author
J. Wolbers
1819–1889
Remembered as a Dutch historian, writer, and outspoken abolitionist, he used his books to confront slavery in Suriname and to bring difficult colonial history to a wider public. His work blends moral urgency with a strong interest in the past.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in Heemstede in 1819, Julien Wolbers was a Dutch historian, man of letters, and abolitionist. He came from a family of painters, but he devoted himself to study and writing instead, later settling in Utrecht, where he spent much of his life.
Wolbers is best known for writing about slavery and Suriname. His 1853 book De slavernij in Suriname argued forcefully against slavery in the Dutch colonies, and he later wrote a history of Suriname as well. Alongside his literary and historical work, he was also active in public life and is remembered as a socially engaged writer.
He died in Utrecht in 1889. Today, he stands out as an early Dutch voice against slavery whose writing joined historical research with a clear moral purpose.