12 March 2006 at Protea Bookshop: Engela van Rooyen and Deon Knobel during Woordfees 2006.
Engela started her talk with grateful reminiscence of Wilhelm's generous help when she started to write. Wilhelm's brother, Deon, commissioned Stellenbosch composer, Hendrik Hofmeyr, to set 5 poems to music. These 5 elegiese verse vir bariton en klavier were presented on Sunday's concert in the Endler Hall: Geen skip strand ooit teen hierdie kus nie, Elegie, Gedig vir Klein Estie,. By die dood van Motau and. Op slag gedood.
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Poems

Wilhelm Friedrich Knobel was born on 26 October 1935, in Bethlehem, and grew up on his parent's farm, Versien. He loved books and music and took piano and, later, cello lessons.
After matriculation from Bethlehem Voortrekker High School he studied Languages and Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch (BA and BA Hons, both cum laude). With a bursary from the French government, he continued his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he became a friend of Breyten Breytenbach. He also started painting.
After a serious car accident in Belgium, he suffered concussion, followed by depression, and had to return to South Africa.
W. F. Knobel lectured in French at the University of Orange Free State and at Unisa and worked as a translator in Pretoria. He was a deeply religious man. For the last four years of his life he suffered from repeated bouts of manic depression and was unable to work. He spent most of the time with Deon Knobel, his youngest brother, (a Professor of Forensic Medicine at UCT) in his house in Gardens, Cape Town, and was often in the care of the nearby Gardens Nursing home. Wilhelm Knobel died in his sleep on 4 January 1974 in Cape Town. He is buried onVersien.

Order Twee Siklusse – Wilhelm Knobel: die ongewapende man :
(Sagteband, 64 bladsye, ISBN?0 620 33912 8, R95.)
Deon Knobel. Bel Monte-uitgewery, Kaapstad, 2005 021 4233 661 or

In die gedig "Valdeur" lyk dit asof die spreker meen dat die moontlikheid om poësie te skryf hom die geleentheid gee om sekere aspekte van sy innerlike lewe onder beheer te bring
Louise Viljoen

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