Geert van Istendael (born 29 March 1947) is the pseudonym of Geert Maria Mauritius Julianus Vanistendael, a Belgian writer, poet and essayist. He studied sociology and philosophy at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. From 1987 until 1993, he worked as a journalist for the Belgian National Television and since 1993 he became a full-time writer. He is a brother of Frans Vanistendael. He is a supporter of Orangism and a Pan-Netherlands. Source: Wikipedia (en)