author
August Vermeylen
1872–1945
A leading voice in modern Flemish culture, this Belgian writer and critic helped shape literary life at the turn of the 20th century. His work joined sharp thinking about art and society with a lasting commitment to the Dutch language in Belgium.
1 Audiobook
Der Ewige Jude
by August Vermeylen
About the author
Born in Brussels in 1872, August Vermeylen became one of the central figures of the Flemish cultural revival. He is especially known as a writer, literary critic, and art historian, and as a founder of the influential journal Van Nu en Straks, which opened new space for modern ideas in Dutch-language literature.
His career reached well beyond publishing. Vermeylen taught at the Université libre de Bruxelles, later became the first rector of the Dutch-language University of Ghent, and also served for many years as a senator for the Belgian Labour Party. Across these roles, he argued for equal standing for Dutch in Belgium while keeping a broad, outward-looking view of culture.
Readers still remember him for essays that combined clarity with idealism and for works such as De wandelende Jood (The Wandering Jew). He died in Uccle in 1945, leaving behind a reputation as a writer who linked literature, public life, and cultural debate in a remarkably active way.