Hans Andreus | |
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| Born | Johan Wilhelm van der Zant 21 February, 1926 Amsterdam,Netherlands |
| Died | 9 June, 1977 Putten, Netherlands |
| Occupation | Writer, poet |
Hans Andreus (21 February 1926 – 9 June 1977) was the pseudonym of theDutch poet and writerJohan Wilhelm van der Zant.[1][2]
Van der Zant was born in Amsterdam. His parents divorced soon after his birth, his mother remarried, and the family lived inScheveningen between 1930 and 1937 before moving back to Amsterdam. He started to write poems in 1939, and dropped out of school in 1940. In 1945, he studied for a while at theAmsterdamse Toneelschool, but also dropped out in 1947. Afterwards he worked as a corrector for the Dutch daily newspaper,De Volkskrant.[2]
Andreus' debut work, the poetry book 'Muziek voor Kijkdieren' (tentative translation: Music for looking animals), came out in 1951. His work is seen as part of the Dutch/Belgian literary movement known asDe Vijftigers, started by a group of young poets in the late 1940s and connected to theCOBRA movement, which also includedLucebert andHugo Claus.
Besides poetry, Andreus also wrote a large number of children's books, the best known series of which revolves around the character 'Meester Pompelmoes'. Andreus stories for children are full of fantastical themes, playful, and written in a lyrical, rhythmical style. In 1973 Loewes Verlag published the book 'Der große Schnurrbarttiger', a collection of his stories for children in German language with illustrations by the renown German artist Amrei Fechner. He received a number of prizes for his children's books, including a 'Zilveren Griffel' prize for his poetry book 'De Rommeltuin' and his book 'Meester Pompelmoes en de mompelpoes' won theCNPB Children's Book of the Year award in 1969 (a predecessor of theGouden Griffel).
He also wrote a number ofradio dramas,chansons, TV scripts and commercials, novels, and a novella.
Andreus died inPutten on 9 June 1977.
Bomen zijn werkelijk. | Trees are real. |
| —Hans Andreus. Acht gedichten. Boombeschrijving. Maatstaf. Jaargang 6 (1958-1959), p. 704. |
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