Foundation Ons Erfdeel

Foundation Ons Erfdeel (Vereniging Ons Erfdeel vzw) is a Flemish-Dutch cultural institution founded in 1957 by three students, including Jozef Deleu, who became its first editor-in-chief. It is independent in philosophical and political matters and is legally recognized in both Flanders and the Netherlands. The organization's core activity is publishing periodicals and digital platforms that report on the artistic, cultural and social life of the Dutch-speaking world, with a particular emphasis on spreading knowledge of Dutch language and culture abroad and fostering cooperation among Dutch speakers worldwide. Its flagship publication is the magazine de lage landen (until 2020 titled Ons Erfdeel), a Dutch-language cultural magazine with the subtitle 'context bij cultuur in Vlaanderen en Nederland'. The organization also publishes the French-language magazine Septentrion (since 1972), the French-language website les plats pays (since 2019), and the English-language website the low countries (since 2019; from 1993 to 2018 The Low Countries appeared as a printed yearbook). A bilingual yearbook, De Franse Nederlanden – Les Pays-Bas Français, appeared in print from 1976 to 2018 and since 2019 has been a section on the websites de lage landen and les plats pays. The foundation also publishes a series of books on the culture, history and language of Flanders and the Netherlands. Ons Erfdeel vzw receives support from the Flemish Department of Culture, Youth and Media and from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Leadership has passed through several hands: Jozef Deleu retired in 2002 and was succeeded by Luc Devoldere; at the end of 2020 Hendrik Tratsaert took over, leaving in 2024 to become director of Passa Porta in Brussels. He was succeeded by Tom Christiaens (editor-in-chief) and Gijsbrecht Ostyn (managing director). Since 2026 de lage landen has been housed in the Huis van Oombergen in Ghent.

Foundation Ons Erfdeel was established in 1957 by three students, including Jozef Deleu, who became its first editor-in-chief. Their great inspiration was André Demedts. Deleu dedicated his life to spreading Dutch language and culture and surrounded himself with enthusiastic editorial members, including Frits Niessen (deputy editor-in-chief), Anton Claessens, Jan Deloof, Gaston Durnez, Werner Duthoy, Jacques Fermaut, Josef Kempen, Ludo Simons, Annette Portegies, Jo Tollebeek, Dirk Van Assche (deputy editor-in-chief from 2002 to 2020), René van Stipriaan, Erik Vandewalle and Arie Wolter Willemsen. The magazine provided information about Dutch-language artistic, cultural and social life, paying constant attention to the spread of Dutch language and culture from Flanders and the Netherlands abroad and to concrete cooperation among Dutch speakers worldwide. Through its positive but critical attitude towards this cooperation, the magazine became an authoritative voice in public debate. In 1972 the French-language magazine Septentrion was launched. From 1976 to 2018 the bilingual yearbook De Franse Nederlanden – Les Pays-Bas Français appeared in print. From 1993 to 2018 The Low Countries was published as a printed yearbook in English. In 2002 Jozef Deleu retired as editor-in-chief and managing director of Vereniging Ons Erfdeel vzw; he was succeeded in both roles by classicist and essayist Luc Devoldere. In 2019 the French-language website les plats pays and the English-language website the low countries were launched, and the yearbook De Franse Nederlanden – Les Pays-Bas Français became a section on the websites de lage landen and les plats pays. At the beginning of 2020 the magazine's title changed from Ons Erfdeel to de lage landen (without capitals), with the subtitle 'context bij cultuur in Vlaanderen en Nederland'. At the end of 2020 Luc Devoldere was succeeded by Hendrik Tratsaert, who left Vereniging Ons Erfdeel vzw in 2024 to become director of Passa Porta in Brussels. He was succeeded by Tom Christiaens (editor-in-chief) and Gijsbrecht Ostyn (managing director), both of whom already worked at the organization, respectively as deputy editor-in-chief and final editor of the low countries and as coordinator of marketing and communication, roles they retained in the new constellation. Since 2026 de lage landen has been housed in the Huis van Oombergen in Ghent.

• 2026

  de lage landen housed in the Huis van Oombergen in Ghent.

• 2024

  Hendrik Tratsaert leaves; Tom Christiaens and Gijsbrecht Ostyn appointed editor-in-chief and managing director.

• 2020

  Magazine title changes from Ons Erfdeel to de lage landen; Hendrik Tratsaert succeeds Luc Devoldere.

• 2019

  French-language website les plats pays and English-language website the low countries launched; De Franse Nederlanden becomes a website section.

• 2002

  Jozef Deleu retires; Luc Devoldere becomes editor-in-chief and managing director.

• 1993

  The Low Countries yearbook begins print publication in English (until 2018).

• 1976

  Bilingual yearbook De Franse Nederlanden – Les Pays-Bas Français begins print publication (until 2018).

• 1972

  French-language magazine Septentrion launched.

• 1957

  Foundation Ons Erfdeel founded by three students, including Jozef Deleu; magazine Ons Erfdeel launched.

An authoritative, independent voice in the public debate on Flemish-Dutch cultural cooperation, promoting Dutch-language culture worldwide.

• de lage landen

  Dutch-language cultural magazine (until 2020 titled Ons Erfdeel), subtitle 'context bij cultuur in Vlaanderen en Nederland'.

• the low countries

  English-language website (since 2019), subtitle 'High Road to Culture in Flanders and the Netherlands'; previously a printed yearbook (1993–2018).

• les plats pays

  French-language website (since 2019), subtitle 'Miroir de la culture en Flandre et aux Pays-Bas'.

• Septentrion

  French-language magazine (since 1972), 'Miroir de la culture en Flandre et aux Pays-Bas'.

• De Franse Nederlanden – Les Pays-Bas Français

  Bilingual yearbook in print 1976–2018; since 2019 a section on de lage landen and les plats pays.

• Book series

  A series of books on the culture, history and language of Flanders and the Netherlands.

1. 1the low countries Homethe-low-countries.com
2. 2the low countries - historythe-low-countries.com
3. 3The Fishy History of Dutch Herringthe-low-countries.com
4. 4Wham! The History of Dutch and Belgian Comicsthe-low-countries.com
5. 5Foundation Ons Erfdeel - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6De lage landen (tijdschrift) - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org