Willem Elsschot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Willem Elsschot
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Willem Elsschot in ca. 1920
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| Born | Alphonsus Josephus de Ridder 7 May 1882 Antwerp, Belgium |
| Died | 31 May 1960 (aged 78) Antwerp, Belgium |
| Pen name | Willem Elsschot |
| Occupation | Poet, writer |
| Language | Dutch |
| Notable awards | Constantijn Huygens Prize (1951) |
Alphonsus Josephus de Ridder (born May 7, 1882 – died May 31, 1960) was a Belgian writer and poet. He used the pen name Willem Elsschot. A pen name is a fake name a writer uses instead of their real name.
Elsschot was one of the most important writers from Flanders, a Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. His most famous book is Cheese (1933). It is the most translated novel ever written in the Flemish language.
Contents
Early Life and School
Alphonsus Josephus de Ridder was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on May 7, 1882. His family were bakers. When he was a child, he often visited his uncle. This uncle lived in a countryside area called Blauberg, near Herselt. They would walk in a place called Helschot. Later, Elsschot chose his pen name from this area.
He went to a state school and then the Royal Athenaeum of Antwerp. After that, he studied economics and business. He earned a master's degree in commercial sciences in 1904. During his studies, he grew to love literature. His teacher, Pol de Mont, helped him discover this passion.
Working Life
After finishing school, Elsschot worked in Paris for a businessman. He then worked for different companies in the Netherlands.
During World War I, he helped with food relief in Antwerp. Later, he started his own advertising agency in 1911. He ran this business until he died.
Elsschot did not enjoy working in advertising. He once said that he disliked advertising and business in general. He wrote his book Lijmen to express these feelings. He felt he had to advertise because he could not earn enough money just from writing.
Writing Career
Elsschot started writing poems in 1900. His first published work was a poem in a magazine called Alvoorder.
But he became much more famous for his novels. While living in Rotterdam, he wrote Villa des Roses (1913). This book was about the adventures of people staying at a guesthouse in Paris. When it first came out, critics and readers did not pay much attention to it.
His most famous books were written in the 1920s and 1930s. These include Lijmen (1924), Kaas (1933), Tsjip (1934), and Het Been (1938). These novels mix sad and funny parts.
His stories often focus on business and family life. His writing style is known for its detailed descriptions. He also uses a mild cynicism, which means he often shows a slightly negative or doubtful view of things. In his early books, he used the same characters. This helped readers feel familiar with them. It also showed a picture of life in Antwerp in the 1930s. Two main characters are Boorman, a businessman always looking for new plans, and Frans Laarmans, a clerk. They grow and change throughout these books.
Personal Life and Awards
Willem Elsschot was married to Fine de Ridder. They had a daughter named Ida. He also had a relationship with a poet named Liane Bruilants.
In 1920, he was made a knight of the Order of the Crown. This is an important award in Belgium.
Elsschot died in Antwerp on May 31, 1960, at age 78. He passed away from a heart attack. His body was cremated, and his ashes were buried with his wife's body in the Antwerpen Schoonselhof cemetery. After he died, he received the State Prize for Literature. In 1994, a statue of him was put up in Antwerp.
In 2005, he was ranked 49th in the Flemish version of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian).
Book to Screen
Movies
His novel Lijmen/Het Been was made into a movie in 2001. The movie was also called Lijmen/Het Been and was directed by Robbe De Hert. Another book, Villa des Roses, became a movie in 2002. This film was directed by Frank Van Passel and kept the name Villa des Roses.
Comic Books
In 2008, two of his works were turned into graphic novels. These were the novel Kaas ("Cheese") and the short story Het dwaallicht ("Will o'the Wisp"). Dick Matena created these comic book versions.
See also
- Spijt
