Gezelle’s letterbox was hardly ever empty. He received letters every day, from his family and friends, former students, literary people, colleagues, and missionaries from all over the world. Gezelle kept about 7000 of these letters, dating from 1854 to 1899. Gezelle himself wrote letters every day to people belonging to his network.
Some of these letters are very personal and intimate, while others are very business-like. They contain a wealth of information on the 19th century and give us more than a glimpse into the life and work of one of the most important writers in the Dutch language area.
The vast Gezelle correspondence is kept at the Guido Gezelle Archives of the Public Library Bruges. A few letters are still in private possession or located in other preservation institutions at home and abroad.
The ultimate goal is to establish a digital scholarly edition of the entire Gezelle correspondence. Due to the huge amount of letters, this endeavour is divided over several subprojects, starting with the letters from the teachers of the College of Saint-Louis in Bruges. Currently, the letters between Gezelle and members of the Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature (KANTL) are being prepared.
Four partners are collaborating in this edition project: the Guido Gezelle Archives (Public Library Bruges), the KANTL, the University of Antwerp, and volunteers among the members of the Guido Gezelle Society. Meanwhile, non-members have joined the group of volunteers, too.
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