MULISCH, HARRY

born July 29, 1927, Haarlem, Neth. in full Harry Kurt Victor Mulisch prolific Dutch author known chiefly for his clear, economical prose. Mulisch's maternal grandmother and great-grandmother died in German concentration camps, whereas his father was an official of a bank under German control; after World War II Mulisch's father was sent to prison as a collaborator. These early experiences equipped Mulisch to write about divided loyalties. Mulisch began writing when the war interrupted his studies. His first novel, Archibald Strohalm (1952), won a literary prize. His novel Het stenen bruidsbed (1959; The Stone Bridal Bed), in which an American pilot involved in the bombing of Dresden returns to the city years later, won him an international audience. Twee vrouwen (1975; Two Women; filmed 1979) explored love between two women. Perhaps his most popular work is his novel De aanslag (1982; The Assault; filmed 1985), in which one family betrays another during the war. The reason for that betrayal is revealed to the only surviving member of the betrayed family over the following 35 years. Many of Mulisch's works deal with the effects of war on the individual. In addition to his many novels, he wrote dramas, essays, short stories, and several books of poetry. His later novels include Hoogste tijd (1985; Last Call), De pupil (1987; The Pupil), and De ontdekking van de hemel (1992; The Discovery of Heaven).