Nescio

"Nescio", Latin for "I don't know", was the pen name of Dutch writer Jan Hendrik Frederik Grönloh, who was born on June 22, 1882, in Amsterdam and died on July 25, 1961, in Hilversum, also in the Netherlands. Grönloh was a businessman by profession, but as Nescio he is mainly remembered for the three novellas De uitvreter (The Freeloader), Titaantjes (Little Titans) and Dichtertje (Little Poet). His reputation as an important Dutch writer was only established after his death.

Nescio was born in the Reguliersbreestraat 49 in Amsterdam, the eldest son of Jan Hendrik Frederik Grönloh, blacksmith and shopowner, with whom he shared his full name, and Martha Maria van der Reijden. Nescio grew up as Frits Grönloh, to distinguish him from his father.

He was educated at a secular primary school, after which he went to the three-year HBS high school. From 1897 to 1899 he went to the Openbare Handelsschool (a college level business school). After this he started work as an office clerk in Hengelo, but quickly returned to Amsterdam, where he held a succession of similar jobs. In 1905 Nescio married Aagje Tiket, with whom he would raise four daughters. Until his death in a Hilversum sanatorium in 1961, Nescio would remain in Amsterdam.

Frits Grönloh started writing as Nescio, as he wanted to keep his professional career and his writing career separate. All his stories bear witness to the conflict between his career and his ideals, as formed by the turn of the century utopian socialism. In 1900 he had started a commune inspired by Frederik van Eeden's Walden commune; the commune was wound up in 1903. He still kept his ideals but was no longer personally involved.

Instead he turned to writing, as well as long solitary walks in the countryside around Amsterdam. Not very prolific, much of his writing remained unpublished until after his death, and the stories he did publish went out of print quickly. His decision to use a pseudonym does not help with this: it was only in 1932 that Nescio revealed his true name. This led to a reprint of De uitvreter/Titaantjes/Dichtertje in 1933, as well as some critical attention.

It was only after World War II that he became reasonably well known, though his oeuvre is still small, roughly 160 pages. However growing critical appreciation led to him receiving the Marianne Philips award () in 1954, as well as the publication of a new collection of stories just before his death in 1961.

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