He is known as the man who learned his people  to read, he used his words to educate them.

He is best known for his romantic nationalist book, "De leeuw van Vlaanderen".

He was the son of an important Frenchman and his mother was Flemish. He grew up in an old bookshop where his love for books was inflamed. After the war he started writing Dutch books. his father taught it was unacceptable and threw him out of his house. When he lived on the streets he earned his living by selling his books. He met an old friend who helped him to reach a great success.