Edgar du Perron
Encyclopedia
Charles Edgar du Perron, more commonly known as E. du Perron, was a famous and influential Dutch poet and author of Indo-European (Eurasian) descent. Best known for his literary acclaimed master piece ‘Land van herkomst’ (Land of origin) of 1935. Together with Menno ter Braak
and Maurice Roelants he founded the short-lived, but influential literary magazine Forum in 1932.
E. du perron, born in Meester Cornelis, Batavia, Java
, Dutch East Indies
on 2 November 1899, and died in Bergen
, North Holland, the Netherlands on 14 May 1940, descended from French aristocracy. Most probably his bloodline can be traced back to the legendary Jean Roch du Perron (Born in Bulhon, in Auvergne, France in 1756 – Died in Batavia, Dutch East Indies in 1808).
, Brussels
and cities in the Netherlands, extensively mingling with the literary and artistic crowds. He befriended famous French writer and politician Andre Malraux
and produced several writings.
After the suicide of his father (1926) and death of his mother (1933) the family inheritance had gone up in smoke and du Perron (partly driven by the rise of National Socialism which he detested) returned to his land of origin in 1936. He continued to write and earned his living as a journalist and correspondent. He became the literary critic at the ‘Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad
’ ('Batavian Newspaper'), where he befriended his fellow Indo colleagues Karel Zaalberg
and Ernest Douwes Dekker
. In his role as critic he also became the patron
of the young Indo author Beb Vuyk
. He sympathised with the Indies independence movement and became a close friend to Indonesian intellectual Sutan Sjahrir
.
In August 1939, at the end of a stay of nearly three years in his home country, du Perron wrote to his friend Sutan Sjahrir (now a political exile):
In 1940 du Perron visited the Netherlands and after hearing Nazi Germany had invaded the country he died of a heart attack.
, but he soon decided that this was not his strength. The titles of his stories and poems better represented his talent for critical reflection towards reality and a certain detachment from everyday life. Like his friend, the author Menno ter Braak
, he was a great admirer of the famous writer Multatuli
. But much more than Ter Braak, du Perron was in fact his cultural heir.
Du Perrons masterpiece Land of Origin (1935) is strongly influenced by Multatuli and Malraux, but rather it is a work that stands alone in Dutch literature as a true autobiographical novel. Extracts from the Dutch East Indies of his childhood are interspersed with European episodes, mostly located in Paris, where du Perron paints a sharp portrait of Europe, based on interviews with his contemporary intellectuals and artists.
The freshness of du Perrons observations and the liveliness of his imagination makes ‘Land of origin’ among the best Dutch novels of the twentieth century.
The society aims to accumulate and deepen the knowledge regarding E. du Perron, both the person and his work, and contribute to the continued appreciation of his literary, artistic and social significance.
also awards a cultural prize named after E. du perron.
Menno ter Braak
Menno ter Braak was a Dutch modernist author.-Early career:Ter Braak was born in Eibergen and grew up in the town of Tiel where he proved to be an exemplary student of great intelligence. He went on to the University of Amsterdam where he majored in Dutch and History...
and Maurice Roelants he founded the short-lived, but influential literary magazine Forum in 1932.
E. du perron, born in Meester Cornelis, Batavia, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
on 2 November 1899, and died in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, North Holland, the Netherlands on 14 May 1940, descended from French aristocracy. Most probably his bloodline can be traced back to the legendary Jean Roch du Perron (Born in Bulhon, in Auvergne, France in 1756 – Died in Batavia, Dutch East Indies in 1808).
Biography
His family was considered to be of the land owning upper class of Indo aristocracy in the Dutch East Indies. His father was a wealthy entrepreneur allowing for a carefree childhood of the young du Perron. In 1921 the family moved to Europe and lived in the home castle in Belgium. In his early twenties du Perron sought distraction in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and cities in the Netherlands, extensively mingling with the literary and artistic crowds. He befriended famous French writer and politician Andre Malraux
André Malraux
André Malraux DSO was a French adventurer, award-winning author, and statesman. Having traveled extensively in Indochina and China, Malraux was noted especially for his novel entitled La Condition Humaine , which won the Prix Goncourt...
and produced several writings.
After the suicide of his father (1926) and death of his mother (1933) the family inheritance had gone up in smoke and du Perron (partly driven by the rise of National Socialism which he detested) returned to his land of origin in 1936. He continued to write and earned his living as a journalist and correspondent. He became the literary critic at the ‘Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad
Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad
The Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad, was one of the leading and largest daily newspapers in the Dutch East Indies. Based in Batavia on Java, but read throughout the archipel...
’ ('Batavian Newspaper'), where he befriended his fellow Indo colleagues Karel Zaalberg
Karel Zaalberg
Karel Zaalberg was an Indo journalist and politician in the Dutch East Indies.He was born in Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies, and also died there...
and Ernest Douwes Dekker
Ernest Douwes Dekker
Ernest François Eugène Douwes Dekker was an Indonesian freedom fighter and politician of Indo descent. He was related to the famous Dutch writer, Multatuli, whose real name was Eduard Douwes Dekker. In his youth, he took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa on the Boer side...
. In his role as critic he also became the patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of the young Indo author Beb Vuyk
Beb Vuyk
Elizabeth Vuyk was a Dutch writer of Indo descent. Her Indo father was born in the Dutch East Indies and had a mother from Madura, but was ‘repatriated’ to the Netherlands on a very young age. He married into a typically Calvinist Dutch family and lived in the port city of Rotterdam...
