A.G. van Hamel
Encyclopedia
Anton Gerard van Hamel) was a Dutch scholar, best known for his contributions to Celtic and Germanic studies, especially those relating to literature, linguistics, philology and mythology. He is not to be confused with his uncle, Anton Gerard van Hamel (1842-1907), who was a theologian, professor of French and editor of De Gids.
) in Amsterdam, Van Hamel went on to study Dutch language and literature at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) between 1904 and 1908. In addition, he attended colleges and private schools in Ireland and Germany. An avid student, he published articles in Propria Cures
on (early) Germanic and Celtic studies, subjects which would later become his special field of expertise. In 1911, he was awarded a doctorate, cum laude, for his research on De oudste Keltische en Angelsaksische geschiedbronnen (‘The oldest Celtic and Anglo-Saxon historical sources’) under the supervision of R.C. Boer.
, but felt unhappy about his position and low pay. In 1912, an attempt to obtain the chair of English professor at the UvA failed as he was openly accused of a poor grasp of English. The same year, he was teaching Dutch again, then at the Erasmiaansch Gymnasium in Rotterdam. New prospects emerged during the First World War, when he received the post of extraordinary professor of Dutch language and literature at the University of Bonn
. However, troublesome experiences with the German government led Van Hamel to take recourse to The Netherlands — ostensibly in order to visit his ill father, but he did not return to Germany. In 1917, he found a position as librarian at the Netherlands School of Commerce (Nederlandsche Handels-Hoogeschool) in Rotterdam. His nomination in 1918 for the chair of Dutch language and literature held by Jan te Winkel at the UvA projected him unfavourably into the spotlight, as several linguists voiced their objections, often in favour of another scholar of their choice. Van Hamel remained librarian, though he saw opportunity to combine his work with a private teaching position of Celtic at Leiden University. In 1921, he moved from Rotterdam to Den Haag, being appointed librarian of the Peace Palace
.
. Significantly, Celtic studies were added to the chair’s curriculum at his special request, as he was convinced, and convinced others, that the two disciplines were closely related. His improved situation enabled him to devote his time and energy more fully to the publication of text editions and critical studies. In 1925, Van Hamel became a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen).
quarterly called Kelten.
Education
Having completed secondary education at the municipal grammar school (now Barlaeus GymnasiumBarlaeus Gymnasium
The Barlaeus Gymnasium is a well-known secondary school in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It is one of the five categorial gymnasia in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the other four being Vossius Gymnasium, Ignatius Gymnasium, Het 4e gymnasium and Cygnus Gymnasium...
) in Amsterdam, Van Hamel went on to study Dutch language and literature at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) between 1904 and 1908. In addition, he attended colleges and private schools in Ireland and Germany. An avid student, he published articles in Propria Cures
Propria Cures
Propria Cures is a Dutch satirical student newspaper, published weekly in Amsterdam. Established in 1890, it is one of the oldest student newspapers in the Netherlands...
on (early) Germanic and Celtic studies, subjects which would later become his special field of expertise. In 1911, he was awarded a doctorate, cum laude, for his research on De oudste Keltische en Angelsaksische geschiedbronnen (‘The oldest Celtic and Anglo-Saxon historical sources’) under the supervision of R.C. Boer.
Early career (1910-1923)
Van Hamel’s early career was characterised by a number of ebbs and flows, in which his ambition to obtain an academic chair of his preference was thwarted by either controversy or plain ill fortune. In 1910, Van Hamel taught Dutch at the municipal grammar school in MiddelburgMiddelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
, but felt unhappy about his position and low pay. In 1912, an attempt to obtain the chair of English professor at the UvA failed as he was openly accused of a poor grasp of English. The same year, he was teaching Dutch again, then at the Erasmiaansch Gymnasium in Rotterdam. New prospects emerged during the First World War, when he received the post of extraordinary professor of Dutch language and literature at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
. However, troublesome experiences with the German government led Van Hamel to take recourse to The Netherlands — ostensibly in order to visit his ill father, but he did not return to Germany. In 1917, he found a position as librarian at the Netherlands School of Commerce (Nederlandsche Handels-Hoogeschool) in Rotterdam. His nomination in 1918 for the chair of Dutch language and literature held by Jan te Winkel at the UvA projected him unfavourably into the spotlight, as several linguists voiced their objections, often in favour of another scholar of their choice. Van Hamel remained librarian, though he saw opportunity to combine his work with a private teaching position of Celtic at Leiden University. In 1921, he moved from Rotterdam to Den Haag, being appointed librarian of the Peace Palace
Peace Palace
The Peace Palace is a building situated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is often called the seat of international law because it houses the International Court of Justice , the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the extensive Peace Palace Library.In addition...
.
Chair of early Germanic and Celtic studies (1923)
1923 finally saw a breakthrough in Van Hamel’s career. After eleven years of fruitless endeavours and cul-de-sacs, he obtained the Chair of early Germanic studies at the State University of UtrechtUtrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
. Significantly, Celtic studies were added to the chair’s curriculum at his special request, as he was convinced, and convinced others, that the two disciplines were closely related. His improved situation enabled him to devote his time and energy more fully to the publication of text editions and critical studies. In 1925, Van Hamel became a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen).
Late 1930’s – Second World War
A new personal crisis unfolded towards the close of the 1930’s, when Van Hamel’s writing output came to a standstill. The interruption was related to political developments which were spreading over Europe, but possibly also to his homosexual nature. During the Second World War and the German occupation of The Netherlands, A.G. van Hamel came to be active again, but the new situation stood in the way of communication with foreign contacts and greatly limited his prospects at publication. After the academic crisis of 1943, when the Germans had unsuccessfully attempted to impose a ‘declaration of loyalty’ on all students and faculty members, Van Hamel’s work for the university was quickly slimmed down and he therefore focused on his publications instead.Death
About six months after the liberation of The Netherlands, Van Hamel was suddenly hospitalised for an emergency surgery due to an intestinal disease. He died in narcosis, aged 59.Select bibliography
- 1911. De oudste Keltische en Angelsaksische geschiedbronnen. Middelburg (dissertation)
- 1912. “On Anglo-Irish Syntax.” Englische Studien 45.
