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Marjolijn van Heemstra

Marjolijn van Heemstra - foto Aisha Zeijpveld
Marjolijn van Heemstra - foto Aisha Zeijpveld

(Amsterdam, 1981) - writer, poet, and journalist – gained attention in 2009 with her first poetry collection Als Mozes had doorgevraagd. In 2012, her debut novel De laatste Aedema was published. In her work, she explores how we can think differently about ourselves and the world. Since 2019, she has written about how space can help us see the Earth from a new perspective, in a.o. her essay Wat is ruimte waard. The theatre play based on this book, Maankoorts, premiered in June 2024. Since 2019, Van Heemstra has been a space correspondent at De Correspondent. She creates podcasts (including Sør, Stadsastronaut en Als geschiedenis in je opstaat) and recently conducted research on the value of the night. In 2025 she performs her stage play Observaties van een theaterrat.

(WU2025)

Archive available for: Marjolijn van Heemstra

  • Writers Unlimited 2025 – Friday Night Unlimited

    The Tale of Two Continents (world premiere)

    Thirty years ago, our festival began as Indische Winternacht, in the context of the then 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence. Indonesian poets, musicians, and other artists were guests at that first edition. Then the festival went on to be called Winternachten and now Writers Unlimited, but all these years the cultural and literary connection with Indonesia has remained an important part of our festival.

    On this first grand festival night of our 30th anniversary and of the commemoration of 80 years of Indonesian independence, we bring a world premiere by Orkest De Ereprijs: a spectacular tribute to the Indonesian poet Sitor Situmorang (1924-2014). He was a welcome guest at the festival from the very beginning: in 1997, and in 2005 and 2007. Writer Marjolijn van Heemstra opens the concert with a short introduction.

    Orkest De Ereprijs plays seven new compositions based on poetry by Sitor Situmorang in The Tale of Two Continents. Soloists are soprano Bernadeta Astari and tenor Georgi Sztojanov. Robin Block, who has family ties in Indonesia, had recitations of two of his own poems - chosen for their kinship with the work of Sitor Situmorang -, accompanied by compositions from and performed by Indonesian cellist Alfian Emir Adytia, who lives in the Netherlands.

    The poems by Situmorang chosen by the composers have been published in his bilingual poetry collection Lembah Kekal/Eeuwige Vallei (Jakarta, 2004) and the collection To Love, To Wander with English translations of his poems.

    Sitor Situmorang, one of Indonesia's greatest poets, was born on 2 October 1924 in Harianboho at the borders of Lake Toba, Indonesia and died on 20 December 2014 in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. He lived through tumultuous times of change: his early youth was rooted in traditional Batak culture, he came of age in colonial times and Japanese occupation, engaged in the strive for freedom as a young journalist, became Soekarno's advisor on cultural affairs, was a political prisoner under Suharto and finally witnessed the beginning of democracy in the late nineties.

    Orkest De Ereprijs is based in the Dutch city of Apeldoorn, the last hometown of Sitor as well. The orchestra has nurtured strong ties with the world of contemporary music in Indonesia through contacts of Sitor, notably by his widow who stimulated the application of Indonesian young composers to its yearly Young Composers Meeting.

    The commemoration of Sitor therefore built on this connection: seven young Indonesian composers, former participants of the YCM wrote compositions to a poem by Sitor for the Apeldoorn orchestra and Indonesian soprano based in the Netherlands Bernadeta Astari or tenor Georgi Sztojanov. The composers were Septian Dwi Cahyo, Nursalim Yadi Anugerah, Wilson Leywantono, Hilmi Ridha Marhadika, Yayi Wira Pamungkas, Irene Tanuwidjaja and Gavin Wiyanto.

    The orchestra performed, conducted by Mikel Fernández, in its permanent line-up of 14 musicians with two flutes, clarinet/bass clarinet, two saxophones, trumpet, two trombones, horn, tuba, electric guitar, bass guitar, piano and percussion (classical, modern, drums).

  • Writers Unlimited 2025 – Friday Night Unlimited

    Money to Burn

    The trigger for this conversation about the destructive power of greed and capitalism was Danish author Asta Olivia Nordenhof's magnificent novel Money to Burn (Dutch title: Geld als water). English spoken.

    Money to Burn is the first part of a novel project as impressive as it is daring, the kick-off of a seven-part series, the second part of which, The Devil's Book, will be published in January 2025. Each volume will be linked to the for-profit fire on the cruise ship the Scandinavian Star in 1990, in which 159 people lost their lives.

    Dario Goldbach, in his debut novel De man die alles had (The Man Who Had Everything, 2023), takes readers on a world tour of the excesses of capitalism. And writer and theatre-maker Marjolijn van Heemstra describes how the human urge to colonise is no longer limited to other countries, but also extends to other planets.

    Moderator Roos van Rijswijk lead the discussion and used the authors' books to explore this topic in more depth. Does capitalism have a future or is the moment of the bubble bursting near?

    Money to Burn was curated for Writers Unlimited Festival 2025 by Ilonka Reintjens.

