Marcel Van den Broecke
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Marcel Peter René van den Broecke (Amsterdam, 25 May 1942 - Bilthoven, 8 March 2020) was a Dutch specialist in phonetics and also in cartography, more in particular the historical maps by Abraham Ortelius.
Van den Broecke studied at the Barlaeus Gymnasium, followed by studies in chemistry at the Brandeis-university, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. He continued with studies in English, Language science and phonetics at the University of Amsterdam.
In 1986 he graduated as PhD at Utrecht University with his study Hierarchies and rank orders in Distinctive Features (van Gorcum, Assen).
In 1982-1983 he studied historical cartography at Utrecht University.
In 2009 he graduated as PhD in urbanistic sciences at Utrecht University, with his dissertation Ortelius, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570-1641). Characteristics and development of a sample of on verso map texts (NGS 380, Utrecht, 304 pp. + cd-rom).
He was married to Dr. Deborah Günzburger and he had four sons.
Professional activities
At Utrecht University he was assistant professor in English and Phonetics.
He was also:
- secretary-general of the 10th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Utrecht, 1983.
- editor of Sound Structures, studies presented to Antonie Cohen, Foris, 1983, in which he described his reconstruction of the speech machine of Wolfgang von Kempelen (1790).
- editor of the Progress Report of the Institute of Phonetics Utrecht (PRIPU)(1977-1988), and of the Journal of Phonetics, Academic Press, London (1985-1990).
His other academic activities included:
- directorship of the Foundation for public information on science and technology (PWT) (1988-1995);
- directorship of Humanistisch Verbond Nederland (1995-1997);
- directorship of the International Statistical Institute, The Hague (1997-2003).
Ortelius
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From 1980 on, Marcel van den Broecke concentrated on studying old maps, and more in particular the life and works of the Antwerp cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598).
In 1996 he published Ortelius Atlas Maps, with in 2011 a new edition, rewritten and augmented.
In 1998, together with Peter van der Krogt and Peter Meurer he published Abraham Ortelius and the first atlas. Essays commemorating the Quadricentennial of his Death.
Ortelius was a friend and admirer of the Flemish cartographer Gerard Mercator.
