Jeroen Brouwers
Encyclopedia
Jeroen Godfried Marie Brouwers (Jakarta
, April 30, 1940) is a Dutch
journalist and writer.
From 1964 to 1976 Brouwers worked as an editor
at Manteau publishers in Brussels. In 1964 he made his literary debut with Het mes op de keel (The Knife to the Throat).
He won the Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs
in 1989 for De zondvloed, the Constantijn Huygens Prize
in 1993 for his collected works, and in 1995 the Prix Femina
for International works for his book Bezonken rood (Sunken Red). In 2007 he refused the Dutch Literature Prize (Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
) - the highest literary accolade in the Dutch-speaking world - because he considered the prize money of €16,000 too low for all his work.
After the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1943 and KNIL's capitulation, his father was transferred to a POW camp near Tokyo, Japan. Jeroen, his grandmother (Elisabeth Henrica), his mother and his sister were sent to the Japanese detainment camp 'Kramat'. After some months they were transferred to the Tjideng camp, in a Batavia suburb. His grandparents did not survive these camps. In 1986 Jeroen wrote the novel Bezonken Rood (translated in 1988 as Sunken Red) about the Japanese occupation of Indonesia.
After the war his family was reunited and they moved to Balikpapan (Borneo). Jeroen's mother returned, with her children, to the Netherlands in 1947. In 1948 their father joined them. Until 1950 Jeroen lived with his parents. When he was 10 years old, he was sent to several Roman Catholic institutions. He was sent there because he was considered in need of additional psychological care. He had difficulties adjusting to the Dutch way of life after life in Indonesia. His parents moved to Delft, The Netherlands. Upon leaving secondary school in 1955, Brouwers did military service from 1958–1961, after which he started working as an apprentice journalistic for De Gelderlander a Dutch provincial newspaper. He wrote for a military magazine entitled Salvo.
In 1962 he was hired by the Geillustreerde Pers (Illustrated Press) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He became an editor for the Romance magazine, which was later renamed Avenue. From 1964-1976 he worked for Manteau publishers in Brussels, Belgium as assistant editor and later editor (in chief). From 1968-1971 he lived with his family in Vossem, Belgium and later in Huize Krekelhof in Rijmenam, Belgium. He has had three children: two sons, Daan Leonard (1965–2006) and Pepijn (1968), and a daughter Anne (1980).
After quarreling with his CEO Julien Weverbergh Brouwers resigned from Manteau and devoted himself full-time to literature. After a period in Warnsveld, Netherlands, he moved to Exel, Netherlands.
In 1991 he moved to a houseboat near Uitgeest
, Netherlands
. In 1993 he moved again, to Zutendaal
, Belgium
.
Since 1992 Brouwers has been included in the Orde van de Vlaamse Leeuw (Order of the Flemish Lion) and since 1993 knight in the Belgian crown order
.
In 2007 the Taalunie (Language Union) awarded Brouwers the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
, a prize presented every three years to a Dutch-language author for his or her entire oeuvre. It is the only literary prize presented jointly by the Dutch and Flemish governments. He initially accepted the prize, but later refused it because he claimed the prize money of €16,000 was insultingly low.
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, April 30, 1940) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
journalist and writer.
From 1964 to 1976 Brouwers worked as an editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
at Manteau publishers in Brussels. In 1964 he made his literary debut with Het mes op de keel (The Knife to the Throat).
He won the Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs
Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs
The Ferdinand Bordewijk Prize or F. Bordewijk-prijs is a literary award, presented anually by the Jan Campert Foundation to the author of the best Dutch prose book....
in 1989 for De zondvloed, the Constantijn Huygens Prize
Constantijn Huygens Prize
The Constantijn Huygens Prize is a Dutch literary award.-History:Since 1947, it has been awarded each year for an author's complete works by the Jan Campert Foundation , a foundation named in honor of the Dutch writer Jan Campert who died while helping Jews during WWII...
in 1993 for his collected works, and in 1995 the Prix Femina
Prix Femina
The Prix Femina is a French literary prize created in 1904 by 22 writers for the magazine La Vie heureuse . The prize is decided each year by an exclusively female jury, although the authors of the winning works do not have to be women...
for International works for his book Bezonken rood (Sunken Red). In 2007 he refused the Dutch Literature Prize (Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
The Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren is awarded every three years to an author from the Netherlands, Belgium or, since 2005, Suriname writing in Dutch...
) - the highest literary accolade in the Dutch-speaking world - because he considered the prize money of €16,000 too low for all his work.
His life
Jeroen Brouwers was born on 30 April 1940 in Batavia, the capital of the former Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia). He is the fourth child of Jacques Theodorus Maria Brouwers (1903–1964), an accountant in a firm of architects, and Henriëtte Elisabeth Maria van Maaren (1908–1981), daughter of the musician Leo van Maaren (1885–1945).After the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1943 and KNIL's capitulation, his father was transferred to a POW camp near Tokyo, Japan. Jeroen, his grandmother (Elisabeth Henrica), his mother and his sister were sent to the Japanese detainment camp 'Kramat'. After some months they were transferred to the Tjideng camp, in a Batavia suburb. His grandparents did not survive these camps. In 1986 Jeroen wrote the novel Bezonken Rood (translated in 1988 as Sunken Red) about the Japanese occupation of Indonesia.
After the war his family was reunited and they moved to Balikpapan (Borneo). Jeroen's mother returned, with her children, to the Netherlands in 1947. In 1948 their father joined them. Until 1950 Jeroen lived with his parents. When he was 10 years old, he was sent to several Roman Catholic institutions. He was sent there because he was considered in need of additional psychological care. He had difficulties adjusting to the Dutch way of life after life in Indonesia. His parents moved to Delft, The Netherlands. Upon leaving secondary school in 1955, Brouwers did military service from 1958–1961, after which he started working as an apprentice journalistic for De Gelderlander a Dutch provincial newspaper. He wrote for a military magazine entitled Salvo.
In 1962 he was hired by the Geillustreerde Pers (Illustrated Press) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He became an editor for the Romance magazine, which was later renamed Avenue. From 1964-1976 he worked for Manteau publishers in Brussels, Belgium as assistant editor and later editor (in chief). From 1968-1971 he lived with his family in Vossem, Belgium and later in Huize Krekelhof in Rijmenam, Belgium. He has had three children: two sons, Daan Leonard (1965–2006) and Pepijn (1968), and a daughter Anne (1980).
After quarreling with his CEO Julien Weverbergh Brouwers resigned from Manteau and devoted himself full-time to literature. After a period in Warnsveld, Netherlands, he moved to Exel, Netherlands.
In 1991 he moved to a houseboat near Uitgeest
Uitgeest
Uitgeest is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Uitgeest consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Assum, Busch en Dam, Groot Dorregeest, Uitgeest....
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In 1993 he moved again, to Zutendaal
Zutendaal
Zutendaal is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2008 Zutendaal had a total population of 6,985. The total area is 32.07 km², giving a population density of 218 inhabitants per km².-External links:...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Since 1992 Brouwers has been included in the Orde van de Vlaamse Leeuw (Order of the Flemish Lion) and since 1993 knight in the Belgian crown order
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
.
In 2007 the Taalunie (Language Union) awarded Brouwers the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren
The Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren is awarded every three years to an author from the Netherlands, Belgium or, since 2005, Suriname writing in Dutch...
, a prize presented every three years to a Dutch-language author for his or her entire oeuvre. It is the only literary prize presented jointly by the Dutch and Flemish governments. He initially accepted the prize, but later refused it because he claimed the prize money of €16,000 was insultingly low.