Jef Last
Josephus Carel Franciscus (Jef) Last (2 May 1898 in The Hague – 15 February 1972 in Laren) was a Dutch poet, writer, translator and cosmopolitan. A writer and socially compassionate man. Having a Protestant father and a Catholic mother, he was raised in the Protestant tradition.
Also recorded as Josephus Carel Franciscus Last · J. C. F. Last
Jef Last

Eric Koch for Anefo · Nationaal Archief · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Jef Last
- Born
- 2 May 1898
- Died
- 15 February 1972 (aged 73)
- Birthplace
- The Hague, Netherlands
- Place of death
- Laren, Netherlands
- Occupation
- Poet, writer
- Nationality
- Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Languages
- Dutch · German
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Josephus Carel Franciscus (Jef) Last (2 May 1898 in The Hague – 15 February 1972 in Laren) was a Dutch poet, writer, translator and cosmopolitan. A writer and socially compassionate man. Having a Protestant father and a Catholic mother, he was raised in the Protestant tradition.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Jef Last. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2490381 · wikipedia · Jef Last
In this article
Biography
Biography
However, he was already a member of the SDAP and the "AJC" at a very young age. He left the revisionist social democracy to become a member of Henk Sneevliet's Revolutionary Socialist Party. The pair was well received, but saw through the organized tribute and returned to the west disillusioned. Last wrote a book about his friendship with Gide. He last fought in the Spanish Civil War in the International Brigades, fighting on the side of the Spanish Republic. Shortly after the Second World War, his citizenship was returned due to his participation in the Dutch resistance. From 1950 to 1953, he lived in Indonesia, particularly in Singaraja (Bali), where he worked as a teacher at a secondary school. He was friends with the country’s president Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta.
![Collectie / Archief: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie: [onbekend] Beschrijving: Jef Last, twee mei aanstaande zeventig jaar Datum: 1 mei 1968 Persoonsnaam: Last, Jef Fotograaf: Koch, Eric / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende: Nationaal Archief Materiaalsoort: Negatief (zwart/wit) Nummer archiefinventaris: bekijk toegang 2.24.01.05 Bestanddeelnummer: 921-3097](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Jef_Last_%2C_twee_mei_aanstaande_zeventig_jaar%2C_Bestanddeelnr_921-3097.jpg/800px-Jef_Last_%2C_twee_mei_aanstaande_zeventig_jaar%2C_Bestanddeelnr_921-3097.jpg)
Collectie / Archief: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie: [onbekend] Beschrijving: Jef Last, twee mei aanstaande zeventig jaar Datum: 1 mei 1968 Persoonsnaam: Last, Jef Fotograaf: Koch, Eric / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende: Nationaal Archief Materiaalsoort: Negatief (zwart/wit) Nummer archiefinventaris: bekijk toegang 2.24.01.05 Bestanddeelnummer: 921-3097
Eric Koch for Anefo
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Jef Last • Born — 2 May 1898 • Died — 15 February 1972 (aged 73) • Birthplace — The Hague, Netherlands • Place of death — Laren, Netherlands • Occupation — Poet, writer • Website — http: www.jeflast.nl
Family
Family
He was married to Ida ter Haar (1893-1982) from 1923, whom he divorced and later remarried. They had three daughters. Jef was known as a bisexual. He was a co-founder of the homosexual emancipation Shakespeare Club, the forerunner of the COC. The last years of his life were spent in the Rosa Spier Huis in Laren. After his death, his body was made available to science.
Work
Work
• 1926 – Bakboordslichten (poetry) • 1930 – Branding • 1930 – Kameraden! (poetry) • 1930 – Marianne • 1932 – Liefde in de portieken • 1932 – Verleden tijd (poetry) • 1933 – Onder de koperen ploert • 1933 – Partij remise • 1933 – Twee werelden (poetry) • 1933 – De vlucht van den opstandeling • 1934 – Zuiderzee • 1935 – Een huis zonder vensters • 1935 – Voor de mast • 1936 – Brieven uit Spanje • 1936 – De bevrijde Eros. Een ketter in moorenland en andere gedichten (poetry) • 1936 – Een flirt met den duivel • 1937 – Bloedkoraal (poetry) • 1937 – In de loopgraven voor Madrid • 1937 – De Spaansche tragedie (The Spanish tragedy/Spanish Front. Writers on the Civil War) • 1938 – De laatste waarheid • 1939 – Kruisgang der jeugd; with Harry Wilde • 1939 – De vliegende Hollander • 1940 – Kinderen van de middernachtzon • 1940 – Onvoldoende voor de liefde • 1941 – Van een jongen die een man werd part I and II (youth work in 1919, at the time not published) • 1941 – Elfstedentocht • 1942 – Leeghwater maalt de meren leeg • 1944 – Tau Kho Tau (poetry) • 1945 – Een socialistische renaissance • 1945 – Het eerste schip op de Newa (The first ship up the Neva) • 1946 – Oog in oog (poetry) • 1947 – Vingers van de linkerhand • 1949 – In de zevende hemel • 1950 – Schuim op de kust • 1951 – De rode en de witte lotus • 1953 – Inleiding tot het denken van Confucius • 1955 – Bali in de kentering • 1956 – Zo zag ik Indonesië • 1957 – Een lotje uit de loterij • 1958 – I Bontot en I Koese. De avonturen van twee Balische jongens; with Udeyana Pandji Tisna (The John Day Company) • 1959 – Lu Hsün. Dichter und Idol • 1960 – Japan in kimono en overall • 1960 – Tegen de draad (poetry) • 1960 – Vloog een bloesem terug naar haar tak • 1962 – De Spaanse tragedie • 1962 – Golven der Gele Rivier • 1962 – De jeugd van Judas (The boyhood of Judas; in: The fifth Acolyte Reader, Meppel 1991) • 1965 – China, land van de eeuwige omwenteling • 1966 – De tweede dageraad van Japan • 1966 – Mijn vriend André Gide • 1967 – Rinus van der Lubbe, doodstraf voor een provo (edited reissue of Kruisgang der jeugd) • 1968 – Strijd, handel en zeeroverij. De Hollandse tijd op Formosa • 1970 – Vuurwerk achter de Chinese muur • 1972 – Tjoebek in het tijgerbos (children's book) • 1973 – De zeven Caramboles; under pseudonym Co Mantjens, second edition with subtitel: De postume pornoroman van Jef Last
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the headings Josephus Carel Franciscus Last and J. His recorded languages were Dutch and German. He married Ida ter Haar.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1898
Jef Last born at The Hague.
1972
Jef Last died at Laren.
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.
The Hague.
Birth place
Laren.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Jef Last”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2490381: Jef Last
General reference · Wikidata
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
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 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Paintings
19,261 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Jeannine AchonArtist
- Jeannine GuillouArtist
- Jedd GaretArtist
- Jeena ShinArtist
- Jef LeempoelsArtist
- Jef VandervekenArtist
- Jeff EasleyArtist
- Jeff KowatchArtist
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Jef Last?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.