Celebrated Dutch novelist and travel writer Cees Nooteboom has died aged 92, his publisher confirmed. The writer passed away peacefully on the Spanish island of Menorca, where he lived with his wife, photographer Simone Sassen.

Nooteboom built a decades-long career that shaped post-war European literature. His work crossed genres and borders, gaining recognition across the continent.

📖 A defining voice in European literature

Publisher De Bezige Bij announced the news in a statement that praised the author’s intellect and individuality.

“We will miss the friendship, erudition, enthusiasm and individuality of this internationally acclaimed writer.”

Nooteboom became known for novels, travel writing, poetry, and translation. His work reached readers across Europe and beyond.

🌍 Early life shaped by war and travel

Cees Nooteboom was born in The Hague on 31 July 1933. His childhood changed dramatically during the Second World War. When Germany invaded the Netherlands, he witnessed the destruction of Rotterdam burning on the horizon.

His father later died in a British air raid that struck a residential area by mistake. This early trauma shaped the themes of memory and history that later appeared in his writing.

Travel played a central role in his early career. Long hitchhiking journeys across Europe inspired his debut novel.

🏆 Breakthrough novels and international success

Nooteboom gained early recognition with “Philip and the Others” (1955), which won the Anne Frank Prize and became a Dutch literary classic.

However, his international breakthrough arrived with the novel “Rituals” (1980). The book explored the lives of two contrasting friends and later became a film adaptation. It also marked his first work translated into English.

His fiction and travel writing gained particularly strong success in Germany, where readers and critics embraced his work.

✍️ Translator, journalist and cultural observer

Alongside his own writing, Nooteboom translated major literary figures into Dutch. These included Ted Hughes, Czesław Miłosz, Brendan Behan and Seán O’Casey.

His career also included journalism and travel writing that examined European history and culture. Over time, he became widely regarded as a key literary figure of the post-war era.

🎓 Recognition and honours

Nooteboom received numerous honours throughout his career. Universities in Brussels, Nijmegen, Berlin and London awarded him honorary doctorates. University College London recognised his achievements in 2019.

His books appeared in multiple languages and reached readers worldwide. Therefore, his influence extended far beyond the Netherlands.

🌟 A lasting literary legacy

Nooteboom’s work often explored memory, identity, travel and history. These themes connected readers across generations and cultures.

His death marks the loss of a major voice in European literature. Nevertheless, his novels, travel writing and translations continue to shape readers and writers around the world.