Hendrik Persyn

Hendrik Persyn studied at the college in Tielt where he was influenced by the Flemish student movement the "Blauwvoeterij". In 1878 he started law studies at the Leuven university. In 1880 he started publishing student songs and articles in the magazine Kwaepenninck using the pseudonym Heirman or H. Noterdaeme. Persyn was a notary public and and one of the founders of the folk almanac ‘t Manneke uit de Mane (The Man In The Moon) (1881) as well as a member of the West-Flemish Former University Students Union (1886). He became chief editor of the magazine De Vlaamsche Vlagge (The Flemish Flag). Gezelle wrote the poem "Proficiat Persyn" (Congratulations Persyn) on the occasion of his son Govaert’s birth.