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Karel Schoeman 1973

Photo by Philip de Vos 1973

Karel Schoeman

Karel Schoeman 2008

1939 - 2017

One of South Africa's most distinguished writers
Among his books are novels, historical works and biographies.

Karel Schoeman was born on 26 October 1939 in Trompsburg in the Freestate.
1956: matriculated from the Hoër Jongenskool in Paarl.
1959: obtained a BA in languages at the University of the Freestate.
He went on to study at the Catholic Seminary in Pretoria.
1961: Joined the order of Franciscans in Ireland and novitiated to become a priest, but was released from his vows.
He returned to Bloemfontein where he obtained a Hoër Diploma in Biblioteekkunde.
1968 - 1973: librarian at the library in Amsterdam.
1974 - 1976: male nurse in Glasgow.
From 1983 at the South African Library in Cape Town.

Photo found at LitNet.co.za

In September 2008, Schoeman moved to Noorderbloem retirement home in Bloemfontein. He decided to end his own life and died on May 1, 2017.
"Ek wil trouens hoop dat my dood daartoe sal bydra om sowel die wesenlike probleem van ouderdom as die algemene kwessie van selfbeskikking meer algemeen bespreekbaar te maak as wat dit op die oomblik die geval is, en bowenal dat dit sal kan help om 'n wysiging in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing tov selfbeskikking te weeg te bring."
I hope that my death will contribute to making the common problem of age as well as the general issue of self-determination more widely discussed than it is at the moment and, above all, that it may help to change to bring about the current South African legislation for self-determination.

Awards:

Hertzog Prize for Prosa 1970, 1986 and 1995; SAUK Prize for African TV dramas 1990; Stals Prize vor Cultural History 1997; Louis Hiemstra Prize for non fiction 2002

1970: Hertzog Prize for By Fakkellig, 'n Lug vol helder wolke and Spiraal
1972: CNA Prize for Na die geliefde land
1983: Recht Malan Prize for Vrystaatse erfenis
1984: Ou Mutual Prize for 'n Ander land
1985: WA Hofmeyr Prize for 'n Ander land
1986: Hertzog Prize for 'n Ander land
1988: Helgaard Steyn Prize for the best Afrikaans book of the last 4 years - vir 'n Ander land
1991: Ou Mutual Prize for Afskeid en vertrek
1994: CNA Prize for Hierdie lewe
1995 : Hertzog Prize forHierdie lewe
1997: M-Net Award for Verkenning
1997: Prize of the South African Academy for Kultuurgeskiedenis
2002: Recht Malan Prize - best non-fiction/non-literary work for Armosyn van die Kaap
2003 Recht Malan Prize (for non-fiction) for Die Laaste Afrikaanse Boek
2004 D.Litt (honoris causa), University of the Free State
2006 Prix Amphi for La Saison des Adieux (Afskeid en Vertrek)
2006 The South African Literature Award for his complete oeuvre
2009 Prix du Meilleur Livre étranger for Cette Vie (Hierdie Lewe)

Books:

Karel SchoemanNovels:
1965: Veldslag
1967: 'n Lug vol helder wolke
1968: Spiraal
1971: Op 'n eiland
1972: Na die geliefde land
1979: Die hemeltuin
1984: 'n Ander land
1990: Afskeid en vertrek
1993: Hierdie lewe/ This Life
1995: Die uur van die engel
1996: Verkenning
1998: Verliefsfontein
1995: Die wêreld van Susanna Smit, 1799 - 1863
Historical works:
Bloemfontein: die ontstaan van 'n stad, 1846-1946 (1980)
Vrystaatse erfenis (1982)
Bloemfontein in beeld, 1860-1910 (1987)
Die Vrijstatia-reeks: Sophie Leviseur: Memories
Frantz Balfet: Samuel Rolland (1801-1873)
J.G. Fraser - James Briggs: Sotho War Diaries: 1864-1865
Die Huis van die Armes: die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap in die OVS, 1833-1869
Maude Bidwell: Pen Pictures of the Past
The Free State Mission: the Anglican Church in the OFS, 1863-1883
Die Herinneringe van JC de Waal
The Recollections of Elizabeth Rolland (1803-1901)
The Bloemfontein Diary of Lieut. W.J. St John, 1852-1853
The Early Days of the Orange Free State
The Wesleyan Mission in the Orange Free State, 1833-1854
The Missionary Letters of Gottlob Schreiner, 1873-1846
The British Presence in the Transorange, 1845-1854a
2001: Armosyn van die Kaap: Die Wêreld van 'n Slavin, 1652-1733
Early white travellers in the Transgariep, 1819 -1840
Vrijstatia 14: Early White Travellers in the Transgariep, 1819-1840, Protea Boekhuis, 2001
2002: Die laaste Afrikaanse boek
The Griqua Captaincy of Philippolis, 1826-1861
2003: Die suidhoek van Afrika, Protea Boekhuis
2005: The Griqua mission at Philippolis, 1822-1837
Kinders Van Die Kompanjie: Kaapse lewens uit die sewentiende eeu
The early mission in South Africa/Die vroee sending in Suid-Afrika
2007: Early slavery at the Cape of Good Hope, 1652-1717
2008: Patrisiërs & prinse - Die Europese samelewing en die stigting van 'n kolonie aan die Kaap, 1619-1715, Protea Boekhuis
2010: Kolonie aan die Kaap: Jan van Riebeeck en die vestiging van die eerste blankes, 1652-1662 (Boek 3), Protea Boekhuis
2011: Riviereland, Protea Book House
2012: Here En Boere, Protea Book House
Cape Lives of the Eighteenth Century, Protea Book House
Early White Travellers in the Transgariep, 1819-1840, Protea Book House
2013: Portrait of a Slave Society, Protea Book House
2014: Hoogty - Die opbloei van 'n koloniale kultuur aan die Kaap, 1751 - 1779, Protea Boekhuis
2015: Swanesang: Die einde van die Kompanjiestyd aan die Kaap, 1771 - 1795
2016: Imperiale somer, Suid Afrika tussen Oorlog en Unie, 1902 - 1910

Biographies:
In liefde en trou (1989)
Die wêreld van die digter (1986)
Olive Schreiner: 'n Lewe in Suid-Afrika, 1855-1881 (1989)
Only an anguish to live here: Olive Schreiner and the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902, (1992)
Dogter van Sion (1997)
Merksteen (1998)
The Face of the Country: A South African family album, 1860-1910 (1996)
Witnesses to War: Personal documents of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)
'N Duitser Aan Die Kaap, 1724 - 1765: Die Lewe En Loopbaan Van Hendrik Schoeman, Protea Boekhuis, 2004
from the the collections of the South African Library (1999)
Titaan - 'n Roman oor die Lewe van Michelangelo Buonarroti, 2009
Seven Khoi Lives: Cape Biographies of the Seventeenth Century, Protea Boekhuis, 2009
Bosmans van Drakenstein 1705 1842, Protea Boekhuis, 2010

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