Fred Bachrach
Encyclopedia
Albert Gustave Herbert "Fred" Bachrach, CBE
(9 December 1914 – 18 December 2009) was a Dutch literary and art historian of French and German descent whose academic work featured in a number of prominent exhibitions and research works in Britain and the Netherlands and who founded the Sir Thomas Browne Institute for the study of Anglo-Dutch relations at Leiden University
. Bachrach had also served in the Dutch Army during the Second World War and spent three years as a Japanese prisoner of war
, suffering starvation, torture, and deprivation that haunted him for the rest of his life.
in December 1914 to a French father and a German mother and was educated at Amsterdam University before becoming a teacher, first in Alkmaar
and subsequently in the Dutch East Indies
. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor he was conscripted into the Dutch Army.
and sent to a prisoner of war camp. There he was subject to starvation and, after the discovery of a secret radio, torture in an iron hut known as "the oven". Throughout his time in the camp, Bachrach retained a copy of Shakepeare's
works which the guards believed was a "holy book" and therefore permitted him to keep. He held regular secret discussion meetings, signalled by the wearing of creased trousers. He was released in 1945 at Changi
, weighing less than 37 kg (80 lb). While in captivity, news had reached him that his son had died from a combination of diphtheria
and medical neglect in another camp; his marriage to Winifred MacManus did not recover. After the war, Bachrach spent a year with French special forces in Saigon during the First Indochina War
before returning to the Netherlands to work for the government.
and studied seventeenth century English literature, receiving a PhD. From Oxford, Bachrach became the head of English Studies at Leiden University
, remaining there for the rest of his career but with frequent secondments to galleries and museums in Britain and the Netherlands as well as a visiting fellowship to All Souls College, Oxford
. Among the exhibitions he worked on during this time were The Orange and the Rose at the Victoria and Albert Museum
and Turner's Holland at the Tate Gallery
. He also published numerous works on literary and art history, including the Dutch An Introduction to Shakespeare in Five Letters and founded the Sir Thomas Browne Institute for the study of Anglo-Dutch relations at Leiden.
. He had been made an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion and was a keen painter and exhibited his own work. His wartime experiences remained with him throughout his life, but it was not until 1995 that he was able to speak openly about them after a meeting with Eric Lomax
. He died in December 2009.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(9 December 1914 – 18 December 2009) was a Dutch literary and art historian of French and German descent whose academic work featured in a number of prominent exhibitions and research works in Britain and the Netherlands and who founded the Sir Thomas Browne Institute for the study of Anglo-Dutch relations at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
. Bachrach had also served in the Dutch Army during the Second World War and spent three years as a Japanese prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, suffering starvation, torture, and deprivation that haunted him for the rest of his life.
Life
Bachrach was born in FrankfurtFrankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
in December 1914 to a French father and a German mother and was educated at Amsterdam University before becoming a teacher, first in Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
and subsequently in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor he was conscripted into the Dutch Army.
Military career
After the Japanese Invasion of the Dutch colonies he was captured in JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and sent to a prisoner of war camp. There he was subject to starvation and, after the discovery of a secret radio, torture in an iron hut known as "the oven". Throughout his time in the camp, Bachrach retained a copy of Shakepeare's
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
works which the guards believed was a "holy book" and therefore permitted him to keep. He held regular secret discussion meetings, signalled by the wearing of creased trousers. He was released in 1945 at Changi
Changi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
, weighing less than 37 kg (80 lb). While in captivity, news had reached him that his son had died from a combination of diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
and medical neglect in another camp; his marriage to Winifred MacManus did not recover. After the war, Bachrach spent a year with French special forces in Saigon during the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
before returning to the Netherlands to work for the government.
Academia
While there he obtained a scholarship to Jesus College, OxfordJesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
and studied seventeenth century English literature, receiving a PhD. From Oxford, Bachrach became the head of English Studies at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, remaining there for the rest of his career but with frequent secondments to galleries and museums in Britain and the Netherlands as well as a visiting fellowship to All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
. Among the exhibitions he worked on during this time were The Orange and the Rose at the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
and Turner's Holland at the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
. He also published numerous works on literary and art history, including the Dutch An Introduction to Shakespeare in Five Letters and founded the Sir Thomas Browne Institute for the study of Anglo-Dutch relations at Leiden.
Family
He was married three times: after his first divorce he married Catherine De Vries in 1947, but subsequently divorced with three children. He remarried for the final time in 1990 to Harriet Jillings and settled to retirement in TwickenhamTwickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
. He had been made an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion and was a keen painter and exhibited his own work. His wartime experiences remained with him throughout his life, but it was not until 1995 that he was able to speak openly about them after a meeting with Eric Lomax
Eric Lomax
Eric Sutherland Lomax was a British Army officer who was sent to a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in 1942. He is most famous for writing a book, The Railway Man , on his experience before, during, and after the war, which won the 1996 NCR Book Award and the J. R...
. He died in December 2009.