Piet Prins

Pieter (piet) Jongeling was a Dutch politician and author. He was born March 31, 1909 in Broek onder Akkerwoude, (now Broeksterwoude) in the municipality Dantumadeel, in the northern part of The Netherlands. He wanted to be an author as a boy, and this desire was fueled by the books of Lawrence Penning. Pieter studied to become a teacher and did indeed teach for some years, but he soon became the international correspondent of a Dutch newspaper. As a journalist he worked under the pseudonym P. van Akkerwoude.

During the first years of WWII, Pieter was active in the Dutch resistance, in the anti-revolutionary framework group. This group gave information concerning current plans. In April 1942 he was arrested and sent to Amersfoort (a concentration camp). Later, he was transferred to Sachsenhausen (another concentration camp). But in 1945, Pieter was saved by the Russians. After the allied victory in 1945 he returned to The Netherlands and became one of the most important journalists and politicians in The Netherlands.

Mr. Jongeling became member of the Dutch parliament for the Reformed Political Alliance in 1963. One commentator mused: "What makes Jongeling such a remarkable parliamentarian? That's simple. The man works like a horse! He is always fully informed. When Jongeling speaks, the house listens."

After a conflict with the Executive Board he left politics and worked as editor for the Reformed Christian daily newspaper. It was for this paper that he wrote most of his children's books as serials under the pseudonym Piet Prins. The first thing many people read when the newspaper arrived was these serials. Pieter has more than sixty books to his name, which he wrote particularly for youth. His best-known books are of the Scout series, about a german shepherd which experiences all kinds of adventures. His stories are usually full of tension and suspense yet they are always hemmed in by the inspired Word of God.

Both as a journalist and a statesman, Pieter Jongeling knew himself bound by the Bible and as such his labour has born much fruit. He died August 26, 1985, in Amersfoort.