Gerrit Komrij

Those anthologies and a steady stream of prose and poetry publications solidified his reputation as one of the country's leading writers and critics; he was awarded the highest literary awards including the P. Hooft Award (1993), and from 2000 to 2004, he was the Dutch Dichter des Vaderlands (Poet Laureate). Komrij died in 2012 at age 68.

The recorded working language is Dutch. The field of work recorded is creative and professional writing, Dutch literature and translation. Positions recorded include Dichter der Nederlanden. Works named in the authority record are Humeuren en temperamenten. Work by Gerrit Komrij is recorded in the collections of Museum De Lakenhal and Museum De Scheper. Distinctions recorded are Poetry Prize of the Municipality of Amsterdam, Busken Huet award, Herman Gorterprijs and P.C.

• Name — Gerrit Komrij • Birth Name — Gerrit Jan Komrij • Born — 30 March 1944 • Birthplace — Winterswijk, Netherlands • Died — 5 July 2012 • Place of death — Amsterdam, Netherlands • Occupation — Poet, novelist, translator, literary critic, playwright • Period — 1968-2012 • Partner — Charles Hofman • Awards — P. C. Hooft Award (1993) • Website — https: www.komrij.blogspot.com/

Gerrit Jan Komrij was born on 30 March 1944 in the eastern Dutch town of Winterswijk, Gelderland. He soon moved to Amsterdam and began a literary career. In 1968 his first volume of poetry was published, Maagdenburgse halve bollen en andere gedichten, and in 1969 he became editor of the Bert Bakker-founded literary magazine Maatstaf. In the 1970s and 1980s, Komrij and his partner Charles Hofman befriended a number of Dutch authors including Boudewijn Büch, with whom he maintained a lengthy correspondence. In the early 1980s Komrij and Hofman moved to Portugal, not long after his play Het Chemisch Huwelijk premiered in Amsterdam; he lived in Portugal ever since. Komrij gave the 2008 Mosse Lecture, titled Waarom zijn Nederlanders zo dol op homoseksuelen? (Why are the Dutch so fond of homosexuals?). His death, in 2012, was met with widespread praise for his work. Poet laureate Ramsey Nasr, who cited Komrij as one of inspirations, wrote a poem for him, and Queen Beatrix sent her condolences via telegram to Charles Hofman, saying that the Netherlands had lost a great poet.

• Illustration — Komrij in 2007 Komrij wrote librettos to two operas: Symposium by Peter Schat (1994), and Melodias Estranhas by Antonio Chagas Rosa (2000). He supplied lyrics to two collaborative ventures with the Dutch vocal ensemble Camerata Trajectina. The first was in reconstructing song texts to Dutch songs by Jacob Obrecht (2005). The second was in lyrics for the chamber choral cycle De Seven Zonden van Jeroen Bosch (The Seven Sins of Hieronymus Bosch) set to largely anonymous 16th Century tunes (2009). The theme of the Seven Sins follows the depiction in The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things a painting Hieronymus Bosch completed in 1485.

Besides being a critic of poetry and culture in general, Komrij wrote several semi-autobiographical works, including Verwoest Arcadië ('Arcadia Demolished', 1980) and Demonen ('Demons', 2003). He also authored several novels, Over de bergen ('Over the Mountains'), Dubbelster ('Double Star') and De klopgeest ('Poltergeist').

• Verwoest Arcadië. [Arcadia Demolished, slightly fictional autobiography.] Privé-Domein 59. Amsterdam: Arbeiderspers, 1980.. • Intimiteiten. [Intimacies; autobiographical essays.] Amsterdam: Arbeiderspers, 1993.. • Demonen. [Demons; "autobiographical stories."] Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2003.. • Eendagsvliegen. [Mayflies; diary entries 1965-2005.] Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2005..

• Een zakenlunch in Sintra en andere Portuguese verhalen. [A Business Lunch in Sintra and other Portuguese Stories; 28 short stories.] Amsterdam: Arbeiderspers, 1995.. • De klopgeest. [The Poltergeist; novel.] Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2001..

• Twee werelden. [Two Worlds; cycle of 8 sonnets on European unification in Dutch, Danish, German, English, French, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish.] Amsterdam: Arbeiderspers, 1987.. • Rook zonder vuur. [Smoke Without Fire; 20 sonnets.] The Hague: Stupers Van der Heijden, 1998.. • 52 Sonnetten bij het Verglijden van de Eeuw. [52 Sonnets on the Passing of the Century.] Amsterdam: Bert Bakker, 2000.. • Luchtspiegelingen: Gedichten, voornamelijk elegisch. [Mirages: Poems, mainly Elegiac; 47 poems.] Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2001.. • Komrij's patentwekker. [Komrij's Patented Alarm Clock; 12 poems detailing the rectal insertion of a burning candle to function as an alarm clock.] Illustrations by Dick Matena. Originally published 1974. Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2007.. • Onherstelbaar verbeterd. Irreparably improved; 5 pastiches of canonical Dutch sonnets, and 5 original sonnets by Komrij.] C. J. Aarts, 1981. • Alle gedichten. [All Poems; collected poetry.] 4th, enlarged edition, Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2018..

• Komrij's Kakafonie: Encyclopedie van de stront. [Komrij's Cacaphonia: An Encyclopedia of Shit.] Amsterdam: De Bezige Bij, 2006..

• De Afrikaanse poëzie in 1000 en enige gedichten. [Afrikaans Poetry in 1001 Poems; anthology of South-African poetry.] Amsterdam: Bert Bakker, 1999.. • De Afrikaanse poëzie, 10 gedichten en een lexicon. [Afrikaans Poetry, 10 Poems and a Lexicon; 10 South-African poems with explications and glossary.] Amsterdam: Bert Bakker, 1999..

Indexed under Classical Antiquity Studies, Academic integrity and plagiarism, German Literature and Culture Studies, Emotions and Moral Behavior, Reformation and Early Modern Christianity. Recorded as having received Poetry Prize of the Municipality of Amsterdam, Busken Huet award and Herman Gorterprijs. Recorded at birth as Gerrit Jan Komrij.