Jan Eijkelboom
(1926, Ridderkerk). In 1945, shortly after the liberation of The Netherlands, he joined the Dutch army. In the next five years he takes part in the Dutch colonial war in Indonesia. Its horrors he afterwards suppresses, instead of trying to digest the experiences. Back in The Netherlands, he starts his studies English and Political Science. He becomes the editor of Propria Cures when Aad Nuis and Renate Rubintsein also wrote for it. In 1957 he joins the editorial staff of Tirade. Two years later he becomes vice principal editor in chief of Vrij Nederland for which he already worked as a journalist. He also wrties for De Dordtenaar and Het Vrije Volk. He starts writing poetry when under psychotherapeutic treatment (in relation to his Indonesian experiences). In 1980 the collection Wat blijft komt nooit terug (What remains never returns) appears, in 1983 he is awarded the Herman Gorter Prize for his collection De gouden Man (The Golden Man). He died in 2008.
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Archive available for: Jan Eijkelboom
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Live Anthology and Debate
With: Anna Enquist, Ardashir Vakil, Bas Heijne, Basil Appollis, Breyten Breytenbach, Ellen Ombre, Henk van Woerden, Ian Buruma, Jan Eijkelboom, Jit Narain, Lasana M. Sekou, Michaël Zeeman, Rajeev Balasubramanyam, Vamba Sherif
What is the most beautiful poem on diaspora? A number of Winternachten guests read their favourite poem from each other's literatures. The writers were introduced by Basil Appollis.
Dutch writer Henk van Woerden gave the introductory lecture (in Dutch) to a debate on the theme of 'diaspora and the writer'. This debate (in English), hosted by Michaël Zeeman, appeared to be a good start for the Boekenweek, a annual event for the promotion of Dutch literature, following a few weeks later in The Netherlands. -
Indonesia programme
This programme included a talk between the writer Jan Eijkelboom and his young Indonesian colleague Joni Ariadinata. It was for the first time that this talented writer travelled outside of Java. The programme was presented by Kees Snoek, a leading specialist on Indonesian literature.
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Literature assimilating the past
Shortly before the festival Jan Eijkelboom's book Het Krijgsbedrijf was published, about the Dutch military campaigns during the Indonesian war of independence. Ian Buruma and Breyten Breytenbach discussed the theme from a Japanese and South African perspective. The discussion was led by Michaël Zeeman. In this programme there was also a screening of a Dutch television programme in which writer Adriaan van Dis and South African poet Antjie Krog were interviewed about the way the South Africans deal with the Apartheid era. Furthermore, this theme was elaborated on in the film Long Night's Journey into Day, showing interrogations in the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. (Dutch and Afrikaans spoken).
