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Gerard Walschap

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Gerard Walschap

Birth
Londerzeel, Arrondissement Halle-Vilvoorde, Flemish Brabant, Belgium
Death
25 Oct 1989 (aged 91)
Antwerp, Arrondissement Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
Burial
Antwerp, Arrondissement Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium Add to Map
Plot
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Memorial ID
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Belgian writer. Started his literary career with romantic poetry and Catholicism inspired theatre plays. In 1928, he publishes his first novel "Waldo". He became widely known with his novel "Adelaide", which appeared in 1929, and which was the first of a series of novels. Although initially well-received, the book caused him the rancour of the clergy, and his books were placed on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. This adverse reaction, which was not intended by Walschap, hurt him and after a long inner struggle and doubt he abandoned his faith and became a secular humanist. This inner struggle (with faith), would remain of significant importance in his literary work.

In part of his work he considers society a burden which is hard to bear, such as in "De Bejegening van Christus" (E: Meeting with Christ) (1940). In his work he also glorifies the extremes of society, such as the primitive life in "Volk" (E: people) and "De dood in het dorp" (E: Death in the village) (1930), and the almost aggressive freedom in "Het kind" (E: The child) (1939) and "De consul" (1943) and the expression of worriless freedom in probably his most famous work "Houtekiet" (1939).

His novel "Zwart en wit" (E: black and white) of 1948, deals with the collaboration (Nazi-Collaborators were called blacks in Belgium, and resistance fighters whites) with Nazism and the repression after World War II. "Zuster Virgilia', of 1951, deals with the eternal fight between faith and disbelief. In his book "Oproer in Kongo" (E: Revolt in Congo) from 1953, he wrote about colonialism, which he conceived after along journey through Belgian Congo in 1951. As a writer he reveals his own inner self in "Het gastmaal" (1966) en "Het avondmaal" (E: Dinner) (1968), by using a modernistic writing style.

He received several literary prizes, among which in 1968, the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren, and in 1975 he was knighted and made a Baron.
Belgian writer. Started his literary career with romantic poetry and Catholicism inspired theatre plays. In 1928, he publishes his first novel "Waldo". He became widely known with his novel "Adelaide", which appeared in 1929, and which was the first of a series of novels. Although initially well-received, the book caused him the rancour of the clergy, and his books were placed on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. This adverse reaction, which was not intended by Walschap, hurt him and after a long inner struggle and doubt he abandoned his faith and became a secular humanist. This inner struggle (with faith), would remain of significant importance in his literary work.

In part of his work he considers society a burden which is hard to bear, such as in "De Bejegening van Christus" (E: Meeting with Christ) (1940). In his work he also glorifies the extremes of society, such as the primitive life in "Volk" (E: people) and "De dood in het dorp" (E: Death in the village) (1930), and the almost aggressive freedom in "Het kind" (E: The child) (1939) and "De consul" (1943) and the expression of worriless freedom in probably his most famous work "Houtekiet" (1939).

His novel "Zwart en wit" (E: black and white) of 1948, deals with the collaboration (Nazi-Collaborators were called blacks in Belgium, and resistance fighters whites) with Nazism and the repression after World War II. "Zuster Virgilia', of 1951, deals with the eternal fight between faith and disbelief. In his book "Oproer in Kongo" (E: Revolt in Congo) from 1953, he wrote about colonialism, which he conceived after along journey through Belgian Congo in 1951. As a writer he reveals his own inner self in "Het gastmaal" (1966) en "Het avondmaal" (E: Dinner) (1968), by using a modernistic writing style.

He received several literary prizes, among which in 1968, the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren, and in 1975 he was knighted and made a Baron.

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  • Maintained by: AJ
  • Added: May 19, 2000
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9448/gerard-walschap: accessed ), memorial page for Gerard Walschap (9 Jul 1898–25 Oct 1989), Find a Grave Memorial ID 9448, citing Antwerpen Schoonselhof Communal Cemetery, Antwerp, Arrondissement Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium; Maintained by AJ (contributor 1003).