Archive Willem Wilmink

Number of the collection: UBG 093

Callnumber: uklu 093 Wilmink

Description of the archive made by: Frida van Til, 2024

Brief overview

Name of the archive: W., Wilmink, (1936-2003), poet, writer and teacher.

Provenance: Purchase of antiquarian bookshop Artistic Bureau

Dated: 1960-1999

Size: 3 archive boxes

Language of the materials: Dutch

Summary: Collection of Willem Wilmink (1936-2003) containing books by and about Hendrik de Vries, in which Wilmink made notes on the poems and texts.

Institute: University of Groningen

Retainer: University Library Groningen, Special Collections

Provenance and acquisition

Biography: 

Willem Wilmink (1936-2003) was a Dutch poet and writer. He became best known for his many song contributions to popular children's programmes. He was born in Enschede and studied Dutch and history at the University of Amsterdam. From 1960 to 1978, he taught modern literature, where he dissected poems by Hendrik de Vries with his students for many years. 

He wrote many songs for musicals and has numerous children's books to his name.

As an 11-year-old schoolboy, Willem Wilmink was introduced to the poetry of Hendrik de Vries (1896-1989). This was love at first sight. A few years later, he convinced his father to buy the, in his eyes ‘rather pricey’, collection of Coplas. By his own account, Wilmink soon knew forty of these four-line verses by heart.

Wilmink's first publication on the poetry of Hendrik de Vries dates from 1965. After that, he continued to write about De Vries' poems in literary magazines, culminating in the anthology Mijn broer in 1983. Five years later, he obtained a PhD at the Catholic University of Brabant on the poetry of Hendrik de Vries.

In all those years, Wilmink bought Hendrik de Vries collections and plaques from antiquarian bookshops and bookshops. Eventually, he also managed to acquire the rare and bibliophile editions.

In each acquisition, Wilmink put his name in the front. More than half of the books in this collection have notes in the margins. Wilmink put his thoughts on paper while reading, jotting down catchwords, rhyme schemes, variations and interpretations. Thus, it is possible to look over the shoulders of a poet reading and studying a poet.

Acquisition: The collection was acquired at an auction by Artistic Bureau.

Future additions: This was a one-off purchase: there will be no future additions.

Contents and collation: The collection contains books of poetry and other literature by and about Hendrik de Vries with notes on the texts and poems by Willem Wilmink.

Instructions for users of the archive

Accessibility

First of all, the archive is accessible for research purposes; furthermore for everyone interested in the archives.

Limitations to use

The materials in this archive are available for viewing only. They cannot be borrowed. When consulting these materials, the rules for use of library facilities apply. Copying is subject to the rules of copyright.

Accessing the archive

An inventory of the archive is available.

The copyright is held by the University of Groningen.
The right of publication rests with the Library of the University of Groningen as owner of the collection.

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 Willem Wilmink

Individual items: Groningen UB 093

Requests

The materials in this archive can be requested through SmartCat or by sending an email to the Special Collections department.