Charles Burki
Charles Burki (1909–1994) was a Dutch illustrator and motorcycle enthusiast, born and raised in colonial Indonesia (the Dutch East Indies) and educated at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris. He worked extensively for DAF trucks, Shell, Philips, KLM, Goodyear, and for such magazines as Motor, Moto Revue, Sport in Beeld. During WWII, Burki was interned in a Japanese POW camp and managed to record the experience.
Charles Burki
Koen Suyk / Anefo · CC0
- Born
- 1909 · Magelang.
- Died
- 1994 · The Hague.
- Nationality
- Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Occupation
- illustrator · draftsperson · cartoonist · watercolorist · modeler · industrial designer · painter
- Fields
- young adult literature · product design
- Known for
- Achter de Kawat
- Languages
- Dutch
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Charles Burki (1909–1994) was a Dutch illustrator and motorcycle enthusiast, born and raised in colonial Indonesia (the Dutch East Indies) and educated at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris. He worked extensively for DAF trucks, Shell, Philips, KLM, Goodyear, and for such magazines as Motor, Moto Revue, Sport in Beeld. During WWII, Burki was interned in a Japanese POW camp and managed to record the experience.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2512018 · wikipedia · Charles Burki
In this article
Biography
Biography
The drawings were subsequently published in his book Behind Barbed Wire (Achter de Kawat). Burki returned to the Netherlands in 1945 and lived in the Hague until his death in 1994. His work has been commemorated in exhibitions, postcards, and postal stamps.
The recorded working language is Dutch. The field of work recorded is young adult literature and product design. Places of work recorded in the authority are France. Works named in the authority record are Achter de Kawat. Work by Charles Burki is recorded in the collections of Stadsarchief Rotterdam, National Museum of World Cultures, Museon-Omniversum and National Library of Australia.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1909
Charles Burki was born on 4 May 1909.
1994
Charles Burki died on 28 April 1994.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Magelang.
Birth place
The Hague.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Charles Burki”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2512018: Charles Burki
General reference · Wikidata
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
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Charles Burki is recorded with the occupation industrial designer. Recorded as illustrator, draftsperson, cartoonist, watercolorist and modeler.
Recognition and collections
Work by Charles Burki is
Stadsarchief Rotterdam, National Museum of World Cultures, Museon-Omniversum and National Library of Australia
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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