New Frisian Literature

"New Frisian Literature" refers to a literary movement that emerged in the 19th century within Frisian literature. This movement was founded by the Halbertsma brothers—Eeltsje, Joast, and Tsjalling—and aimed to foster a national literature in the West Frisian language. Their work, including the collection Rimen en Teltsjes (1871), stimulated the growth of folk literature. Frisian literature itself began in the 17th century with Gysbert Japicx, who defended the language's richness and versatility. Later, in 1915, the Young Frisian Movement, led by Douwe Kalma, encouraged writers to depart from provincialism and didacticism, leading to more experimental themes and techniques in Frisian poetry and fiction.1