Anton Bergmann

Who was Anton Bergmann?

Anton Bergmann was a Belgian writer and a liberal Flemish activist. Already during his youth he was fond of Dutch literature, and together with Julius Vuylsteke, he was a member of 't zal wel gaan, a Flemish cultural and liberal organization. After he graduated from humaniora, he went to the University of Ghent, where he obtained a Bachelor degree in literature, law and notary. Afterwards he attended the Vrije Hogeschool van Brussel, where he obtained a doctorate in law in 1858. In the meantime he was very active as a writer and as an historian. He wrote a study on Philips van Marnix van Sint Aldegonde, plundering der hoofdkerk van Lier. A Royal Decree of 17 June 1857 awarded to Anton Bergmann the five-year price of Dutch literatur for the period 1870-1874.

In 1858, he established himself as a lawyer in Lier, where he married Eliza Van Acker. His career as a lawyer left little time for writing, but he spent his spare time on literature and history. he became a member of the Flemish cultural organization the Willemsfonds, and he founded the weekly magazine De Lierenaar. In 1870, he published two Rijnlandsche novellen, and in 1873, he published his Geschiedenis van Lier.