H.J.M.F. Lodewick (Neerlandicus)
Bound in Maastricht: The Ex Libris of
Fernand Lodewick and the Legacy of The Wandering Jew
The story begins with a bookplate reading
“Fernand Lodewick”, affixed to a 1931 Dutch edition of The Wandering Jew. The
volume was bound in cloth by Pie Schmitz Boekbinderij, a respected binder in
Maastricht, Lodewick’s birthplace and lifelong home.
But this is no ordinary bookplate. It was
designed in 1954 by Jef Scheffers, a Dutch artist known for his elegant ex
libris work. The design was commissioned by Herman Joseph Marie Fernand
Lodewick himself, reflecting his identity not only as a literary scholar but as
a passionate bibliophile, lover of music and a man who saw books as personal
treasures worthy of artistic marking.
Fernand Lodewick: A Life in Letters
Born in Maastricht in 1909, Fernand
Lodewick became a prominent Dutch literary scholar and educator. He taught
Dutch language and literature at the Stedelijk Lyceum Maastricht from 1946 to
1976, where he was known for his quiet charisma, intellectual rigor, and
humanistic approach to teaching.
Students remembered him as a man who
treated literature not as a static subject, but as a living conversation. He
quoted Dutch poets from memory, encouraged philosophical debate, and believed
that reading was a moral act, a way to understand ourselves and others.
Outside the classroom, Lodewick authored
essays and textbooks that emphasized empathy, cultural understanding, and the
ethical dimensions of literary study. His legacy is one of reflection, not
ideology.
The Wandering Jew: A Contested Text
This book from Lodewick’s library De
Wandelende Jood (The Wandering Jew) by August Vermeylen is a philosophical
retelling of the medieval legend of Ahasverus, the “Wandering Jew.” Vermeylen’s
intent was humanistic: to explore spiritual redemption through communal labour.
Yet the legend itself has a fraught history: Originating in 13th-century
Europe, the myth portrayed Jews as cursed wanderers. It was later weaponized in
antisemitic propaganda, especially during the rise of fascism in the 1930s.
Date of Purchase and Rebinding
On the final page of the book, there’s an inscription that reads: “Maastricht, 17 juli 1946.” After comparing the handwriting with known samples from Lodewick, it appears to be his own. This suggests he acquired the book shortly after the war. The rebinding likely took place around 1954, coinciding with the period when his personalized bookplate was designed by Scheffers.
The Library
He jokingly referred to his bungalow as
“Huize Malmberg,” a nod to the publisher whose textbooks made him a household
name in Dutch education. Inside, however, was no ordinary home. His library
spanned 90 meters of shelving, much of it in metal archival racks, with books
arranged in double rows, sorted to the millimetre.
Architect Theo Boosten was approached with
the task of building a home not around its inhabitant, but around his books.
“Around my books and my records,” Fernand had said, “with here and there a
corner for myself.” It was a telling request one that revealed the man’s
priorities. The result was a space that functioned less as a dwelling and more
as a living archive, a sanctuary for a mind that never slept.
The house became a reflection of its owner:
shelves overflowing with literature, walls lined with music, and every surface
touched by art. There were canvases by Appel and Severini, pieces by Gustave
Asselbergs, Hofhuizen, Wildschut, and Zhang Qinghui. Sculptures, bronze works
by Jef Wishaupt, Thai bronzes, Egyptian reliefs, and tribal artifacts from East
Africa and New Guinea stood like sentinels among the books. It was not clutter;
it was curation. Every object had its place, every piece a story. The house
didn’t just contain Fernand it expressed him.
A Collector with Purpose
Lodewick’s collecting wasn’t driven by
vanity or accumulation. It was a form of intellectual restitution a way to
“catch up” on the reading he had postponed during decades of teaching. His
books were tools, companions, and sometimes adversaries. He annotated them,
preserved them with custom bindings, and even commissioned a personal ex libris
in 1954 from artist Jef Scheffers, marking each volume as part of his
intellectual legacy.
His record collection reveals another
hallmark of Lodewick’s character. Every record bears a small label, a sliver of
white postage stamp strip, on which he tallied how many times he had played
that particular recording. It’s unmistakably clear: the man took joy in his
records, and in his life.
Literature as Lifeblood
From his early years as a schoolteacher to
his retirement as a revered neerlandicus, Lodewick treated literature as a
moral and philosophical pursuit. His library was not just a collection it was a
map of his mind, a record of the questions he asked and the truths he sought.
Even in solitude, he remained a teacher.
His books were arranged not just for access, but for dialogue ready to be
revisited, reinterpreted, and re-read.
Fernand Lodewick: The Scholar as Collector (Maastricht, 16 September 1909 - Cadier en Keer, 19 March 1995)
In the quiet village of Cadier en Keer,
nestled just outside Maastricht, Fernand Lodewick spent his final decades
surrounded by what he loved most: books. Not just a teacher or author, Lodewick
was a bibliophile of rare discipline, whose personal library reflected a
lifetime of intellectual devotion and meticulous care.
And it was here, in this carefully composed world, that he died. Not abruptly, not tragically, but with the same precision and grace that had defined his life. His obituary described it best: “He did this as the perfectionist he was, surrounded by loved ones, to whom he gratefully let it be known that he was reasonably satisfied with a long and completed life.” Those who were there speak of a brief deathbed, dignified and serene a fitting end to a life lived in harmony with intellect, beauty, and quiet joy.
Fernand Lodewick – Wikipedia (Dutch) confirms his birth, teaching career, and literary contributions.
Jaarboek van de Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde (1999) offers a detailed obituary and career retrospective.
De Limburger – Literaire Hoek: De literaire kunsten van Fernand Lodewick discusses his textbooks, home library, and nickname “Fort Malmberg”.
These sources corroborate his teaching at the Stedelijk Lyceum Maastricht, his authorship of Literaire kunst and Literatuur, Geschiedenis en Bloemlezing, and his architectural collaboration with Theo Boosten.
Image Sources
De Limburger
