Jozef Simons

Together with Felix Timmermans, Ernest Claes and the poet Jozef De Voght he was one the writers of the Belgian Campine during the interbellum.

From 1932 onwards until his death in 1948, he worked as publisher, editor and general factotum at the N.V J. van Mierlo-Proost in Turnhout.

During the interbellum, between World War I and World War II, Simons built a reputation as an author of travel tales, tales concerning the Campine (Harslucht, E: Resin air, 1933), short stories (De laatste fles, E: The last bottle, 1930) and novels (Dientje Goris, 1935), and as a translator from English, Spanish, and German.

He also wrote many song texts, for composers such as Lodewijk De Vocht, Flor Peeters and Armand Preud'homme.

The most important work of Jozef Simons was Eer Vlaanderen vergaat (E: Before Flanders perishes (1927), a romantic history of the Frontbeweging (E:front movement).