. He sympathised with the Indies independence movement and became a close friend to Indonesian intellectual Sutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir , an avant garde and idealistic Indonesian intellectual, was a revolutionary independence leader...
.
In August 1939, at the end of a stay of nearly three years in his home country, du Perron wrote to his friend Sutan Sjahrir (now a political exile):
'[..] In any case when in Holland I pretty much have always remained the awkward stranger. Through my French heritage, Indies upbringing and childhood, and through my Dutch language and customs... At the moment some – with whom I disagree - say I have been Europeanised. But put me in the real company of (Dutch East) Indies boys and ten minutes later they will recognize me as one of them. Where I feel at home…?, I know exactly now, that after fifteen years of wandering in Europe, I came back to my country… I belong here.[..]’
In 1940 du Perron visited the Netherlands and after hearing Nazi Germany had invaded the country he died of a heart attack.
Writing
His early work was strongly influenced by modernismModernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, but he soon decided that this was not his strength. The titles of his stories and poems better represented his talent for critical reflection towards reality and a certain detachment from everyday life. Like his friend, the author Menno ter Braak
Menno ter Braak
Menno ter Braak was a Dutch modernist author.-Early career:Ter Braak was born in Eibergen and grew up in the town of Tiel where he proved to be an exemplary student of great intelligence. He went on to the University of Amsterdam where he majored in Dutch and History...
, he was a great admirer of the famous writer Multatuli
Multatuli
Eduard Douwes Dekker , better known by his pen name Multatuli , was a Dutch writer famous for his satirical novel, Max Havelaar , which denounced the abuses of colonialism in the Dutch East Indies .-Biography:Dekker was born in Amsterdam...
. But much more than Ter Braak, du Perron was in fact his cultural heir.
Du Perrons masterpiece Land of Origin (1935) is strongly influenced by Multatuli and Malraux, but rather it is a work that stands alone in Dutch literature as a true autobiographical novel. Extracts from the Dutch East Indies of his childhood are interspersed with European episodes, mostly located in Paris, where du Perron paints a sharp portrait of Europe, based on interviews with his contemporary intellectuals and artists.
The freshness of du Perrons observations and the liveliness of his imagination makes ‘Land of origin’ among the best Dutch novels of the twentieth century.
E. du Perron Society
The E. du Perron Society is a literary society in the Netherlands founded in 1994. It is an association devoted to a single author and has around 70 members and an additional number of subscribers, including several universities and libraries. On the 54th commemoration of his passing May 14, 1994 in Bergen the first public meeting for members was held, who also visited his grave at the public cemetery there.The society aims to accumulate and deepen the knowledge regarding E. du Perron, both the person and his work, and contribute to the continued appreciation of his literary, artistic and social significance.
E. du Perron Prize
Every year the university of TilburgTilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
also awards a cultural prize named after E. du perron.
Other Indo authors
- Louis CouperusLouis CouperusLouis Marie-Anne Couperus was a Dutch novelist and poet during the Belle Époque. There is a wide variety of genres in his oeuvre, which contains poetry, fairy tales, psychological novels, and historical novels...
(1863–1923) - Victor IdoVictor IdoVictor Ido is the main alias of the Indo Dutch language writer and journalist Hans van de Wall. Born in Surabaya, Dutch East Indies from a Dutch father and Indo mother...
(1869-1948) - Ernest Douwes DekkerErnest Douwes DekkerErnest François Eugène Douwes Dekker was an Indonesian freedom fighter and politician of Indo descent. He was related to the famous Dutch writer, Multatuli, whose real name was Eduard Douwes Dekker. In his youth, he took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa on the Boer side...
(1879–1950) - Maria DermoûtMaria DermoûtMaria Dermoût , was an Indo novelist, considered one of the greats of Dutch literature and as such an important proponent of Dutch Indies literature...
(1888–1962) - Beb VuykBeb VuykElizabeth Vuyk was a Dutch writer of Indo descent. Her Indo father was born in the Dutch East Indies and had a mother from Madura, but was ‘repatriated’ to the Netherlands on a very young age. He married into a typically Calvinist Dutch family and lived in the port city of Rotterdam...
(1905–1991) - Rob NieuwenhuysRob NieuwenhuysRob Nieuwenhuys was a Dutch writer of Indo descent. The son of a 'Totok' Dutchman and an Indo-European mother, he and his younger brother Roelof, grew up in Batavia, where his father was the managing director of the renowned Hotel des Indes .His Indies childhood profoundly influenced his life...
(1908–1999) - Tjalie RobinsonTjalie RobinsonTjalie Robinson is the main alias of the Indo intellectual and writer Jan Boon also known as Vincent Mahieu. His father Cornelis Boon, a KNIL sergeant, was Dutch and his Indo-European mother Fela Robinson was part English and Javanese...
(1911–1974) - Adriaan van DisAdriaan van DisAdriaan van Dis is a Dutch author, with Indo roots, who debuted in 1983 with the novella Nathan Sid. He is also known as the host of his own television show.-Youth:...
(1946- ) - Ernst JanszErnst JanszErnst Gideon Jansz is one of the founding members and frontmen of Doe Maar. Doe Maar is a Dutch 1980s ska/reggae band, and is considered one of the most successful bands in Dutch pop history....
(1948- ) - Marion BloemMarion BloemMarion Bloem is a Dutch writer and film maker of Indo descent, best known as author of the literary acclaimed book Geen gewoon Indisch meisje and director of the 2008 feature film Ver van familie .Bloem is a second generation Indo immigrant born into a family of four...
(1952- )