Simon Vestdijk

Simon Vestdijk

Harlingen native and author of an enormous literary oeuvre consisting of roughly 200 books. Who was this famous writer from Harlingen?

Nearly half a century after his death, Simon Vestdijk is still regarded as one of the greatest literary writers of the Netherlands. He was born on 17 October 1898 in Harlingen, where he grew up as an only child. He went to primary school in Harlingen and attended secondary school in Leeuwarden. This period would later inspire the theme of the Anton Wachter novels. What is the story of this famous Harlingen native? The Frisian seaport town has certainly not forgotten its most famous son.

About Simon Vestdijk

Vanaf 1917 studeerde hij geneeskunde in Amsterdam, waarna hij net zoals zijn studiegenoot (en de latere dichter) Slauerhoff een tijdje als scheepsarts werkte. Daarnaast had hij een enorme liefde voor de literatuur en tijdens zijn studententijd publiceerde Vestdijk al enkele gedichten. Zijn officiële debuut in de literaire wereld was in 1926 met het gedicht Riem zonder eind, dat in het belangrijke tijdschrift De Vrije Bladen verscheen. Enkele jaren na zijn studie nam hij nog waar als huisarts, maar zijn liefde voor het schrijven bleek te groot. In 1932 koos Vestdijk voor een leven waarin hij zich volledig richtte op de literatuur. Simon Vestdijk maakte grote indruk op de literaire wereld en publiceerde meer dan 200 boeken, (muziek)essays, gedichten en brieven.

Tracks of Vestdijk

Elements of Simon Vestdijk's life in his hometown Harlingen can be found in several books, such as in his semi-autobiographical novels, the Anton Wachter series, in which he calls Harlingen Lahringen. The house where he was born is right across from the Hannemahuis, in which a separate room has been devoted to this famous writer. The Vestdijk Room in this Harlingen museum contains all books published by Vestdijk. Old photographs and quotes from his books paint a picture of Harlingen in the time Vestdijk lived there. And did you know that several streets are named after Vestdijk? The secondary school ‘RSG Simon Vestdijk Harlingen’ also takes its name from the writer.

“ I write so fast because I can't wait to find out how it ends ”
- Simon Vestdijk

Anton Wachter

Right where the street Kleine Voorstraat begins, you will find his alter ego Anton Wachter cast in bronze; a sculpture made by Suze Boschma-Berkhout. The bronze Anton carries a school bag under his arm, and keeps the memory of this famous, literary writer alive. Would you like to follow in the footsteps of this famous Harlingen native? The literary walking tour app 'Vestdijk in Harlingen' takes you along sixteen places in the city that played an important role in the life of Simon Vestdijk. But you can also dive into the history of Harlingen and Vestdijk in the Hannemahuis museum.

Anton Wachter Prize
Did you know that the Anton Wachter Prize derives its name from the main character in the eight-part novel series by the Harlingen author? The prize is awarded every two years to talented writers. The Anton Wachter Prize is an initiative of the 1945 Central Committee and was first awarded in 1977. The prize consists of a replica of the statue that sits on Kleine Voorstraat and of a modest sum of money.