Joanna Courtmans
Encyclopedia
Joanna Courtmans, born Joanna-Desideria Berchmans (Oudergem, 6 September 1811 – Maldegem
, 22 September 1890) was a Flemish
writer.
Her father was mayor of Oudegem, and she spent her first years at the local village school, after which she, at the age of nine, was sent to a boarding school in Wallonia. Between 1835 and 1844, she lived in Ghent
, initially with her aunt Colette Tanghe. In 1836, she married Jan Baptiste Courtmans, a teacher in Ghent, who was one of the co-founders of the Gentse Maetschappij van Vlaemsche Letteroefening. This brought her into contact with the Flemish movement
, and Prudens van Duyse
, Frans Rens
, Ferdinand Snellaert, and Jan Frans Willems
. It inspired her to write an historical novel Bertha Baldwin (1871), about the 14th century battle of the Fleming
s against France.
Her husband taught her Flemish again, after which she wrote her first poem in 1939, which was published in the Nederduitsch letterkundig jaarboekje. In the following years she won several prizes for her poems. In 1844 they moved to Lier
. When in 1856 her husband died, and she stayed behind with eight young children. To earn a living, she opened a boarding school in Maldegem
, but it wasn’t a success and she had to close the school. The Koninklijk Atheneum Mevrouw Courtmans (E:Royal Athenaeum Madam Courtmans) is now located at the same location, in the Mevrouw Courtmanslaan. Although she was a pious catholic, she reacted against the so-called catholic schools (Dutch: Kantscholen), which she considered to be centers of underpaid child labor, and which did no pay enough attention to reading, mathematics, geography and history. Her position in the schoolstrijd (E: schoolbattle), earned her the scorn of the local clergy.
As a writer, she started to write in prose
at a later age, but her first novels, such as Helena van Leliëndal were not very successful. However, gradually she became famous both in Belgium
as well as in the Netherlands, and created an extensive literary oeuvre. Probably her most famous novel, Het geschenk van de jager (Fr: Le Cadeau du chasseur, E: gift of the hunter) (1865), was rewarded with the Quinquennial Prize for Dutch Literature.
Maldegem
Maldegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Maldegem, Adegem and Middelburg. Kleit and Donk have always been separate hamlets of Maldegem. On January 1, 2006 Maldegem had a total population of 22,289. The total area is...
, 22 September 1890) was a Flemish
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...
writer.
Her father was mayor of Oudegem, and she spent her first years at the local village school, after which she, at the age of nine, was sent to a boarding school in Wallonia. Between 1835 and 1844, she lived in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, initially with her aunt Colette Tanghe. In 1836, she married Jan Baptiste Courtmans, a teacher in Ghent, who was one of the co-founders of the Gentse Maetschappij van Vlaemsche Letteroefening. This brought her into contact with the Flemish movement
Flemish movement
The Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
, and Prudens van Duyse
Prudens van Duyse
Prudentius van Duyse or Prudens van Duyse was a Flemish writer. He started his career a clerk of a notary, but afterwards studied law at the University of Ghent, where he graduated in 1832. In 1836, he became the archivist of the city of Ghent...
, Frans Rens
Frans Rens
Frans Rens was a Flemish writer.From 1823 up to 1843, he was an inspector of gold and silver work at Ghent, and head of lower education for the school area Lokeren.-Source:...
, Ferdinand Snellaert, and Jan Frans Willems
Jan Frans Willems
Jan Frans Willems , Flemish writer and father of the Flemish movement.Willems was born in the Belgian city of Boechout, while that was under French occupation. He started his career in the office of a notary in Antwerp....
. It inspired her to write an historical novel Bertha Baldwin (1871), about the 14th century battle of the Fleming
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
s against France.
Her husband taught her Flemish again, after which she wrote her first poem in 1939, which was published in the Nederduitsch letterkundig jaarboekje. In the following years she won several prizes for her poems. In 1844 they moved to Lier
Lier, Belgium
Lier is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Lier proper and the village of Koningshooikt. On January 1, 2010 Lier had a total population of 33,930. The total area is 49.70 km² which gives a population density of 669 inhabitants per...
. When in 1856 her husband died, and she stayed behind with eight young children. To earn a living, she opened a boarding school in Maldegem
Maldegem
Maldegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Maldegem, Adegem and Middelburg. Kleit and Donk have always been separate hamlets of Maldegem. On January 1, 2006 Maldegem had a total population of 22,289. The total area is...
, but it wasn’t a success and she had to close the school. The Koninklijk Atheneum Mevrouw Courtmans (E:Royal Athenaeum Madam Courtmans) is now located at the same location, in the Mevrouw Courtmanslaan. Although she was a pious catholic, she reacted against the so-called catholic schools (Dutch: Kantscholen), which she considered to be centers of underpaid child labor, and which did no pay enough attention to reading, mathematics, geography and history. Her position in the schoolstrijd (E: schoolbattle), earned her the scorn of the local clergy.
As a writer, she started to write in prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
at a later age, but her first novels, such as Helena van Leliëndal were not very successful. However, gradually she became famous both in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
as well as in the Netherlands, and created an extensive literary oeuvre. Probably her most famous novel, Het geschenk van de jager (Fr: Le Cadeau du chasseur, E: gift of the hunter) (1865), was rewarded with the Quinquennial Prize for Dutch Literature.