Bernard Delfgaauw
A Dutch philosopher who brought 20th-century French personalist thought into dialogue with Thomism and the concerns of the modern era.
1912–1993 (age 81)·Dutch philosopher·Birthday: November 24·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bernard Delfgaauw was an academic philosopher who navigated the shifting intellectual currents of mid-20th century Europe. Earning his doctorate with a study on the French metaphysician Louis Lavelle, Delfgaauw became a conduit for French personalist and existential thought in the Netherlands. His appointment as a professor at the University of Groningen in 1961 placed him at the heart of Dutch intellectual life during a period of profound social change. While grounded in the Thomistic tradition of his early training, his work was not confined to it; he engaged seriously with contemporary Marxism, existentialism, and the sweeping questions of historical meaning and human freedom. Delfgaauw wrote with clarity for a broader educated public, authoring accessible histories of philosophy that explained complex ideas without dilution, making him a respected teacher and a public intellectual.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bernard was born in 1912, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1912
Bernard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1912Born
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1917Started school
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Became a teenager
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Could drive
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1930Could vote
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Turned 21
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1942Turned 30
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 40
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 50
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 60
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 70
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 80
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1993Died at 81
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
Key Achievements
- Authored a seminal doctoral dissertation on the French philosopher Louis Lavelle.
- Served as a professor of philosophy at the University of Groningen for many years.
- Wrote widely read introductory books on the history of 20th-century philosophy.
- Bridged Catholic philosophical traditions with modern existential and personalist thought.
Did You Know?
His full name was Bernardus Maria Ignatius Delfgaauw.
He was a committed Catholic intellectual who engaged with secular philosophies.
Delfgaauw's work "Twentieth Century Philosophy" was translated into multiple languages.
“Philosophy begins not with the abstract 'I think' but the concrete 'I exist'.”
