Willem Vermandere (Belgian folk/kleinkunst artist, clarinet player, sculptor)

Willem Vermandere (born 9 February 1940 in Lauwe, Belgium) is a Belgian singer, Flemish cabaret artist, writer, sculptor, guitarist and painter. His songs are written and sung in the dialect of the South of West-Flanders in Belgium. His most famous songs are ‘Klein ventje van Elverdinge’, ‘Lat mie maar lopen’, ‘Als ik zing’, ‘Blanche en zijn peird’, ‘Bange blankeman’, ‘Duizend soldaten’, ‘La Belle Rosselle’ and ‘Ik plantte ne keer patatten’. Vermandere studied Religion at Ghent and has been a teacher at Nieuwpoort. Although he is most known for his music, Vermandere is more active as a sculptor. His repertoire expresses criticism on society. His performances are a mixture of seriousness, sadness and fun. His songs can be considered poetry. He performs as a band with Freddy Desmedt and Pol Depoorter. In 1993 Vermandere wrote the song "Bange Blanke Man" ("Frightened White Man"), a song criticizing racism and xenophobia in a multicultural society. When performing at the Grand-Place in Brussels in 1992 Vermandere was physically assaulted by members of the far-right party Vlaams Blok. He also received letters of threat. In 2000 he was bestowed with the title of honorary citizen of Veurne, where he currently lives in the suburb of Steenkerke. In 2009 the Flemish station Radio 2 nominated him as a member of the galley of honor for a life filled with music. Liedjes Van De Westhoek, 1968 Langs De Schreve, 1969 Willem Vermandere (album),1971 Vier (album), 1973 Met Mijn Simpel Lied, 1976 Lat Mie Maar Lopen, 1981 Als ik zing', 1984 Willem Vermandere, 1988 Ik wil maar zeggen, 1988 De eerste jaren, 1989 Lat mie maar lopen, 1991 Een avond in Brussel, 1990 Help mij, 1993 Mijn Vlaanderland, 1995 De vergeten liedjes, 1996 In de donkerste dagen, 1997 Onderweg, 1999 Gezongen uit de ark, 2000 De eerste jaren II, 2000 Van Blanche tot Blankeman, 2000 Omzwervingen - Liedjes zonder woorden, 2002 Op den duur, 2003 Master serie - Willem Vermandere, Het beste van, 2005 Van soorten, 2005 Altijd iemands vader, altijd iemands kind, 2006 Alles gaat over, 2010 De zanger & de muzikant Vincent Troch', 2012 Den overkant & de meditaties, 2014 14-18 En wat nu?, 2015 Confessies, 2020 Thuis en nog veel verder, 2000, Gent, Blobe, 224 pp. Van Blanche tot Blankeman, 2007, Lannoo: 122 liedjesteksten De zeven laatste woorden, 2013, Lannoo, 70 p. The sculpture Verzoening, in English Reconciliation, was created by Willem Vermandere to commemorate World War I. It was erected October 8, 2014 at the geographical starting point of the Western Front. "Officiële website van Willem Vermandere". willem-vermandere.be. Official website v t e