Alice Nahon
Encyclopedia
Alice Nahon was a Flemish
poet from Antwerp.
but of French descent, and her mother, Julia Gijsemans, was born in Putte
, nearby Mechelen
, where Alice spent much time during her childhood. She went to the primary school at the Oude God (E: Old God) and from 1911 she went to the School for Agriculture in Overijse
, where she graduated.
However, when World War I broke out, she became a student nurse at the Stuivenberg hospital in Antwerp. After weeks of arduous labor, hardly eighteen years old, she became ill and it seemed that her lungs had been damaged. She still studied at the Akademie van Antwerpen (E: Academy of Antwerp) and literature classes of Pol De Mont. But during the following years she had to spend much of her time in sanatoria, and from 1917 she stayed for six years at the Sint-Jozefsinstituut in Tessenderlo
. The physicians of the institute convinced her that she had tuberculosis
and that she would not have long to live. She became depressive and only reading her favorite poets, such as Guido Gezelle
, and writing her own poems was her only consolation.
During her stay in Tessenderlo her first poems were published in Vlaamsch Leven. During her stay in the Sint-Jozefsinstituut she wrote two collections of poems: Vondelingskens (1920) and Op zachte vooizekens (1921), through which she became enormously popular, and no less than a quarter million copies were sold. Her poems testify of a love for nature, admiration for simple things and grieve for own and interwoven with other people's suffering, and with a religious inspiration.
Thanks to the generosity of her many admirers she could consult a foreign doctor. In January 1923 she left Belgium for Luzern in Switzerland
. After new investigations, it was determined that she did not suffer from tuberculosis, but from chronic bronchitis
. After the years she had lost in the sanatoria she was sent to Italy
, where she was cured shortly after her arrival. After she had spent some time in the Landes
and in Paris, she returned to Antwerp, and underwent still new medical treatment in The Hague
and Amsterdam
.
She enjoyed her regained freedom, traveled as a celebrated poet through Flanders
and the Netherlands and made many friends among artists. In 1927, she became town librarian in Mechelen. Here she started a fairly liberated way of life and became acquainted with the avant-garde artists, such as Fernand Berckelaers
(alias Michel Seuphor - Seuphor anagram
of Orpheus) and Geert Pijnenburg
. She however also became friends with more traditional writers, such as Maurits Sabbe
and Gerard Walschap
.
With her collection of poems Schaduw (1928) she tried to break away form her former well-behaved poetry, but she did not succeed. In 1932, she became ill again and had to resign her job as a librarian. She lived at the picturesque vault house of the medieval castle Cantecroy at Oude-God. Her health deteriorated and she spent the last year of her life at her apartment in the Carnotstraat (in nr 17) in the centre of Antwerp. As from January 1933, she became heavily sick and bedridden. She weakened from day to day, and after a painful illness she died on 21 May 1933, scarcely 36 years old. She was buried under enormous interest. Her grave is located on the Schoonselhof Cemetery
in Antwerp. After her death, in 1936, the collection of poems Maart-April was published with previously unpublished work.
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
poet from Antwerp.
Biography
She was the third child in a family of eleven children. Her father was born in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
but of French descent, and her mother, Julia Gijsemans, was born in Putte
Putte
Putte is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Putte, Beerzel, Grasheide and Peulis. The town of Putte is around east of Mechelen. On January 1, 2006 Putte had a total population of 15,690...
, nearby Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
, where Alice spent much time during her childhood. She went to the primary school at the Oude God (E: Old God) and from 1911 she went to the School for Agriculture in Overijse
Overijse
Overijse is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the town of Overijse, and the communities of Eizer, Maleizen, Jezus-Eik, Tombeek and Terlanen. On December 31, 2008 Overijse had a total population of 24,410...
, where she graduated.
