Karel Schoeman
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Karel Schoeman is a South African novelist, historian, translator and man of letters. Born 26 October 1939 in Trompsburg, South Africa. The author of 18 novels and numerous works of history, he is one of South Africa's most awarded and highly-regarded authors, although recognition outside of his native country is only slowly coming. This may be due to the fact that he chose to write primarily in Afrikaans (although several of his non-fiction works are in English), only a small portion of which has been translated into other languages. In 1999 he was one of only two living South African writers to be honoured with a State President's Award by Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the latter's retirement.
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[edit] Major Works
[edit] Novels
Veldslag (1965)
By Fakkellig (1966)
n Lug vol Helder Wolke (1967)
Spiraal (1968)
Op 'n Eiland (1971)
Na die Geliefde Land (1972)
Die Noorderlig (1975)
Om te Sterwe (1976)
Afrika: 'n Roman (1977)
Die Hemeltuin (1979)
Die Reisiger (1980)
Waar Ons Gelukkig Was (1981)
n Ander Land (1984)
Afskeid en Vertrek (1990)
Hierdie Lewe (1993)
Die Uur van die Engel (1995)
Verkenning (1996)
Verliesfontein (1998)
[edit] Autobiographical Works, Travel Writing & Belles-Lettres
Berig uit die Vreemde: 'n Ierse Dagboek (1966)
Van 'n Verre Eiland: 'n Tweede Ierse Dagboek (1968)
Koninkryk in die Noorde: 'n Boek oor Skotland (1977)
Onderweg: Reisherinnerings (1978)
Stamland: 'n Reis deur Nederland (1999)
Die Laaste Afrikaanse Boek: Outobiografiese Aantekeninge (2002)
[edit] Translations of Schoeman's Books
[edit] English
Promised Land (1978)
Another Country (1991)
Olive Schreiner: A Woman in South Africa (1991)
Take Leave and Go (1992)
'Miss Godby and the magistrate', an excerpt from Verliesfontein, in A Century of Anglo-Boer War Stories (1999)
This Life (2005)
[edit] French
En étrange pays (1993)
Three short stories in Caravanes (2003)
La Saison des Adieux (2004)
Retour au pays bien-aimé (2006)
[edit] Dutch
Een Ander Land (1992)
Merksteen: Een Dubbelbiografie (2004)
[edit] German
In einem fremden Land (1993)
[edit] Russian
V radnuju stranu (1978)
[edit] Translations into Afrikaans by Schoeman
Anton Chekhov, Oom Wanja: Tonele uit die Plattelandse Lewe in Vier Bedrywe (1968)
Uit die Iers: Middeleeuse Gedigte (1970)
Helde van die Rooi Tak: Die Saga van Cucullin en die Veeroof van Culne (1973)
Friedrich Schiller, Maria Stuart (1973)
Anton Chekhov, Die Kersieboord: Blyspel in Vier Bedrywe (1975)
Gode, Helde en Konings: Middeleeuse Ierse Verhale (1975)
Finn en sy Mense: Die Avonture van die Fianna van Ierland (1976)
Pieter Langendijk, Die Huweliksbedrog: 'n Blyspel (1976)
Herman Heijermans, Op Hoop van Seën: 'n Spel van die See in Vier Bedrywe (1979)
Arthur Schnitzler, Liebelei (1981)
Rob Nairn, n Stil Gemoed: 'n Inleiding tot die Boeddhisme en Meditasie (1997)
[edit] Historical Works
[edit] Monographs
Bloemfontein: Die Ontstaan van 'n Stad, 1846-1946 (1980)
Vrystaatse Erfenis: Bouwerk en Geboue in die 19de Eeu (1982)
Die dood van 'n Engelsman: Die Cox-moorde van 1856 en die Vroeë Jare van die Oranje-Vrystaat (1982)
Boukkunsskatte van die Vrystaat / Free State Heritage (1985)
Die wêreld van die digter: 'n Boek oor Sutherland en die Roggeveld ter ere van N.P. van Wyk Louw (1986)
Die Moord op Hesje van der Merwe, 19 Oktober 1837 (1995)
J.J. Kicherer en die Vroeë Sending, 1799-1806 (1996)
Armosyn van die Kaap: Voorspel tot Vestiging, 1415-1651 (1999)
Armosyn van die Kaap: Die Wêreld van 'n Slavin, 1652-1733 (2001)
