Jan Theodoor van Rijswijck
Encyclopedia
Jan Theodoor van Rijswijck (Antwerp, 7 July 1811, Antwerp, 7 May 1849) was a Flemish
writer. He was an uncle of the politician Jan Van Rijswijck
.
He did not get much formal education, but his father, a teacher, read the works of Jacob Cats
, Joost van den Vondel
and other poets to his children. Jan Theodoor van Rijswijck also became a teacher, but being adventurous, he volunteered for the Belgian independence war against the Netherlands
in 1830. But the military life did not bode him well, and he obtained permission to leave the army and returned to Antwerp, where he found work as a clerk at a bank.
In the meantime he became a champion of the Flemish movement
. He urged Hendrik Conscience
to write in Dutch rather than in French, and he himself wrote political and satirical songs. His writings gave him fame as a people's poet and he lived the live of a bohemian. At the end of his life he suffered from the stress of political repressions and he became mentally disturbed. He died in an asylum in Antwerp 1849. In 1864 a statue was erected for him in Antwerp, and a street is named after him, the Jan van Rijswijck laan.
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
writer. He was an uncle of the politician Jan Van Rijswijck
Jan Van Rijswijck
Jan Van Rijswijck , was a Belgian lawyer, liberal politician and journalist.-Education:...
.
He did not get much formal education, but his father, a teacher, read the works of Jacob Cats
Jacob Cats
Jacob Cats was a Dutch poet, humorist, jurist and politician. He is most famous for his emblem books.-Early years:...
, Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel was a Dutch writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most frequently performed, and his epic Joannes de Boetgezant , on the life of John the Baptist, has...
and other poets to his children. Jan Theodoor van Rijswijck also became a teacher, but being adventurous, he volunteered for the Belgian independence war against the 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 1830. But the military life did not bode him well, and he obtained permission to leave the army and returned to Antwerp, where he found work as a clerk at a bank.
In the meantime he became a champion of the Flemish movement
Flemish movement
The Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
. He urged Hendrik Conscience
Hendrik Conscience
Henri "Hendrik" Conscience was a Belgian writer. He was a pioneer in writing in Dutch after the secession from the Netherlands in 1830 left Belgium a mostly French speaking country....
to write in Dutch rather than in French, and he himself wrote political and satirical songs. His writings gave him fame as a people's poet and he lived the live of a bohemian. At the end of his life he suffered from the stress of political repressions and he became mentally disturbed. He died in an asylum in Antwerp 1849. In 1864 a statue was erected for him in Antwerp, and a street is named after him, the Jan van Rijswijck laan.