'How England bribes the press during the Boer War', by Korporaal Achilles, 1900.
Johannes Franciscus Nuijens, who used the pseudonym Korporaal Achilles, was a late 19th-century, early 20th-century Dutch Catholic drawing teacher. Together with Jan Linse and Alexander VerHuell, he was a pioneer in Dutch comics. He is also the first known Dutchman to make satirical comics, often of an anti-socialist nature. In 'Rapport der Defensiecommissie' (1890), he ridiculed draft laws. In 'De Toekomststaat' (1891), he spoofed socialism and women's suffragism, while 'Klacht van een Onderwijzer' (1893) tackled education. 'Aanleiding tot den Engelsch-Transvaalschen Oorlog' (1900) is a propaganda work supporting the Dutch-speaking immigrants in South Africa during the Second Boer War. Nuijens also goes down in history as the first known Dutch artist to make a science fiction comic, with the dystopian satire 'De Toekomststaat' (1891). Besides comics, he drew cartoons and wrote boys' novels, stage plays and instruction books about drawing. The artist also illustrated advertisements, like a poster for Dutch gin.
Early life
Not much is known about Nuijens' life. He was born in 1866 in Wervershoof, in the Dutch province North Holland. He was a Catholic who worked as an art teacher. Nuijens was a member of the Roman Catholic Workers' Union, whose goal was to "protect the working class and the petty bourgeoisie against the socialist errors of our time".
Het Rapport der Defensiecommissie
In 1890, Nuijens published 'Het Rapport der Defensiecommissie toegelicht en eenigszins uitgebreid door Korporaal Achilles' ('The Rapport of the Commission of Defense, explained and somewhat expanded by Korporaal Achilles'). As serious as the title sounds, the book was actually a satirical text comic. It mocked a new military law at the time, which ended a very unfair but perfectly legal amendment involving the draft service. Up to that point people who were drafted could actually send someone else in their place. Many rich people took advantage of this by paying some poor slob a few nickles to be recruited in their place. The comic revolves around a gentleman named Roland, baron of Prullenberg, who is drafted into military service, but - despite the law change - still is far from being a model soldier.
De Toekomststaat
In 'De Toekomststaat (Een Nachtmerrie Fin de Siècle). Visioenen en Droombeelden uit de 20ste eeuw' ('The Future State (A Nightmare at the End of the Century). Visions and Dreamscapes from the 20th Century', 1891) Nuijens created the first Dutch science fiction comic. The story revolves around a certain Nieuwela Domenhuis (a not too subtle caricature of Dutch socialist politician Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis) who marries Wilhelmina Druckem (again based on a real-life activist, in this case feminist Wilhelmina Drucker, after whom the 1970s movement "Dolle Mina's" were named). The newlyweds move to the Dutch isle Urk, where they create a socialist utopia. As one might expect from a propaganda comic, their plan leads to complete ruin.
'Aanleiding tot den Engelsch-Transvaalschen Oorlog' and 'De Toekomststaat'.
Klacht van een Onderwijzer
In 1893 Nuijens published 'Klacht van een Onderwijzer over De Vrije & Orde Oefeningen op de Lagere School' ('Complaint from a Teacher about the Free & Disciplinary Exercises in Primary School'). The comic took its inspiration from a new Swedish course in gymnastics at the time. The teachers are forced to learn this new course and get their diploma before they are allowed to continue their regular lessons. Naturally the old men have the greatest trouble trying to learn these new exercises. A handmaid notices her masters jumping and falling about and assumes they all went crazy. As such she calls a doctor, who tells the gentlemen to stay in bed for a few days.
De Straatjongen, de Justitie en Schoolarrest
In 1896 Korporaal Achilles drew 'De Straatjongen, de Justitie en Schoolarrest', which satirizes young vandals who smash other people's windows , causing tremendous bureaucratic paperwork. For reasons that remain unclear, the book was never published. The manuscript is still kept in de Koninklijke Bibliotheek (Royal Library) of The Hague.
Aanleiding tot den Engelsch-Transvaalschen Oorlog
Probably Nuijens' most impressive comic work is 'Aanleiding tot den Engelsch-Transvaalschen Oorlog' ('Reason for the English-Transvaal War'), published in 1900, in which he criticized the Second Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa. Nuijens presented this military conflict from a Dutch viewpoint and therefore sympathized with the Dutch colonials who wanted to be independent from the British.
Later life and death
Nuijens made all his comics in the late 19th-centrury. After 1900, he never made another picture book again. In 1945, he passed away in Haarlem.
'Aanleiding tot den Engelsch-Transvaalschen Oorlog'.