Karel Schoeman
Born	(1939-10-26)26 October 1939 Trompsburg, South Africa
Died	1 May 2017(2017-05-01) (aged 77) Bloemfontein, South Africa
Occupation	Novelist, Historian
Language	Afrikaans, English, Dutch
Nationality	South African
Alma mater	University of the Free State
Genre	Prose Fiction, Biography, History

Karel Schoeman (Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈkɑːrəl ˈskuman], 26 October 1939 – 1 May 2017) was a South African novelist, historian, translator and man of letters. Author of twenty novels and numerous works of history, he was one of South Africa's most honoured writers. Schoeman wrote primarily in Afrikaans, although several of his non-fiction books were originally written in English. His novels are increasingly being translated into other languages, notably, English, French and Dutch.

Life and career

Born in 1939 in Trompsburg, South Africa, Karel Schoeman matriculated in 1956 from Paarl Boys' High School. In 1959, he obtained a BA degree in languages from the University of the Free State. In 1961, he joined the Franciscan Order in Ireland as a novice for the priesthood, but then returned to Bloemfontein to obtain a Higher Diploma in Library Studies. During the 1970s, he went into voluntary exile, working first as a librarian in Amsterdam and then as a nurse in Glasgow, Scotland. He returned to South Africa in 1977 and worked until his retirement in 1998 as an archivist at the South African National Library in Cape Town. He then relocated to his town of birth, Trompsburg, where he lived for more than a decade before moving to Bloemfontein. In September 2008, he moved to the Noorderbloem retirement community, where he died on 1 May 2017.

Schoeman is known not only as a novelist, but is equally renowned as an historian and biographer. He has also published translations (especially of drama), several travel books and an autobiography. He won the most prestigious Afrikaans literary award, the Hertzog Prize, three times: in 1971 (for By Fakkellig, ’n Lug vol helder wolke and Spiraal), 1986 (’n Ander land) and in 1995 (Hierdie lewe).^[1] The Recht Malan Prize for "excellence in the field of non-fiction books" was awarded to him four times.^[2] On the retirement of President Nelson Mandela in 1999, Schoeman was one of only two writers to be awarded the State President Award: Order for Excellent Service. In more recent years, his fiction garnered much praise in France, winning inter alia the prestigious Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger in 2009. In the last years of his life, it was rumored that he was a possible candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature.^[3][4]

His 1972 novel, Na die Geliefde Land (literally: To the Beloved Country), was made into an award-winning feature film, Promised Land in 2002, with a screenplay by Jason Xenopoulos.^[5] Schoeman produced and published several screenplays, including an adaptation of his first novel, Veldslag, some of which were broadcast on South African national television during the 1980s.^[6]

Schoeman committed suicide at a retirement center in Bloemfontein, at the age of 77, writing about dying with dignity in his suicide statement.^[7] A previous attempt failed when he was 75.^[8] He wrote openly about his reasons and plans for ending his life in Slot van die Dag (translated as At Close of Day), which was published shortly after his death.

Major works

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. Hofmeyr 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^[10]
• 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^[11]
• 2002 Recht Malan Prize (for non-fiction) for Armosyn van die Kaap
• 2003 Recht Malan Prize (for non-fiction) for Die Laaste Afrikaanse Boek
• 2003 Order for Meritorious Service in silver
• 2004 D.Litt (honoris causa), University of the Free State^[12]
• 2006 Prix Amphi for La Saison des Adieux (Afskeid en Vertrek)^[13]
• 2006 Lifetime Achievement by the South African Literature Awards for his complete oeuvre^[14]
• 2009 Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger for Cette Vie (Hierdie Lewe)^[15]
• 2014 Shortlisted: Alan Paton Award for Portrait of a Slave Society^[16]
• 2014 Shortlisted: kykNET-Rapport Book Prize (for non-fiction) for Here en Boere: Die Kolonie aan die Kaap onder die Van der Stels, 1679–1712^[17]

References

Further biographical information and critical discussion can be found in the following:

• Ena Jansen, By Fakkellig van Karel Schoeman (Pretoria: Academica, 1977)
• Helize van Vuuren, Veldslag (Pretoria: Academica, 1978)
• D. J. Hugo, Na die Geliefde Land van Karel Schoeman (Pretoria: Academica, 1981)
• Ena Jansen, Op 'n Eiland van Karel Schoeman (Pretoria: Academica, 1982)
• J. C. Kannemeyer, Geskiedenis van die Afrikaanse Literatuur, vol. 2 (Cape Town: Academica, 1983)
• T. Botha, Die Hart van die Son (Pretoria: Academica, 1987)
• G. A. Jooste, "Karel Schoeman", in: H. P. van Coller (ed.), Perspektief en Profiel: 'n Afrikaanse Literatuurgeskiedenis, vol. 2 (Pretoria: Van Schaik, 1999).
• G. A. Jooste & Chris N. van der Merwe, "Karel Schoeman", in: H. P. van Coller (ed.), Perspektief en Profiel: 'n Afrikaanse Literatuurgeskiedenis, vol. 3 (Second edition, Pretoria: Van Schaik, 2016).
• Willie Burger & Helize van Vuuren (eds), Sluiswagter by die Dam van Stemme: Beskouings oor die Werk van Karel Schoeman (Pretoria: Protea Boekhuis, 2002).
• Cas Wepener, Die Reis Gaan Inwaarts: Die Kuns van Sterwe in Kreatiewe Werke van Karel Schoeman (Bloemfontein: African Sun Media, 2017).
• Ria Winters, Reise met Schoeman: In die Voetspore van die Skrywer (Pretoria: Protea Boekhuis, 2020).

Major sources are Schoeman's autobiographical texts, Die Laaste Afrikaanse Boek (2002), Slot van die Dag: Gedagtes (2017) and Merksteen (1998), a book about the lives of his maternal grandparents, Dutch migrants to South Africa in the late nineteenth century.

Specific