The Griqua Captaincy of Philippolis, 1826-1861 (2002)
The Early Mission in South Africa / Die Vroeë Sending in Suid-Afrika, 1799-1819 (2005)
Kinders van die Kompanjie: Kaapse Lewens uit die Sewentiende Eeu (2006)
[edit] Biographies
In Liefde en Trou: Die Lewe van President Martinus Theunis Steyn en mevrou Tibbie Steyn met 'n Keuse uit Hulle Korrespondensie (1983)
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)
Irma Stern: The Early Years, 1894-1933 (1994)
Die Kort Sendingloopbaan van Sophia Burgmann, 1805-1812 (1994)
A Thorn Bush that Grows in the Path: The Missionary Career of Ann Hamilton, 1815-1823 (1995)
Die Wêreld van Susanna Smit, 1799-1863 (1995)
A Debt of Gratitude: Lucy Lloyd and the 'Bushman Work' of G.W. Stow (1997)
Dogter van Sion: Machtelt Smit en die 18de-eeuse Samelewing aan die Kaap, 1749-1799 (1997)
Merksteen: 'n Dubbelbiografie (1998)
n Duitster aan die Kaap, 1724-1765: Die Lewe en Loopbaan van Hendrik Schoeman (2004)
[edit] Edited Works
Bloemfontein in Beeld / Portrait of Bloemfontein, 1860-1881 (1987)
Griqua Records: The Philippolis Captaincy, 1825-1861 (1996)
The Face of the Country: A South African Family Album, 1860-1910 (1996)
The Mission at Griquatown, 1801-1821 (1997)
Witnesses to War: Personal Documents of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) from the Collections of the South African Library (1998)
Die Suidhoek van Afrika: Geskrifte oor Suid-Afrika uit die Nederlandse Tyd, 1652-1806 (2002)
[edit] Awards and Honours
1970 Hertzog Prize for By Fakkellig, n Lug Vol Helder Wolke & Spiraal
1972 CNA Prize for Na die Geliefde Land
1983 Recht Malan Prize (for non-fiction) for Vrystaatse Erfenis
1984 Old Mutual Prize for n Ander Land
1985 W.A. Hofmyer Prize for n Ander Land
1986 Hertzog Prize for n Ander Land
1988 Helgaard Steyn Prize for n Ander Land
1990 SABC Prize for Best Television Drama for Op die Grens
1991 Old Mutual Prize for Afskeid en Vertrek
1994 CNA Prize for Hierdie Lewe
1995 Hertzog Prize for Hierdie Lewe
1997 M-Net Book Award for Verkenning
1997 Stals Prize for Cultural History from the South African Academy for Arts & Science
1998 Recht Malan Prize (for non-fiction) for Dogter van Sion
1999 State President Award: Order for Excellent Service
2000 D.Litt (honoris causa), University of Cape Town
2002 Recht Malan Prize (for non-fiction) 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
2006 The South African Literature Award for his complete oeuvre
[edit] Studies of Schoeman's Works
There are numerous postgraduate theses, essays and articles dealing with Schoeman's literary oeuvre (and increasingly also with his historical works). A good selection of critical articles on his work has conveniently been collected in Willie Burger & Helize van Vuuren (eds), Sluiswagter by die Dam van Stemme: Beskouings oor die Werk van Karel Schoeman (Pretoria: Protea, 2002). This collection also contains a transcription of an interview with Karel Schoeman in 1998, one of only a very few he gave during his life. In addition the book lists most of the secondary bibliography on Schoeman up to 2001.
Further biographical information and critical discussion can be found in the following:
J.C. Kannemeyer, Geskiedenis van die Afrikaanse Literatuur, vol. 2 (Cape Town: Academica, 1983)
G.A. Jooste, 'Karel Schoeman', in: H.P. van Coller (ed.), Perspektief en Profiel: 'n Afrikaans Literatuurgeskiedenis, vol. 2 (Pretoria: Van Schaick, 1999), pp. 544-64.
Major sources for Schoeman's biography are his autobiography, Die Laaste Afrikaanse Boek (2002) and the book based on his grandparents' lives, Merksteen (1998).
