Willem Inte Onsman (Harlingen, 28 September 1872 - Amsterdam, 26
August 1929) was a Dutch playwright and trade unionist.Born in the
province of Friesland, Inte Onsman moved to Amsterdam after the death
of his father. His mother sent him to a barbershop as apprentice.
After finishing school he became a barber. As a young man he joined a
theatre company as an actor, but a few years later he left the group
and started his own barbershop. His socialist sympathies drew him to
the Dutch social-democratic party SDAP and the barbers trade union. He
became the national secretary of the union, a position he held until
his death.Around 1900 Onsman started writing plays. His most
successful was Het licht in den nacht (A light in the night) which
dealt with the poor during World War I. In the Netherlands it was
performed more than hundred times. It was translated in German, Danish
and English. Onsman also wrote an autobiographical novel, that
appeared in 1929, the year of his sudden death.
August 1929) was a Dutch playwright and trade unionist.Born in the
province of Friesland, Inte Onsman moved to Amsterdam after the death
of his father. His mother sent him to a barbershop as apprentice.
After finishing school he became a barber. As a young man he joined a
theatre company as an actor, but a few years later he left the group
and started his own barbershop. His socialist sympathies drew him to
the Dutch social-democratic party SDAP and the barbers trade union. He
became the national secretary of the union, a position he held until
his death.Around 1900 Onsman started writing plays. His most
successful was Het licht in den nacht (A light in the night) which
dealt with the poor during World War I. In the Netherlands it was
performed more than hundred times. It was translated in German, Danish
and English. Onsman also wrote an autobiographical novel, that
appeared in 1929, the year of his sudden death.
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