biography
| name: |
Multatuli
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pseudonym of Eduard Douwes Dekker
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1820–87)
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| biography:
| Writer, born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At the age of 18, he moved to the Dutch Indies, where he made a career in colonial administration, serving in various places and positions. In 1856 he was appointed assistant resident in Lebak, West Java, a troubled area where the local prince, in the position of regent, oppressed the population. Dekker, who was personally appointed by the governor-general, thought it was his task to stop the oppression, and within a few weeks he brought charges against the regent. Because he failed to use the correct hierarchical channels and enough diplomacy, his charges were dismissed and he was transferred to another district. He then resigned, went back to Europe (1857) and wrote a novel about what had happened under the alias of Multatuli (Latin ‘A lot I have suffered’) in Brussels in 1859. Dekker, who had written some things before, but had never published anything, recognized his talent and continued writing. In his work he reminds his readers of their moral duties and fights against any form of social injustice - the position of women and labourers, hypocritical morals in marriage, shortcomings in education, bad politicians, etc. He made many enemies, but also had loyal followers. He became an example to the writers of the Movement of the Eighties (Beweging van Tachtig). There is now a Multatuli museum in Amsterdam, a Multatuli Society (Multatuligenootschap), a bi-annual periodical Over Multatuli and a fair trade coffee called Max Havelaar. |
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