society

Editor-in-Chief Hendrik Tratsaert Leaves Cultural Organisation De Lage Landen

De lage landen, publisher of the low countries, is looking for new leadership as Hendrik Tratsaert leaves the organisation and will start as general director of Passa Porta at the end of this year.

Hendrik Tratsaert (Ostend, 1968) started in 2021 as editor-in-chief and managing director of de lage landen, formerly Ons Erfdeel. The Flemish-Dutch cultural organisation publishes the magazine and website de lage landen, the websites the low countries and les plats pays, the magazine Septentrion, and books in various languages. Hendrik Tratsaert was the third editor-in-chief of de lage landen, following Luc Devoldere (2002-2020) and Jozef Deleu, who founded the magazine in 1957 under the name Ons Erfdeel and led the organisation until his retirement in 2002.

In December, Hendrik Tratsaert will become the general director of Passa Porta in Brussels: ‘I couldn’t resist the call to lead this international house literature. But, of course, I am proud of what we have achieved with the de lage landen team: a much larger reach and appeal thanks to our publications and websites in Dutch, French, and English. I strongly believe in the importance of this project, which shares the culture, history, and language of Flanders and the Netherlands all over the world.’

‘I will say goodbye to my current job at the end of November with a certain wistfulness, but I know there is a driven, talented team in place that will look ahead. I firmly believe in the connecting power of language and culture.’

Jan Schinkelshoek, chairman of de lage landen’s management board, thanked Tratsaert for his work. ‘I want to congratulate Hendrik on his appointment. Although he hasn’t been editor-in-chief and managing director for very long, he has achieved a lot in a short time by professionalising our organisation and making our publications more appealing. Under his leadership, de lage landen has strengthened its position as an authoritative organisation on everything related to the culture of Flanders and the Netherlands. Along with the board and the team, I now look forward to the next successful chapter in the story of de lage landen.’

• Hendrik Tratsaert