Elisabeth Eybers
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Elisabeth Françoise Eybers (born 16 February 1915 in Klerksdorp, Transvaal) is a South African poet. Her poetry is mainly in Afrikaans, although she has translated some of her own work (and those of others) into English.
She grew up in the town of Schweizer-Reneke, where her father was a Nederduits-Hervormde (Dutch Reformed) minister. After completing her high school studies there at the age of 16, she enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand for a Bachelor of Arts degree, which she achieved cum laude.
After her graduation she became a journalist. In 1937 Eybers married the businessman Albert Wessels, with whom she had three daughters and a son. In 1934 she became the first Afrikaans woman to win the Hertzog prize for poetry. She won the prize again in 1971.
Her work has received many other awards in both South Africa and the Netherlands, including the Constantijn Huygens prize in 1978 and the P.C. Hooft prize in 1991.
Eybers' first collection of poems Belydenis in die Skemering (Confession in the twilight) was published in 1936. Her second collection, entitled Die Stil Avontuur (The silent adventure) was published in 1939 and was mainly about being a mother.
Die Vrou en ander verse (The woman and other poems) was published in 1945 while her fourth poetry collection, Die Ander Dors (The other thirst) was published in 1946.
Many other poetry collections followed regularly, including:
- Tussensang (In-between song), 1950
- Helder Halfjaar (Bright half-year), 1956
- Versamelde Gedigte (Collected poems), 1957
- Neerslag (Precipitation), 1958
- Balans (Balance), 1962
- Onderdak (Shelter), 1965
- Kruis of Munt (Head or tail), 1973
More recent works include the bilingual Verbruikersverse/Consumer's verse (1997) en Winter-surplus (1999).
Translations of her poems have also been published in German, French, Italian and Hebrew.
Since her divorce in 1961 she has lived in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
