Pirow Bekker

Pirow Bekker (1935-) is an Afrikaans poet, short-story writer, novelist and playwright.

Biography

Born Petrus Jacobus ("Pirow") Bekker in Smithfield, where he went to school. Studied at the University of the Orange Free State (UOFS), obtaining a BA in 1956.

After a short period as teacher, he became a journalist with Die Volksblad in Bloemfontein and, after obtaining an BA Honnours degree in 1961 and a MA in 1962, he became a temporary lecturer in Afrikaans-Nederlands at the UOFS, the Bloemfontein Teachers' Training College and later the Stellenbosch University's Departement of Education.

In 1964 he became a lecturer in at the University of South Africa (Unisa) and in 1967 senior lecturer, obtaining his D.Litt et Phil in 1968.

In 1973 became the head of the National Documentation Centre for Afrikaans Literature at the Human Sciences Research Council. In 1979 he retired to devote himself to farming and his writing.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Best known for his novels, stories and poems, he has also written a number of one-act plays published in collections for use in schools. These include Hitlers Slaap Ook (1980), Die Boelie, Die Dieper Ruimte, Die Invloed and Die Kampeerder.

He also wrote a number of radio dramas, including Herberg by die Brug (1991) and Dis die Haan (broadcast in Radioteater by RSG, 1992), Die tikmasjien (Radioteater on RSG, 2016).