Archive Edzo Hendrik Waterbolk

Brief overview

Name of the archive: Archive Edzo Hendrik Waterbolk

Provenance: Waterbolk, Edzo Hendrik (1915-2000)

Dated: ± 1560-1650

Size: undetermined

Language of the materials: Dutch, French

Summary:

Scientific archive containing offprints and carbon copies of transcripts from several archives, mainly from the A.G.R. and the Sécreatire Allemand.

Archive number: UBG028

Institute: University Library Groningen

Retainer: University Library Groningen

Provenance and acquisition

Biography:

Edzo Hendrik Waterbolk was born 5 December 1915 in Akkerwoude. He was the son of Klaas Waterbolk,   teacher and headmaster, and Helena de Jonge. Waterbolk married Eeke Dijkstra on 27 July 1942. This  union brought forth four children, two daughters and two sons.

After studying at the Gymnasium school in Leeuwarden, Waterbolk enrolled at the University of  Groningen in 1935. He studied history and passed his doctoral exams (equivalent to Master’s degree) in 1941. He then accepted a position as a teacher at the State HBS School in Coevorden. He went into hiding in 1943, refusing to report to the Germans as a former prisoner of war. In 1946, after the war,  Waterbolk started teaching at the Gemeentelijk Lyceum in Enschede. In 1952 he defended his dissertation with honours (Cum Laude) under the supervision of Professor P.J. van Winter. His   dissertation was a literary analysis entitled Twee eeuwen Friese Geschiedschrijving. Opkomst, bloei en   verval van de Friese historiografie in de zestiende en zeventiende eeuw (Two ages of Frisian historic writing. Growth, peak and downfall of Frisian historiography in the sixteenth and seventeenth century). That same year, he became a teacher at the Gymnasium school in Haarlem.

In 1958, Waterbolk was tasked with setting up an MO-opleiding (study to become a teacher) in History  at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen. After his mentor P.J. van Winter retired in 1965, the University named Waterbolk as his successor, alongside E.H. Kossmann. They were both tasked with teaching post-medieval history.

Waterbolk’s inaugural lecture, entitled Een hond in het bad (a dog in the bath), explored the relationship   between Agricola and Erasmus. The lecture put a spotlight on humanism in the Northern Netherlands. Waterbolk made clear that he would not limit himself to Friesland, but would focus on the whole of the           North during the Renaissance and early modern history.

Waterbolk’s most significant contribution to the study of history is his extensive research into the emergence of historic consciousness. His carefully considered and thorough use of original sources showed the rise of historicists in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. These historicists studied the past, rather than just chronicling it. Through the development of several sub-disciplines of history (paleography, textual criticism, diplomatics, etc.), a historic consciousness had emerged, and sources were now regarded with a critical look.

Waterbolk retired in 1981. His final lecture was entitled Met Willem Lodewijk aan tafel (at the table with Willem Lodewijk). Willem Lodewijk was a stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and later also Drenthe. This lecture emphasised Waterbolk’s approach to history: a meeting with people of the past. A collection of his works were republished upon his retirement, under the name Verspreide opstellen (scattered essays). In 1994, on the occasion of his eightieth birthday, a collection of articles by colleagues and students was published under the name Omtrekkende bewegingen (consolidating movements). Waterbolk passed away in Haren, 9 August 2000.

A selection of published works:

• Twee eeuwen Friese Geschiedschrijving. Opkomst, bloei en verval van de Friese historiografie in de zestiende en zeventiende eeuw, Groningen, 1952

• Vigliana: bronnen, brieven en rekeningen betreffende Viglius van Aytta, Groningen, 1975

• Der Reisebericht des Ubbo Emmius, Groningen, 1980

• Friesland tussen Eems en Lauwers en de stad Groningen, Groningen, 1989

• De boom wordt hoe langer hoe dikker, of de groei van een folio-editie, Haren, 1991

Acquisition

The archive was acquired by the University Library in 20xx.

Future additions

No future additions to this archive are expected. 

Contents and collation

This archive contains offprints and carbon copies of transcripts from several archives, mainly from the A.G.R. and the Sécreatire Allemand.

Instructions for users of the archive

Accessibility

The archive is accessible for research purposes. To look at the archive, a University Library Access Pass is required.

Limitations to use

The materials in this archive are available for viewing only. They cannot be borrowed. When consulting these materials, the rules set out in the Reglement voor de gebruikers van de Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen apply. Reproductions, insofar as they are allowed, are to be made in line with the rules set out in the Tarieven en diensten Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

The copyright is held by Waterbolk’s heirs. As owners f the collection, the University Library Groningen holds the publishing rights.

Accessing the archive

An inventory of the archive is available.

Citations

When referencing (materials from) this archive, the following information must be provided in full at least once. After this, an abbreviated citation suffices.

• Archive: University Library Groningen, Archive Edzo Hendrik Waterbolk

• Individual items: Groningen, UB, Waterbolk [number]

Requests

The materials in this archive can be requested by sending a mail to the Special Collections department.