The obituary: often a mild judgment of a white man

In the first three months of this year published de Volkskrant 93 obituaries; biographies of recently deceased persons. That sounds like a lot and it is, as the numbers will show. The newspaper appeared 77 times in this first quarter, so many editions contained two or even three obituaries. Most of them were not big celebrities but people from the wide pond of media, culture, government and sport. The choice to whom such a final story is given says something about the orientation of the editors. How wide is the interest? Are men and women treated equally often? Do current events play a role and are the stories critical?

Certainly one obituary was indeed critical, and that was also the reason for this column. On March 17, a portrait of the deceased former minister Piet Bukman (88) appeared in the ‘Final Agreement’ section. The article praised his boldness as the first CDA chairman, but according to the author there were quite a few lesser qualities in return. The closing balance in one euphemistic sentence: ‘One of his sympathetic traits was that he could talk frankly and without great shame about his own failure’.

It was an exaggerated negative portrait that did not do the real Piet Bukman justice, a son-in-law wrote to the newspaper. ‘Almost every step in his 18-year period in national politics is colored negatively’. He had hoped for an objective article with respect for the deceased, as he said appeared in other newspapers. I also noticed the tone. It was indeed different from the usual obituaries in the newspaper.

The statement is special. The author was Jan Joost Lindner; former political commentator of de Volkskrant and especially in the polarized 1970s and 1980s a feared critic of the political debate. He retired twenty years ago, leaving behind some concept necrologies at the time. Some of them are still waiting to be published. Like other newspapers, de Volkskrant obituaries that can be updated in the meantime and checked again for completeness on the day of death.

In this case there was no reason to add anything to the article, the editor-in-chief decided in consultation with the chief of the political editorial team. The fact that the tone was fairly critical was not seen as special. Necrologies are allowed to be candid and honest. When asked, this is also the opinion of the still very much alive author, who was surprised when he saw the piece in the newspaper. He had forgotten that he had written an obituary of Bukman. He was indeed ‘not much of a fan’ of the person, he admits. ‘I have never thought that you should think nothing but good of the dead. I did, however, always try to emphasize something positive in the final paragraph.’

I see the article mainly as a time capsule, coming from a period in which the newspaper took a more outspoken position and formulated harder. That stands out in today’s paper, but I don’t think it’s better or worse. The obituaries that now appear under the headings ‘Posthumous’ or ‘Closing chord’ are usually milder in tone and that applies even more strongly to ‘Eternal life’, in which a conscious choice is made for less famous people with a remarkable life story. In addition, there is the Magazine section ‘You can only do it once’, in which relatives are central. And the ‘lonely funeral’ in which Joris van Casteren finds out the life story of a lonely person who died. Plus columnist Max Pam who regularly fills his column with an obituary; twice this year already.

The obituary is increasingly becoming a story of admiration and compassion, it seems, at least more than a review in which the balance of a life is taken. These stories are rarely linked to major current events. In the past three months, not one person has been highlighted who died prematurely from covid or during the war in Ukraine. Pieces like this are probably more difficult to produce, but would be a welcome broadening of current affairs. The characteristics of the well-chosen main characters are somewhat painful. In all sections added together, this was 73 of the 93 times a man, of which only twice a Dutch person with a migration background.

For comparison, I also counted the obituaries in the first quarter of five years ago (2007) and of the first quarter of 25 years ago, in 1997. Five years ago, 72 obituaries were published in this period, 11 of which were about a woman and none about Dutch people with a migration background. 25 years ago, a large retrospective on a death was exceptional: only twelve in the first quarter. Other memorable deaths were dismissed in one or two paragraphs in the Personal section. If we count those small messages, we still come to a total of 77 pieces. Of which only four about a woman and again zero about Dutch people with a migration background.

The growing number of obituaries meets a reader’s need. The Volkskrantreader is aging and has literally sympathized with those who now die. According to the editors, the fact that women are much less represented is because they used to be less represented in the fields of politics, sport and popular culture. That will change on its own, is the idea. ‘Now half of the ministers are already women’, says the editor who coordinated ‘Eternal life’ until last summer. He admitted that he had insufficient contact with the migrant world. ‘There will be de Volkskrant also read less while you partly rely on tips.’

The editors should do their best, could also be an answer. With so much room for all kinds of obituaries, in which, in addition to a special life, only some national fame is a condition, the door is open for life stories of greater cultural diversity and more women. The editors are really trying, the current coordinator declares. ‘Readers also sometimes come up with this criticism and my answer is: do you have any suggestions? Then it usually stays quiet.’

That sounds like a challenge: the section ‘Eternal life’ can be reached via [email protected]