Simon Carmiggelt

Diagnoses

Vocation

Dutch writer, journalist, and humorous essayist, who also wrote lyrics and children's books, including "Little Men." Simon was born as the second son of Herman Carmiggelt (4 February 1873, Brummen - 26 October 1943, Den Haag) and Adriana Bik (30 May 1884, Gouda). His father was a sales man for meat producer Stegeman, his mother had a hat shop. His socialistic father had great ambitions for his sons Jan and Simon, as he regretted that he in his time never was able to follow a study himself. Jan proved to be a bright student and had a fast career as a political economist, but Simon hated school and only showed some interest in the School newspaper. In 1932 Simon decided to become a journalist and he started as a volunteer editor of the socialistic Newspaper Vooruit. He followed everything from politics to crimes and fires and was a talented reporter. As a journalist he contacted Jewish and political refugees from Nazi Germany and felt that war with Nazi Germany was inevitable. During the war both brothers resigned as a journalist (Jan was an economic newspaper editor) when press freedom was lost ("Gleichschaltung"). Both brothers were involved in the Dutch resistance against Nazi Germany, but Jan was caught and became a victim of the Nazi Holocaust at age 34. Simon and his wife Tiny moved in 1944 to Amsterdam and worked day and night for the illegal paper "Het Parool". Unlike his courageous wife Tiny, Simon was scared to death, but he felt he had to do this dangerous job anyway. After the war "Het Parool" became Amsterdams most famous legal paper and Simon became an influential columnist. In the difficult to translate his column "Kronkel" (Kink, twist) in which he wrote about the weird happenings of life. Much of his inspiration he digged up in Amsterdam bars, which also made him a notorious alcoholic. Carmiggelt wrote the "Kronkel" aforism:: "De geheelonthouders hebben gelijk, maar alleen de drinkers weten waarom." (The abstinents are right, but only the drinkers know why). In his tragic comic way Carmiggelt wrote about the shadow part of life of drunk men that lost their façade in the strange twists of life. First in his column "Kronkel", later in "Kroeglopen" (1962, pub-loafing) and many, many more books. In 1961 he got the Constantijn Huygens Prize and in 1974 the prestigious P.C. Hooft Award for his work. Personal His elder brother Johannes Simon (Jan) Carmiggelt (b. 1 Jan 1910, Den Haag) became a journalist and an talented economist. Both worked for the socialistic Arbeiderpers and both resigned in 1940 when the Nazi's took the Press over. Jan became involved in help for Jews (bonkaarten) and was arrested on 17 July 1943. He died as a victim of the Nazi Holocaust 26 September 1943 in Kamp Vught, Moerdijk. When his brilliant elder brother died (Simon stood in the shadow of his brother), his father mourned: "Alles tevergeefs" (All for nothing). The father has lost any hope in his youngest son, who became actually a celebrated writer but also a notorious alcoholic. Carmiggelt married 6 September 1939 with the former ballet dancer Wilhelmina Joanna (Tiny) de Goey (13 Sept 1912, Den Haag - Aug 1990). She was pregnant of their daughter Marianne. Camiggelt had a lover relation with feminist writer Renate Rubinstein (16 Nov 1929, Amsterdam - 23 Nov 1990). Because of his heavy drinking he developed type 2 diabetes and also atherosclerosis. He died of an heart attack on 30 November 1987 in Amsterdam. Link to Wikipedia biography