However, when World War I broke out, she became a student nurse at the Stuivenberg hospital in Antwerp. After weeks of arduous labor, hardly eighteen years old, she became ill and it seemed that her lungs had been damaged. She still studied at the Akademie van Antwerpen (E: Academy of Antwerp) and literature classes of Pol De Mont. But during the following years she had to spend much of her time in sanatoria, and from 1917 she stayed for six years at the Sint-Jozefsinstituut in Tessenderlo
Tessenderlo
Tessenderlo is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. It is where the three Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp meet at the front gate of the Averbode Abbey. The municipality Tessenderlo encompasses the villages of Tessenderlo proper, Schoot, Engsbergen,...
. The physicians of the institute convinced her that she had tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and that she would not have long to live. She became depressive and only reading her favorite poets, such as Guido Gezelle
Guido Gezelle
Guido Pieter Theodorus Josephus Gezelle was an influential Flemish language writer and poet and a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium.- Life :...
, and writing her own poems was her only consolation.
During her stay in Tessenderlo her first poems were published in Vlaamsch Leven. During her stay in the Sint-Jozefsinstituut she wrote two collections of poems: Vondelingskens (1920) and Op zachte vooizekens (1921), through which she became enormously popular, and no less than a quarter million copies were sold. Her poems testify of a love for nature, admiration for simple things and grieve for own and interwoven with other people's suffering, and with a religious inspiration.
Thanks to the generosity of her many admirers she could consult a foreign doctor. In January 1923 she left Belgium for Luzern in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. After new investigations, it was determined that she did not suffer from tuberculosis, but from chronic bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is a chronic inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs. It is generally considered one of the two forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...
. After the years she had lost in the sanatoria she was sent to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where she was cured shortly after her arrival. After she had spent some time in the Landes
Landes forest
The Landes forest or the Landes of Gascony , in the historic Gascony region of southwestern France now known as Aquitaine, is the largest maritime-pine forest in Europe...
and in Paris, she returned to Antwerp, and underwent still new medical treatment in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
She enjoyed her regained freedom, traveled as a celebrated poet through Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and the Netherlands and made many friends among artists. In 1927, she became town librarian in Mechelen. Here she started a fairly liberated way of life and became acquainted with the avant-garde artists, such as Fernand Berckelaers
Fernand Berckelaers
Fernand Berckelaers , pseudonym Michel Seuphor , was a Belgian painter, draughtsman, and a designer of carpets....
(alias Michel Seuphor - Seuphor anagram
Anagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
of Orpheus) and Geert Pijnenburg
Geert Pijnenburg
Geert Pijnenburg , pseudonym Geert Grub was a Belgian poet, writer and Flemish activist.-Bibliography:* Sexologie en levensleer, 1936, Monography...
. She however also became friends with more traditional writers, such as Maurits Sabbe
Maurits Sabbe
Maurits Karel Maria Willem Sabbe was a Flemish writer. He was a son of Julius Sabbe and the eldest of seven children. He married Gabriëlla De Smet.-Career:...
and Gerard Walschap
Gerard Walschap
Jacob Lodewijk Gerard, Baron Walschap , was a Belgian writer.-Early life:He went to highschool at the Klein seminarie in Hoogstraten, and later in Asse. His Flemish awareness was in these days encouraged by the priest and poet Jan Hammenecker...
.
With her collection of poems Schaduw (1928) she tried to break away form her former well-behaved poetry, but she did not succeed. In 1932, she became ill again and had to resign her job as a librarian. She lived at the picturesque vault house of the medieval castle Cantecroy at Oude-God. Her health deteriorated and she spent the last year of her life at her apartment in the Carnotstraat (in nr 17) in the centre of Antwerp. As from January 1933, she became heavily sick and bedridden. She weakened from day to day, and after a painful illness she died on 21 May 1933, scarcely 36 years old. She was buried under enormous interest. Her grave is located on the Schoonselhof Cemetery
Schoonselhof Cemetery
Schoonselhof Cemetery is located in Hoboken, Antwerp, a suburb of Antwerp, Belgium.Schoonselhof Cemetery has a Jewish section plus War memorials for the graves of 1,557 British Commonwealth soldiers who died fighting in World War I and World War II.-Notable interments:*Lode Baekelmans ,...
in Antwerp. After her death, in 1936, the collection of poems Maart-April was published with previously unpublished work.