author
Bernardus Gewin
1812–1873
A Dutch minister with a lively literary side, he is remembered today for one humorous travel novel that outlasted the rest of his writing. His life moved between church work, friendship with the Leiden literary circle, and a brief but memorable turn as the author behind the pseudonym Vlerk.
1 Audiobook
Reisontmoetingen van Joachim Polsbroekerwoud en zijne Vrienden
by Bernardus Gewin
About the author
Born in Rotterdam on May 21, 1812, Bernardus Gewin studied theology at Leiden from 1830. There he became part of a gifted literary circle that included Nicolaas Beets and Johannes Hasebroek. Older biographical sources also note that he served with the volunteer Leiden Jagers during the 1830–31 campaign.
After his studies, he spent some time as acting minister for the Dutch congregation in London. He then served as pastor in Oosterland, Oud-Loosdrecht, Heemstede, IJsselstein, and finally Utrecht, where he died on March 11, 1873. Contemporary accounts remembered him warmly for his pastoral care and agreeable character.
Although active in student literary life, his lasting reputation rests mainly on a single book: Reisontmoetingen van Joachim Polsbroekerwoud en zijne vrienden, published under the pseudonym Vlerk between 1839 and 1841. The novel follows three friends traveling through Europe in a friendly, humorous style. Biographical references say the difficult writing process and his disappointment with the result helped convince him to devote himself mainly to the ministry afterward.