Romain Deconinck archives

Collection description

Holding institution (official language):: Amsab - Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis

Scope and content:: In file no. 1084 we note the program booklet of Bloed op Flassche (1938), the ‘comical Jew revue’ of Henri Van Daele. It’s a satirical play aimed at denouncing the antisemitism and racism of those days. The booklet contains the lyrics of the songs (i.a. the Lied der Jodinne or ‘song of the Jewess’). Nrs. 1071 and 1072 contain resp. a program booklet and a couple of pictures from the ‘grand spectacle’ Hiet-Lirre by Henri Van Daele, in which there is one act about “a German Jew in Gent”.

Administrative/biographical history:: Romain Deconinck (1915-1994) was in his time one of the most famous inhabitants of Ghent, an icon of the (often socially conscious) popular theatre. He became active in the theatre world in Ghent during the Second World War. Deconinck would evolve into a creative and very productive playwright and director. As a professional actor he played parts in theatre as well as radio and television series, Flemish movies and advertising. From the 1960s onwards, he was the head of the Minard theatre in Ghent. Deconinck wrote both revues and real comedies. He was honoured many times for his work, i.a. as a Knight in the Order of the Crown and Leopold. Deconinck’s last play (“Dag Katrien”) was performed in 1990. (S. Vrielynck, Inventaris van het archief van Romain Deconinck, Gent, AMSAB-ISG, 2004.)

Subject terms:: Antisemitism; Art; Art--Artists; Literature; Literature--Novels, poetry, and plays; Literature--Writers, poets, and playwrights; Music; Theatre

Finding aids:: S. Vrielynck, Inventaris van het archief van Romain Deconinck, Gent, AMSAB-ISG, 2004.