Gijsen, Marnix |
| WRITER, POET, DIPLOMAT (BELGIUM) |
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BORN 20 Oct 1899, Antwerpen - DIED 29 Sep 1984, Lubbeek, Vlaams-Brabant: Academisch Ziekenhuis Pellenbeek BIRTH NAME Goris, Jan-Albert GRAVE LOCATION Antwerpen: Schoonselhof, Sint-Bernardsesteenweg, Hoboken (perk N, graf 63 (ashes) (erekerkhof)) |
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Marix Gijsen was born Jan-Albert Goris. He was raised strictly catholic. In 1925 he finished his studies at the University of Leuven and he continued them at Freiburg, Paris and London. From 1928 until 1933 he worked for the city of Antwerp, where he was chef of the cabinet of the mayor. From 1934 to 1939 he worked in Brussels and he was commissioner general for tourism from 1939 to 1941. After that he lived in New York until 1964 as Belgian Commisioner for Information. His literary career started as a poet with the expressionistic group "Ruimte" ("Space"). After he travelled to the USA he published "Ontdek Amerika" ("Discover America") in 1927. He published essays on the visual arts and during the Second World War he broke with his catholic past. He published his first novel "Het boek van Joachim van Babylon" ("The Book of Joachim of Babylon") in 1947 and many more followed. In 1971 he publisehd on his relation with catholicism. He received many literary prizes and he was ennobled in 1975. After he died near Leuven he was buried at the honorary section of the Schoonselhof in Antwerp. Related persons • knew Ostaijen, Paul van |
| Images |
 The grave of Marnix Gijsen at the Schoonselhof, Antwerpen. Picture by Androom (27 Jul 2002) |
Sources • Heessen, Hans, Harry Jansen & Ed Schilders, Waar ligt Poot?, De Prom, Baarn, 1997 • De Volkskrant |
