The Year 30
Using all kinds of pseudonyms Gezelle attacks his liberal enemies with his sharp pen.
Catholic Press Offensive
Gezelle was deployed in the Catholic press offensive against emerging liberalism. After he had taken on the Kiesgazetje for a few months, he was asked by Bishop Faict to become the editor of the Bruges weekly 't Jaer 30, bearing the subtitle: political guide for decent people.
Bishop J.J. Faict
The Liberal Enemy
The year 30 is a reference to 1830, the year in which Belgium became independent. The newspaper was published from July 1864 on and was a reaction to the liberal counterpart De Westvlaming. It often featured outspoken statements on national and local politics. Hiding behind pseudonyms such as Spoker and a multitude of other fictional personalities, editor Gezelle published political poems and spicy, polemic prose with a large dose of popular humor. The fierce controversies led to several court cases in which Gezelle was involved. In addition to the political articles and poems, the magazine also contained many letters and dialect prose about folk characters such as Mietje Meeskes, Jan Slimbrouck or Waantje Wekkers.
The Jear 70
In June 1870 the newspaper was taken over by a new publisher and the name was changed into ’t Jaer 70 , a journal for Christian Flemish people. In 1867 a number of texts from ’t Jaer 30 were published separately in the Spoker’s Almanac or the Laugher of Bruges.
't Jaer 30, of politieke wegwyzer voor treffelyke lieden (The Year 30, or a Political Guide for Good People). Brugge: M. Vandenberghe-Denaux, 17.7.1864-12.6.1870. (later ’t Jaer 70, Gezelle was editor till 1872).
