BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:PhD defence R.H. Veenbaas METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260212T114500 DTEND:20260212T131500 DTSTAMP:20260212T114500 UID:phd-defence-r-h-veenbaas@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260924T223919 LOCATION:Main building VU, 1105, Aula, De Boelelaan, 1081 HV, Amsterdam SUMMARY:PhD defence R.H. Veenbaas X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Traditionele zanger of geleerde?

Was the poet of the Heliand a bard from Gron ingen? Research sheds new light on an ancient masterpiece

Not a monastic poet, but a folk singer

Veenbaas’s research centers on two key questions. First, was the poet of the Heliand a clerical scholar or a traditional singer rooted in an oral storytelling cultur e? Second, can a concrete name be linked to this profile?

His a nalysis reveals strong indications that the poet was a professional f olk singer with a deep knowledge of the oral tradition. This kind of poetic craftsmanship is difficult to acquire through books or within a monastic environment. The Latin preface to the Heliand supports thi s view as well: the poet is described there as “a man of the people ” and a renowned singer, not as a cleric. It is clear, however, tha t he was supported by clergy, who provided access to Latin sources an d committed his poem to writing.

Re-examining the name Bernlef

A striking element of the research is the reas sessment of an idea first proposed in 1964: that Bernlef, a famous ba rd from the Frisian region around Groningen, may have been the poet o f the Heliand. This hypothesis was never thoroughly investigated - un til now.

By comparing sources such as hagiographies of the miss ionary Liudger, the Latin preface to the Heliand, and the content of the epic itself, multiple parallels emerge. Together they depict a tr aveling, renowned singer active within a missionary context. This pro file aligns remarkably well with what is known about Bernlef.

I n Frisian literature, scholars have long lamented that despite his fa me, not a single work by Bernlef has survived. At the same time, the Saxon tradition has accepted the anonymity of the Heliand. Veenbaas� �s research brings these two observations together in a new way.

< p>Boundaries drawn later

Beyond the literary p uzzle, the research also carries broader societal significance. It ch allenges the strict division between Frisian and Saxon identities - a contrast that was especially reinforced in the nineteenth century. I n the early Middle Ages, such boundaries were far more fluid, and mov ement between tribes was not uncommon.

There are clear indicati ons that Bernlef traveled to Saxony together with Liudger. There, he would have had sufficient time to acquire Old Saxon, a language close ly related to Frisian. The fact that the poem was ultimately written down in Saxon therefore poses no real objection - especially since th is was not done by the poet himself, but by a Saxon monk.

A new perspective on cultural heritage

Veenbaas’s research invites a reappraisal of the Heliand as shared cultural her itage of the northern Netherlands and northern Germany. By no longer placing the poet exclusively within a monastic tradition, but instead within a living oral culture, the work takes on new meaning. In doin g so, the research contributes to a broader understanding of identity , language, and culture in the early Middle Ages - and to the questio n of whom we recognize as the creators of our oldest literary heritag e.

More information on the thesis

DESCRIPTION: Traditionele zanger of geleerde?

Was the poet of the Heliand a bard from Groningen? Research sheds new light on an ancient masterpiece

Who wrote the Heliand, one of the most impo rtant literary works of the early Middle Ages? For more than a centur y, scholars have debated the identity of the poet behind this Old Sax on epic about the life of Christ. Research by Redbad Veenbaas brings this discussion back into focus and points in a surprising direction: the poet may not have been a learned monk, but rather the Groningen bard Bernlef, also known as the “Homer of the North Sea.” Not a monastic poet, but a folk singerVeenbaas’s research centers on two key questions. First, was the poet of the Heliand a cl erical scholar or a traditional singer rooted in an oral storytelling culture? Second, can a concrete name be linked to this profile?His a nalysis reveals strong indications that the poet was a professional f olk singer with a deep knowledge of the oral tradition. This kind of poetic craftsmanship is difficult to acquire through books or within a monastic environment. The Latin preface to the Heliand supports thi s view as well: the poet is described there as “a man of the people ” and a renowned singer, not as a cleric. It is clear, however, tha t he was supported by clergy, who provided access to Latin sources an d committed his poem to writing.Re-examining the name Bernlef A striking element of the research is the reassessment of an idea first proposed in 1964: that Bernlef, a famous bard from the Fr isian region around Groningen, may have been the poet of the Heliand. This hypothesis was never thoroughly investigated - until now.By com paring sources such as hagiographies of the missionary Liudger, the L atin preface to the Heliand, and the content of the epic itself, mult iple parallels emerge. Together they depict a traveling, renowned sin ger active within a missionary context. This profile aligns remarkabl y well with what is known about Bernlef.In Frisian literature, schola rs have long lamented that despite his fame, not a single work by Ber nlef has survived. At the same time, the Saxon tradition has accepted the anonymity of the Heliand. Veenbaas’s research brings these two observations together in a new way.Boundaries drawn laterBeyond the literary puzzle, the research also carries broader s ocietal significance. It challenges the strict division between Frisi an and Saxon identities - a contrast that was especially reinforced i n the nineteenth century. In the early Middle Ages, such boundaries w ere far more fluid, and movement between tribes was not uncommon.Ther e are clear indications that Bernlef traveled to Saxony together with Liudger. There, he would have had sufficient time to acquire Old Sax on, a language closely related to Frisian. The fact that the poem was ultimately written down in Saxon therefore poses no real objection - especially since this was not done by the poet himself, but by a Sax on monk.A new perspective on cultural heritageVeenba as’s research invites a reappraisal of the Heliand as shared cultur al heritage of the northern Netherlands and northern Germany. By no l onger placing the poet exclusively within a monastic tradition, but i nstead within a living oral culture, the work takes on new meaning. I n doing so, the research contributes to a broader understanding of id entity, language, and culture in the early Middle Ages - and to the q uestion of whom we recognize as the creators of our oldest literary h eritage.More information on the thesis END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR