The Jan Campert Prize (Dutch: Jan Campert‑prijs) is a Dutch literary award presented annually for a poetry collection written in the Dutch language.
Origins and administration
- Established in 1948 by the Jan Campert Foundation (Stichting Jan Campert), the prize commemorates journalist and poet Jan Campert (1902 – 1943), who was arrested and died in the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz.
- The award is administered by the Foundation, which is based in Amsterdam.
Eligibility and criteria
- Open to poets publishing a Dutch‑language collection in the preceding calendar year.
- The jury, composed of literary professionals appointed by the Foundation, evaluates the literary quality of the submissions.
Award details
- The prize includes a monetary component; as of recent years the cash award has been €2,500, though the amount may be adjusted periodically.
- Recipients are announced each year, and the award ceremony is typically held in Amsterdam.
Notable laureates
Over the decades, the Jan Campert Prize has been awarded to a range of prominent Dutch poets, including:
- Gerrit Kouwenaar (1978)
- Remco Campert (1976)
- Luuk van Hove (1990)
- Miriam van Hee (2005)
(These examples illustrate the award’s reputation for recognizing influential contemporary poets; a complete list of winners is maintained by the Jan Campert Foundation.)
Significance
The Jan Campert Prize is regarded as one of the major Dutch poetry awards, alongside the Vijver‑Congo and De Dichterprijs. It contributes to the visibility and prestige of Dutch poetic works and supports the continuation of the literary tradition honored by Jan Campert’s own resistance‑era poetry.
