Peter van Gestel (3 August 1937, Amsterdam – 1 March 2019, Amsterdam) was a Dutch writer.
Career
Writing
Van Gestel made his debut in 1962 with Drempelvrees, a collection of stories. He received the Reina Prinsen Geerligsprijs for this book. In 1976, he published the book Ver van huis under the pseudonym Sander Joosten. He made his debut in children's literature with Schuilen onder je schooltas in 1979. He received the Vlag en Wimpel award for this book. He received the Nienke van Hichtum-prijs 1987 for his book Ko Kruier en zijn stadsgenoten (1985) with illustrations by Peter van Straaten.
For his children's book Winterijs he won the Woutertje Pieterse Prijs 2002 as well as the Gouden Griffel 2002 award and the Nienke van Hichtum-prijs 2003. He became the first to be awarded these three awards for a single book. Winterijs tells the story of a ten year old living in Amsterdam in the winter of 1947 developing a friendship with a Jewish boy. The story is inspired by van Gestel's brother's friendship with a Jewish boy when both were also ten years old. Van Gestel does not consider the book to be an autobiography but acknowledges that there are many similarities between the characters and people from his youth.
In 2006, he won the Theo Thijssen-prijs for his entire oeuvre.
Radio, television and film
In 1986, he adapted the book Het wassende water (1925) written by Herman de Man to television. The idea to adapt the book to television came from van Gestel's experience as dramaturge for Anton Quintana's radio play also based on the same book.
Van Gestel wrote the story for the 1999 film Een dubbeltje te weinig and he co-wrote the story for 1992 film Richting Engeland with Willem Wilmink. Both films were directed by André van Duren.
In 1997, he adapted late medieval Dutch text Mariken van Nieumeghen into the children's book Mariken. He received the Gouden Uil 1998 award for this book and the story was used for the 2000 film Mariken. Van Gestel co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Kim van Kooten.
Death
Van Gestel died in March 2019.
Awards
1961 – Reina Prinsen Geerligsprijs, Drempelvrees 1980 – Vlag en Wimpel, Schuilen onder je schooltas 1982 – Vlag en Wimpel, Joost, of De domme avonturen van een slim jongetje 1985 – Zilveren Griffel, Uit het leven van Ko Kruier 1987 – Nienke van Hichtum-prijs, Ko Kruier en zijn stadsgenoten 1989 – Vlag en Wimpel, OEF van de mensen 1995 – Vlag en Wimpel, Prinses Roosje 1995 – Vlag en Wimpel, Lieve Claire 1998 – Gouden Uil, Mariken 1998 – Jonge Gouden Uil, Mariken 1998 – Zilveren Griffel, Mariken 2000 – Vlag en Wimpel, Slapen en schooieren 2000 – nomination Gouden Uil, Slapen en schooieren 2002 – Gouden Griffel, Winterijs 2002 – Woutertje Pieterse Prijs, Winterijs 2003 – Nienke van Hichtum-prijs, Winterijs 2004 – nomination Gouden Uil, Die dag aan zee 2006 – Theo Thijssen-prijs, entire oeuvre
References
External links
Peter van Gestel , Nederlands Letterenfonds (Dutch Foundation for Literature) Peter van Gestel (in Dutch), Digital Library for Dutch Literature