Willem Wilmink
Encyclopedia
Willem Wilmink was a Dutch
poet
and writer
. He was best known for his the large number of song
s he wrote for popular children programs.
Wilmink was born in Enschede
and studied Dutch
and history
at the University of Amsterdam. From 1960 to 1978, he taught modern literature
at the same university. He wrote many songs for musicals and wrote a number of youth books
. At first he mainly wrote for adult
s, but later mainly for children.
His first publication was in 1966: Brief van een Verkademeisje (letter from a Verkade girl). From 1970, he formed a writers collective, together with Karel Eijkman, Hans Dorrestijn
, Ries Moonen, Fetze Pijlman and Jan Riem. It contributed a lot to television programs like De Stratemakeropzeeshow, Het Klokhuis, De Film van Ome Willem, Sesamstraat
and Kinderen voor Kinderen
.
He received numerous prizes:
Wilmink never became really famous as a performing artist (he did sing and played accordion
), but a lot of Dutch people know his songs. He performed regularly with his group in the nineties.
Many Dutch artists have performed Wilminks poetry. Among others, those are Herman van Veen
, Wieteke van Dort
, Joost Prinsen and the cabaret
group Don Quishocking. Many of his texts have been put into music
by Harry Bannink
and Frank Deiman.
In the last period of his life, his health
declined because of a number of strokes. He found that he could not leave Enschede (his birthtown) anymore, because he was too afraid to do so.
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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He was best known for his the large number of song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s he wrote for popular children programs.
Wilmink was born in Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
and studied Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the University of Amsterdam. From 1960 to 1978, he taught modern literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
at the same university. He wrote many songs for musicals and wrote a number of youth books
Youth literature
Youth literature may refer to:* Young adult literature* Children's literature...
. At first he mainly wrote for adult
Adult
An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
s, but later mainly for children.
His first publication was in 1966: Brief van een Verkademeisje (letter from a Verkade girl). From 1970, he formed a writers collective, together with Karel Eijkman, Hans Dorrestijn
Hans Dorrestijn
Hans Dorrestijn is a Dutch comedian.- Filmography :* J.J. de Bom voorheen: 'De kindervriend * Sesamstraat * De Stratenmaker op zee show...
, Ries Moonen, Fetze Pijlman and Jan Riem. It contributed a lot to television programs like De Stratemakeropzeeshow, Het Klokhuis, De Film van Ome Willem, Sesamstraat
Sesamstraat
Sesamstraat is a children's television show in the Netherlands, spin off the popular U.S. children's program Sesame Street. In its early days the show was broadcast in Flanders as well. It is the second longest running foreign adaptation of Sesame Street without interruptions, behind only...
and Kinderen voor Kinderen
Kinderen voor Kinderen
Kinderen voor Kinderen is a Dutch children's choir maintained by public broadcaster VARA. The name translates as "children for children".Since 1980 the choir has released one album of new children's songs each year, and is probably the only act from the 1980s with consecutive albums in the top 40...
.
He received numerous prizes:
- Louis Davids Prijs (in the seventies)
- Zilveren Griffel (in 1983 and in 1994)
- Gouden GriffelGouden GriffelThe Gouden Griffel is an important award given to authors of children's or teenager's literature in the Netherlands.Since 1971, it is awarded each year during the Dutch Children's Books Week, by the Stichting Collectieve Propaganda van het Nederlandse Boek for the best children's books written in...
(1986) - Theo Thijssen Prijs (1988)
Wilmink never became really famous as a performing artist (he did sing and played accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
), but a lot of Dutch people know his songs. He performed regularly with his group in the nineties.
Many Dutch artists have performed Wilminks poetry. Among others, those are Herman van Veen
Herman van Veen
Hermannus Jantinus "Herman" van Veen is a Dutch stage performer, actor, musician and singer/songwriter and author. He is most famous as the creator of the Dutch-Japanese cartoon Alfred J...
, Wieteke van Dort
Wieteke van Dort
Louisa Johanna Theodora van Dort is a Dutch actress, comedienne, singer, writer and artist of Indo descent...
, Joost Prinsen and the cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
group Don Quishocking. Many of his texts have been put into music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
by Harry Bannink
Harry Bannink
Harry Bannink was a Dutch composer, arranger and pianist. He wrote over 3,000 songs....
and Frank Deiman.
In the last period of his life, his health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
declined because of a number of strokes. He found that he could not leave Enschede (his birthtown) anymore, because he was too afraid to do so.