De Bezige Bij
Encyclopedia
De Bezige Bij is one of the most important literary publishing companies in the Netherlands
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called De Achttien Dooden ("The eighteen dead"), which describes the execution of 15 resistance fighters and three communists. The poem was sold to raise money for Jewish children who were placed with Dutch families; when it was published, in the spring of 1943, Campert had already died in the Neuengamme concentration camp. When the German occupier rounded up students for the Arbeitseinsatz
, Lubberhuizen hid in the attic of Maarten Vink, a surgeon, and ran the press from there.
The name is derived from one of Lubberhuizen's aliases, "Bas." After he had signed a note, "Bas (busy)," an English-speaking friend joked, "Bas, busy as a bee can be," which led to the current name.
In 1997, De Bezige Bij became part of the Weekbladpersgroep, though it was to keep its editorial independence and its cooperative
structure.
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...
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History
The company was founded illegally in 1943, during the German occupation of the Netherlands by Geert Lubberhuizen; its fist publication was a poem by Jan CampertJan Campert
Jan Remco Theodoor Campert was a journalist, theater critic and writer who lived in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II Campert was arrested for aiding the Jews...
called De Achttien Dooden ("The eighteen dead"), which describes the execution of 15 resistance fighters and three communists. The poem was sold to raise money for Jewish children who were placed with Dutch families; when it was published, in the spring of 1943, Campert had already died in the Neuengamme concentration camp. When the German occupier rounded up students for the Arbeitseinsatz
Arbeitseinsatz
Arbeitseinsatz was forced labour during World War II when German men were called up for military service and German authorities rounded up labourers, some from Germany but more from the occupied territories, to fill in the vacancies...
, Lubberhuizen hid in the attic of Maarten Vink, a surgeon, and ran the press from there.
The name is derived from one of Lubberhuizen's aliases, "Bas." After he had signed a note, "Bas (busy)," an English-speaking friend joked, "Bas, busy as a bee can be," which led to the current name.
In 1997, De Bezige Bij became part of the Weekbladpersgroep, though it was to keep its editorial independence and its cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
structure.
Writers
Writers published by De Bezige Bij include:- Remco CampertRemco CampertRemco Campert is a Dutch author, poet and columnist.-Early years:Remco Wouter Campert was born in The Hague, son of writer and poet Jan Campert, author of the poem De achttien dooden, and actress Joekie Broedelet...
- Hugo ClausHugo ClausHugo Maurice Julien Claus was a leading Belgian author who published under his own name as well as various pseudonyms. Claus' literary contributions spanned the genres of drama, the novel, and poetry; he also left a legacy as a painter and film director...
- Jan Cremer
- Louis FerronLouis FerronLouis Ferron was a Dutch novelist and poet.-Biography:Louis Ferron was born in Leiden out of an adulterous relationship between a married German soldier and a waitress from Haarlem named Ferron...
- W.F. Hermans
- Harry MulischHarry MulischHarry Kurt Victor Mulisch was a Dutch author. He wrote more than 80 novels, plays, essays, poems and philosophical reflections. These have been translated into more than 20 languages....
- Gerard ReveGerard ReveGerard Kornelis van het Reve was a Dutch writer. He adopted a shortened version of his name, Gerard Reve in 1973, and that is how he is known today. Together with Willem Frederik Hermans and Harry Mulisch, he is considered one of the "Great Three" of Dutch post-war literature...
- Jan SiebelinkJan SiebelinkJan Siebelink is a Dutch author. In 2005, he wrote the novel Knielen op een bed violen that sold over 500,000 copies. In 1991, he won the Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs for De overkant van de rivier....
, - Ruth ThomasRuth Thomas (novelist and short story writer)Ruth Thomas is a British writer of novels and short stories.-Biography:Ruth Thomas read English Literature at Edinburgh University, then worked in various administrative jobs in the private and voluntary sector before turning to writing...
- Simon VinkenoogSimon VinkenoogSimon Vinkenoog was a Dutch poet and writer. He was the editor of the anthology Atonaal , which launched the Dutch "Fifties Movement"....
- Leon de WinterLeon de Winter- Early life :Leon de Winter was born on 24 February 1954 in Den Bosch, in the southern Netherlands. He grew up in an orthodox Jewish family and attended the gymnasium in Den Bosch. After his graduation he attended the academy of Bavaria Film Studios in Munich and the Netherlands Film Academy in...