ''Maria Speermalie'' in 1940, he approached existentialism. Also the free passionate life of people, with its refined over-civilization and its contradicting extremes, he took into consideration. In 1946, he became co-founder and Director of the ''Nieuw Vlaams Tijdschrift'' and he founded the ''Studio van het Nationaal Toneel'' in Antwerp, which would later become the famous ''Studio Herman Teirlinck''. He wanted to create a renewal of the education of actors. With the essay ''Pointering 48'' of 1948, he wrote the basic program for the school. The final foundation of the educational principles of the Studio was written down in the ''Dramatisch Peripatetikon'' in 1959. In 1951 he created the
Arkprijs van het Vrije Woord
The Arkprijs van het Vrije Woord (Ark Prize of the Free Word) is a symbolic award created in 1951 by Herman Teirlinck and the editorial team of the ''Nieuw Vlaams Tijdschrift'' (New Flemish magazine) to counteract ideologically driven restrictions ...
. In ''Het gevecht met de engel'' (E: The fight with the angel), the unavoidability of destiny was emphasized (1952). His last novel ''Zelfportret of Het galgemaal'' appeared in 1955, which was an exercise in self-reflection.
Mijol Club
In 1912, he founded the literary club ''De Mijol Club'' (also M.C, ''Magna Carta'', or ''Marie Jolles Club''), of which ,
August Vermeylen
August Vermeylen (12 May 1872, in Brussels – 10 January 1945, in Uccle) was a Belgian writer and literature critic. In 1893 he founded the literary journal ''Van Nu en Straks'' (''Of Today and Tomorrow''). He studied history at the Free Univers ...
, , and
Ernest Claes
Andreas Ernestus Josephus Claes (24 October 1885 in Zichem – 2 September 1968 in Elsene) was a Belgian author. He is best known for his regional novels, including ''De Witte'' ("Whitey"), which was the source material for the first Flemish mov ...
were members. They gathered at the tavern
3 Fonteinen in Beersel (which still exists). Mijol is the name of a game played in a tray with cobblestones.
Honours
* 1923 :Officer in the
Order of the Crown, by royal Decree of 21.7.1923.
Other awards
* ''Belgian National Award for theatre'' (1925 and 1928),
* ''Belgian National Award for his entire oeuvre'' (1950),
* ''
Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
The Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren (''Dutch Literature Prize'') is awarded every three years to an author from the Netherlands, Belgium or, since 2005, Suriname writing in Dutch. It is considered the most prestigious literary award in the Dutch-sp ...
'' (Belgium and the Netherlands) in 1956.
* Dr Honoris Causas
Universite Libre de Bruxelles (1938),
* Dr Honoris Causas
University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being ...
(1947),
* Dr Honoris Causas
University of Liège
The University of Liège (french: Université de Liège), or ULiège, is a major public university of the French Community of Belgium based in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French. As of 2020, ULiège is ranked in the 301 ...
(1954)
* Dr Honoris Causas
University of Ghent
Ghent University ( nl, Universiteit Gent, abbreviated as UGent) is a public research university located in Ghent, Belgium.
Established before the state of Belgium itself, the university was founded by the Dutch King William I in 1817, when the ...
(1959)
Bibliography
* Verzen (1900; poems)
* Landelijke historiën (1901; novel)
* De wonderbare wereld (1902; novel)
* Het stille gesternte (1903; novel)
* 't Bedrijf van den kwade (1904; novel)
* De doolage (1905; novel)
* Zon, een bundel beschrijvingen (1906; essays)
* De kroonluchter, kunstgenootschap (1907; novel)
* Het avontuurlijk leven van Lieven Cordaat (1908)
* Mijnheer J.B. Serjanszoon, orator didacticus (1908; novel)
* Het ivoren aapje (1909; novel)
* Johan Doxa, `Vier herinneringen aan een Brabantschen Gothieker' (1917; novel)
* De Nieuwe Uilenspiegel of de jongste incarnatie van den scharlaken Thijl (1920; bewerking van het oude volksverhaal)
* De vertraagde film (1922; theatre)
* Ik dien (1924; theatre)
* De man zonder lijf (1925; theatre)
* De wonderlijke mei (1925; theatre)
* De leemen torens (1928; novel in letters met
Karel van de Woestijne
Carolus Petrus Eduardus Maria "Karel" van de Woestijne (; Ghent, 10 March 1878 – Zwijnaarde, 24 August 1929) was a Flemish writer and brother of the painter Gustave van de Woestijne. He went to highschool at the ''Koninklijk Athenaeum'' (E:Royal ...
)
* De ekster op de galg (1937; theatre)
*
Elckerlyc (1937)
* Ave (1938; theatre)
* Maria Speermalie, 1875–1937 (1940; novel)
* De XXXX brieven aan Rolande (1944)
* Het gevecht met de engel (1952; novel)
* Zelfportret of Het galgemaal (1955; novel)
* Wijding voor een derde geboorte (1956; essay)
* Dramatisch Peripatetikon (1959; theatre teaching principles)
* Verzameld werk, 8 vol. (1955–1969)
* Verzameld werk, 9 vol. (1973)
See also
*
Flemish literature Flemish literature is literature from Flanders, historically a region comprising parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Until the early 19th century, this literature was regarded as an integral part of Dutch literature. After Bel ...
References
Sources
* Bousset, Hugo. 1968. Herman Teirlinck. Brugge: Desclée De Brouwer (Ontmoetingen; 75). - 58 p.
* Vanhemelryck, Fernand e.a. (red.). 1979. Herman Teirlinck. Dworp (Beersel): Zenne en Zonien Opbouwwerk. - 217 p.
Herman Teirlinck(Dutch)
(Dutch)
(Dutch)
External links
*
(
Beersel, Belgium)
Herman Teirlinck Museum(
Beersel, Belgium)
Teirlinck Instituut
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teirlinck, Herman
1879 births
1967 deaths
People from Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Flemish writers
Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren winners
Officers of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Belgian magazine founders