Sinterklaas is a fictional character based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas of Myra. Nikólaos, as he was originally named, was born on March 15, 270 in Patara, Lycia. He was an early bishop of the Greek town Myra (Demre in present-day Turkey), then part of the Roman Empire. In life, Nikólaos was beloved by the local population for giving away all of his possessions, leading to many legendary stories later on. He died on December 6, 343 in Myra, Lycia. Centuries after his death, the good-hearted and devout Nikólaos became a popular saint throughout Europe and Russia, being venerated in the Orthodox Greek and Russian Church, even though there are no surviving documents of him being canonized by any church authority. The word 'Sinterklaas' is a portmanteau of the Dutch words 'sint' ('saint') and 'Nikolaas' ('Nicholas').
Nikólaos became a well-loved folklore character in the Middle Ages, when he was the focus of many stories involving him performing miracles and coming to people's aid. When the Turks invaded Anatolia in the 11th century, the remains of Nikólaos were transported to Bari in Italy, where a church was erected in his memory. His feast day, December 6, was widely celebrated in medieval Europe until the Reformation. After that, the Saint Nicholas celebrations continued as a secular feast, most notably in the Lowlands and in the Alpine regions of Germany and Austria. Such festivities are depicted in paintings from the 15th century onward.
The popularity of Saint Nicholas rose to new heights in The Netherlands and the Flemish part of Belgium during the mid-19th century, after he was depicted as a modern-day gift bringer in the 1850 picture book Sint-Nicolaas En Zijn Knecht by teacher [a16924168] from Amsterdam. Schenkman weaved many old traditions into a cohesive narrative, as well as introducing many of the tropes associated with Sinterklaas to this day. When the Dutch settled in the U.S., they brought Sinterklaas with them, where he became known as
Santa Claus (mentioned as early as 1773, probably as a variation on the Latin Sancte Claus, almost a century before Schenkman's popular book). From then on, both characters evolved in their own way, including their own mythology and traditions.
Actors who have portrayed the 'official' Sinterklaas on Dutch TV are Jan Gajentaan (1952-1959, 1961-1963), Dick van Bommel (1960), Gerard de Klerk (1964), Adrie van Oorschot (1965-1985),
Bram van der Vlugt (1986-2010, and once more in 2011 for the motion picture Bennie Stout), and Stefan de Walle (2011-present). From 1991 to 2017,
Jan Decleir was the official Sinterklaas on Belgian television. He was replaced by
Wim Opbrouck. Other actors who played the role of Sinterklaas in movies or on TV include
Fred Butter,
Fred van der Hilst, Robert-Jan Wik,
Wim Rijken,
Robert Ten Brink,
Peter Faber, [a14113282],
Hans Kesting,
André van Duin, [a6368214], and
Hans Teeuwen.
Sinterklaas is the subject of many songs in the Dutch language, dating back to at least the late 16th century. The earliest known examples of Saint Nicholas songs are religious hymns concerning his miracles and patronage of sailors, children, and women. The oldest of such songs are Den Sesten December, Sint Nicolaes Bischop (1582), O Jhesu, Bruydegom Soet (1614), Sint Nicolas Eerweerdighe Prelaet (1634), Compt Kinderen Bly, Nae d'Ouwe Seeden (1644), Vryster-bee Aan Sint Niklaas (1654), Myn Ziel, Tongh, Ô Heer Wilt Heden Soo Verstercken (1659), and Wy Vieren Nu Met Vroolijckheyd Sint Nicolaus Feest (1664). Secular songs as well as hymns from this age sometimes invoke Saint Nicholas in relation to a search for romantic companionship.
The most popular and best-remembered Sinterklaas songs originated between the early 19th and mid- 20th century, including Sancte Claus Goed Heylig Man (traditional, first published in 1810), Zie De Maan Schijnt Door De Bomen (written by
Joannes Josephus Viotta and
Jan Pieter Heije in 1831), Zie Ginds Komt De Stoomboot (written by [a16924168] in 1850), Sinterklaas Is Jarig (written by [a16926094] and [a16926091] in 1877), O, Kom Er Eens Kijken (written by [a16925176] in 1898), Daar Wordt Aan De Deur Geklopt (written by [a16925983] in 1907), Zoetjes Gaan De Paardenvoetjes (written by [a2097636] in 1911), Dag Sinterklaasje (written by [a1132547] in 1926), and Sinterklaas Kapoentje (melody from 1948 attributed to [a16924165]). Some of these melodies, however, were lifted from older compositions, often of Germanic origin.
While traditional Saint Nicholas song repertoire has been a staple for children's choirs since at least the 1940s, from the 1970s onwards, new Sinterklaas songs have been written and recorded by popular Dutch artists like
Kinderen voor Kinderen,
Henk & Henk,
André van Duin,
Coole Piet,
Ome Henk,
Jochem Van Gelder,
Monique Smit,
Henk Temming, and
De Club Van Sinterklaas. Some of the actors who portrayed the bishop in the iconic red robe have made recordings credited to either themselves or Sinterklaas/Sint Nicolaas. These should all be included here.
NOTE: All recordings credited solely to Santa Claus, Kerstman, Père Noël, Weinachtsmann, and so forth, should be grouped with Santa Claus. Both Sinterklaas and Santa Claus can be referred to as Saint Nicholas, but the context of the recordings should make it clear which one of the characters they should be attributed to.