- 1914. “On Lebor Gabála.” Zeitschrift für celtische PhilologieZeitschrift für celtische PhilologieZeitschrift für celtische Philologie ' is an academic journal of Celtic studies, which was founded in 1896 by the German scholars Kuno Meyer and Ludwig Christian Stern and first appeared in 1897. It is the first journal devoted exclusively to Celtic languages and literature and the oldest...
10. - 1915-16. E.M. Post en Hirschfeld (Tds. N.T.L. dl. 34)
- 1915-6. “The foreign notes in the three Fragments of Irish Annals.” Revue Celtique 36. 1–22.
- 1923. Het Gotisch handboek. Haarlem.
- 1925-1945 Editorial work for NeophilologusNeophilologusNeophilologus, in full Neophilologus: an international journal of modern and mediaeval language and literature, is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the study of modern and mediaeval languages and literature, including general linguistics, literary theory and comparative literature...
- 1926. “De accentuatie van het Munster-Iersch.” In: Mededeelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, afdeling Letterkunde, 61 A. Amsterdam. 287-324.
- 1927. "The battle of Leitir Ruide." Revue Celtique 44. 59—67.
- 1929. “HengestHengestHengist and Horsa are figures of Anglo-Saxon, and subsequently British, legend, which records the two as the Germanic brothers who led the Angle, Saxon, and Jutish armies that conquered the first territories of Great Britain in the 5th century AD...
and his namesake.” In Studies in English philology: a miscellany in honor of Frederick Klaeber, eds. Kemp MaloneKemp MaloneKemp Malone was a prolific medievalist, etymologist, philologist, and specialist in Chaucer who was lecturer and then professor of English Literature at Johns Hopkins University from 1924 to 1956....
and Martin B. Ruud. Minneapolis. 159-71. - 1929. "On Vọlundarkviða." In: Arkiv för nordisk filologi 45: 150-67.
- 1930. "The Celtic Grail." Revue Celtique 47. 340-82.
- 1932. Ed. Lebor Bretnach: the Irish version of the Historia BritonumHistoria BritonumThe Historia Brittonum, or The History of the Britons, is a historical work that was first composed around 830, and exists in several recensions of varying difference. It purports to relate the history of the Brittonic inhabitants of Britain from earliest times, and this text has been used to write...
ascribed to Nennius. Edited from all the manuscripts. Dublin. - 1932. "Ođin Hanging on the Tree." Acta philologica Scandinavica 7. 200-88.
- 1933. Compert con Culain and other stories. Mediaeval and Modern Irish 3. Dublin: DIAS.
- 1936 for 1934. Aspects of Celtic mythology. Sir John Rhys Memorial Lecture. Proceedings of the British Academy 20. 207-48.
- 1935-1936. "The Saga of Sorli the Strong." Acta philologica Scandinavica. Tidsskrift for nordisk sprogforskning 10. 265-95.
- 1936. "Gods, Skalds and Magic." Saga-book of the Viking Society 11. 129-52.
- 1936. "The Conception of Fate in Early Teutonic and Celtic Religion." Saga-book of the Viking Society 11. 202–14.
- 1936. “The Old-Norse version of the Historia Regum BritanniaeHistoria Regum BritanniaeThe Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
and the text of Geoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
.” Études CeltiquesÉtudes CeltiquesÉtudes Celtiques is a French academic journal of Celtic Studies, based in Paris.It started life under the name Revue Celtique, which was founded in 1870 by Henri Gaidoz. Between 1870 and 1934, as many as 52 volumes were published under the editorial supervision of Celtic scholars such as Henri...
2: 197-247. - 1938. “The text of Immram Curaig Maíldúin.” Études CeltiquesÉtudes CeltiquesÉtudes Celtiques is a French academic journal of Celtic Studies, based in Paris.It started life under the name Revue Celtique, which was founded in 1870 by Henri Gaidoz. Between 1870 and 1934, as many as 52 volumes were published under the editorial supervision of Celtic scholars such as Henri...
3: 1-20. - 1940. Ed. De tuin der goden. Retellings of a wide variety of myths, intended for a wide audience.
- 1941. Immrama. Mediaeval and Modern Irish 10. Dublin.
- 1943. “Arthur van Britannië en AneirinAneirinAneirin or Neirin was a Dark Age Brythonic poet. He is believed to have been a bard or 'court poet' in one of the Cumbric kingdoms of the Old North or Hen Ogledd, probably that of Gododdin at Edinburgh, in modern Scotland...
.” Neophilologus 28:3: 218-28. - 1944. “Keltische letterkunde.” In Algemene literatuurgeschiedenis. Part 2.
- 1946. Primitieve Ierse taalstudie. Mededelingen van de Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen.
Stichting A.G. van Hamel voor Keltische studies
A Dutch organisation founded in 1991 for the promotion of Celtic studies, particularly in The Netherlands, has named itself after and in honour of the Dutch scholar: Stichting A.G. van Hamel voor Keltische studies ('A.G. van Hamel Foundation for Celtic studies'). Its regular activities include the organisation of lectures, notably the 'Van Hamel Lecture' and an annual colloquium, and the publication of a DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
quarterly called Kelten.
Further external links
- Stichting A.G. van Hamel voor Keltische studies (A.G. van Hamel Foundation for Celtic studies)]