Marga Minco
Encyclopedia
Marga Minco is the pseudonym of Sara Menco (born 31 March 1920) is a Dutch
journalist and writer. Her surname was actually Menco, but an official switched the vowel by mistake.
family, Minco worked at the Breda Courant in 1938. In May 1940, by order of German-sympathising commissioners, she was fired even before the Germans issued their anti-Jewish measures proclamation.
At the beginning of World War II, she resided in Breda
, Amersfoort
and Amsterdam
. Minco had a mild form of tuberculosis
and ended up in hospitals in Utrecht
and Amersfoort. In the autumn of 1942 she returned to Amsterdam and her parents, who were forced by the German
occupiers to live into the city's Jewish Quarter
.
Later during the war, her parents, brother and sister were taken away and she became the only survivor, as she had escaped arrest and spent the rest of the war hiding. Minco also received a new name: Marga Faes, of which the first name persisted. Minco married to the poet and translator Bert Feet (who died 1992) whom she had met in 1938 and hid with during the war. After the war, they worked at a number of newspapers and magazines. They have two daughters, one of whom is writer Jessica Feet.
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. Her surname was actually Menco, but an official switched the vowel by mistake.
Biography
Born in Ginneken to an Orthodox JewishOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
family, Minco worked at the Breda Courant in 1938. In May 1940, by order of German-sympathising commissioners, she was fired even before the Germans issued their anti-Jewish measures proclamation.
At the beginning of World War II, she resided in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Minco had a mild form of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and ended up in hospitals in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
and Amersfoort. In the autumn of 1942 she returned to Amsterdam and her parents, who were forced by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupiers to live into the city's Jewish Quarter
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter is one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. The 116,000 square meter area lies in the southeastern sector of the walled city, and stretches from the Zion Gate in the south, along the Armenian Quarter on the west, up to the Street of the Chain in the...
.
Later during the war, her parents, brother and sister were taken away and she became the only survivor, as she had escaped arrest and spent the rest of the war hiding. Minco also received a new name: Marga Faes, of which the first name persisted. Minco married to the poet and translator Bert Feet (who died 1992) whom she had met in 1938 and hid with during the war. After the war, they worked at a number of newspapers and magazines. They have two daughters, one of whom is writer Jessica Feet.
Work
In 1957 published her first book, The bitter herb (Het bittere kruid), which the nameless character is going through war experiences reminiscent of the author's. The title of her second book was An empty house.Awards
- 1957 - Novell contest of the Post Office and Addresses the Advertising mutators NV for The address
- 1958 - Vijverberg Prize for The bitter herb
- 1999 - Annie Romein Prize for her entire oeuvre
- 2005 - Constantijn Huygens PrizeConstantijn Huygens PrizeThe 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...
for her entire oeuvre