Hendrik (Hennie) Christoffel Lourens Aucamp was born on 20 January 1934, at Dordrecht in the Northern Cape and grew up on the farm Rust-mijn-ziel, in the district of Jamestown. After matriculation at Jamestown Hoërskool in 1951, he studied Afrikaans, English, Literature and Drama at Stellenbosch University (BA 1955; S.O.D. 1957; MA, cum laude, 1958; DEd, cum laude, 1974).
In 1964 he joined the Department of Afrikaans, Faculty of Education at the Stellenbosch University and was appointed Head of the Department in 1983 (where he remained until his retirement in 1994) and Associate Professor in 1986. He used his sabbatical leaves to study at the Catholic University of Leuven and - in 1979 - in New York at the Teacher's College and at Columbia University, where he attended the following courses: The writing of drama, Popular Fiction, Professional and Educational Writing.
Following his retirement, Hennie Aucamp moved to Tamboerskloof, Cape Town.
In celebration of his 70th birthday in 2004, the book, 'n Skrywer by Sonsopkoms, was dedicated to him in a festive compilation (by Lina Spies and Lucas Malan) with contributions by 16 authors.

Awards: 1970: Tafelberg prize 1974: WA Hofmeyr prize, together with Chris Barnard 1980: ATKV Drama Prize 1982: Hertzog prize 1987: Fleur du Cap prize for best South African play of the year 1997: Recht Malan-prize 2004: Fleur du Cap Merit Award    ATKV-Veertjie-toekenning    Afrikaans-Onbeperk-toekenning van die KKNK    Winner of LitNet' s Mont du Toit Kelder competition for wine poetry 2006: The Gustav Preller medal for Literary Theory

Hennie presents his new diary: Skuinslig (20.3. 2004) See more photos

Bly Te Kenne Hennie Aucamp gee rekenskap van die positiewe invloede en mentors in sy lewe.

In lande ver vandaan: 'n Toerjornaal Hennie Aucamp, meesterverteller en vernuftige toergids, neem jou op 'n poskaartreis LAPA , 2001

Skuinslig Hierdie egodokument dek die tydperk Maart 1996 tot April 1997

Dryfhout - Poems, Tafelberg, 2005

'n Vreemdeling Op Deurtog, 2007 Met Aucamp se kenmerkende vermoë om vrye denke en ou waardes, humor en besinning te kombineer, boei hy die leser in hierdie bundel verhale en essays.

Prose: 1963 Een somermiddag 1965 Die hartseerwals, APB/Perskor 1967 Spitsuur 1968 Karnaatjie: reissketse en essays 1970 'n Bruidsbed vir tant Nonnie 1972 Hongerblom 1973 'n Baksel in die more (met Margaret Bakkes) 1973 Wolwedans 1976 Dooierus 1978 Enkelvlug 1981 Volmink 1986 Wat bly oor van soene?

1989 Kommerkrale (gelykenisse) 1992 Dalk gaan niks verlore nie 1994 Pluk die dag (aforismes) 1995 Gewis is alles net 'n grap 1996 Rampe in die ruigte (fabels) 1996 Gekaapte tyd (dagboek) 1997 Allersiele (dagboek) 2000 Ook skaduwees laat spore 2001 Bly te kenne (mémoire) 2001 In lande ver vandaan 2003 In die vroegte (mémoire) 2004 Skuinslig (dagboek) Dryfhout, 2005 'n Vreemdeling op Deurtog (short stories and essays), Protea, 2007

Poetry: 1977 Die lewe is 'n grenshotel (ryme vir pop en kabaret) 1984 Die blou uur (kwatryne) 1987 Teen latenstyd 1989 Brecht sing Afrikaans (with Arnold Blumer and others) 1997 Koerier (69 opdrag- en ander kwatryne) 1999 Lyflied ('n keur uit Aucamp se liedtekste (compiled and with a postface by Daniel Hugo) 2002 Hittegolf: wulpse sonnette met 'n nawoord (review at: www.skoppensboer.co.za) Literary Theory: 1978 Kort voor lank (oor kortprosa) 1984 Woorde wat wond (teoretiese werk) 1986 Die blote storie 1991 'n Boekreis ver (private edition) 1992 Windperd: opstelle oor kreatiewe skryfwerk 1987 Dagblad (geselekteerde boekresensies) 1994 Die blote storie II 1998 Beeltenis verbode (artikels oor oorwegend egodokumente)

Cabaret and Plays: 1980 Papawerwyn 1980 Met permissie gesê (kabaret) 1986 Slegs vir almal 1987 By Felix en Madame (toneel) 1988 Sjampanje vir ontbyt (toneel) 1989 Punt in die wind 1990 Brommer in die boord: Boereklug met musiek 1994 Dubbeldop: kabarettekste en essays 1996 Van hoogheid tot traagheid; of, Die sewe doodsondes Compilations: 1971 Op die Stormberge 1973 Bolder 1978 Blommetjie gedenk aan my 1990 Wisselstroom 1995 Sewe sondes, nee meer 1997 Wys my waar is Timboektoe 1998 Borde borde boordevol (bloemlesing) 1982 Vir vier stemme (bibliofiele uitgawe) 1997 Hoorspelkeur Translation: 1963 Ou Ramon by Jack Schaefer

Compilations of his works:
1979/90 In een kraal (Elize Botha)
1983 House visits (compiled and translated by Ian Ferguson)
1987 Brandglas (with an introduction and compiled by Charles Fryer)

Find a collection of his aphorisms in LitNet: Vlugsout

The book, 'n Skrywer by Sonsopkoms, can be ordered from
(021) 808 26 11

Click for web pages at Tafelberg and Human&Rousseau Publishers

www.StellenboschWriters.com © Rosemarie Breuer