  • Mens en Dier met Bibi Dumon Tak en Nikki Dekker

    Humans and animals in literature: With Bibi Dumon Tak, Nikki Dekker and Marjolijn van Heemst

    With: Bibi Dumon Tak, Marjolijn van Heemstra, Nikki Dekker


    "I love all animals, and even if I don't love them, I try to."
    - Bibi Dumon Tak in a column for BNN Vara national radio programme Vroege Vogels

    Why do Bibi Dumon Tak and Nikki Dekker enjoy writing about animals so much? Can we interpret the world through animals and their behavior? What is the relationship between humans and animals? Can authors give a voice to non-human animals?

    Animals play a significant role in both authors' work. Why do they feel drawn to them? Do we see the world differently through the eyes of an animal? Marjolijn van Heemstra will lead the conversation.

    Bibi Dumon Tak (Rotterdam, 1964) debuted in 2001 with Het koeienboek, a non-fiction book for children about cows. With this debut, she immediately won a Zilveren Griffel. Many books would follow, mostly non-fiction for children, especially about animals. For her work, she received various awards, such as the Gouden Griffel for Winterdieren, the Woutertje Pieterse Prijs for Vandaag houd ik mijn spreekbeurt over de anaconda, and the Theo Thijssenprijs for her complete oeuvre. She also writes books for adults, among which Rotjongens caused a stir. In een groen knollenland is a pamphlet against hunting, and with De dag dat ik mijn naam veranderde, she wrote a tribute to her deceased sister. Besides her authorship, Bibi Dumon Tak is also known for columns in Vroege Vogels and opinion articles in various newspapers.

    Recently, she published Rimpeling (De Geus), a novella for adults, with beautiful illustrations by Annemarie van Haeringen.

    It is a story about Marthe, who fell because she wanted to save the life of a crane fly. After that fatal fall, her house at the edge of the forest remains abandoned. Only the insects, the mice, and her belongings knew who she was. As her house is cleared out, her story unfolds. With each object identified, Marthe becomes more complete. Through her chair, table, cupboard, and bed, we come to understand who Marthe was. Nothing special, Marthe would have said about it herself

    Nikki Dekker is a writer and radio producer. Her debut novel, diepdiepblauw (2022), was awarded the CCS Crone Stipendium and was nominated for the Bronzen Uil (shortlist) and De Boon (longlist). Previously, Nikki published essays and poetry in her chapbook een voorwerp dat nog leeft (2018). She has created radio documentaries for NTR and VPRO and wrote the script for the fiction podcast series De Brandstapel. Nikki writes columns for Vroege Vogels and is on the editorial board of the literary magazine Tirade. De Volkskrant named her the literary talent of 2023.

    In September 2024, her second book, Graafdier (De Bezige Bij), was published, where she digs a tunnel through the Dutch landscape, specifically the region of De Groote Peel. The deeper she goes, the further back in time she travels, encountering creatures like the mole cricket, sundials, and the vertebrae of whales, going back 300 million years. And she keeps coming back to one question: why do we exist? In her signature, lighthearted yet probing style, Dekker takes the reader deep underground, where fascinating stories and profound questions emerge.

    The conversation will be moderated by poet, writer, theater maker, journalist, and podcast creator Marjolijn van Heemstra. In her work, she explores in an accessible way how we can think differently about ourselves and the world. Marjolijn van Heemstra has won several literary awards for her poetry collections and novels. Since 2019, she has written about how space can help us view earth differently, highlighted by her essay Wat is ruimte waard for the Month of Philosophy 2023, published by De Correspondent. The theater show based on this book, Maankoorts, premiered in June 2024. She also creates podcasts (including Sør, Stadsastronaut, Als geschiedenis in je opstaat) and recently conducted research on the value of the night with De Nacht-Wacht, which organizes twilight sessions, night walks, and the Amsterdam Dark Festival. Her new theater show Observaties van een theaterrat will premiere in January 2025.

    This Writers Series program is in Dutch.
    Following the event, De Vries Van Stockum will host a book sale, with an opportunity for signing. Program curated by Ilonka Reintjens (Writers Unlimited). 

    Writers Series: Humans and Animals in Literature. With Bibi Dumon Tak and Nikki Dekker
    Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 20:30-22:00
    Central Library, Podium B, Spui 68, 2511 BT The Hague

    Each January, Writers Unlimited organizes the Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague (Dates: January 23–26, 2025) and hosts monthly Writers Series events throughout the year at various locations in The Hague, including the Central Library. The festival, featuring over a hundred writers, poets, spoken word artists, and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad, spans four days and takes place at venues including Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, Paard, Amare, neighborhood libraries, and universities and high schools in The Hague.

  • Winternachten 2018 – Saturday Night Unlimited

    Book of my Life: Marjolijn van Heemstra

    Writers talks about their favourite book - the book that inspires or moves them; the book that formed their aristic, moral or intellectual compass; the book that they would recommend to anyone.

  • Winternachten 2018 – Saturday Night Unlimited

    The Netherlands on the Sofa: Marjolijn van Heemstra

    A country goes to see the doctor! The Netherlands feels fantastic. In 2017, it held sixth place on the list of the happiest countries in the world. Not too bad when you consider, for example, the quality of Dutch health care and education. Or the freedoms enjoyed by its population. On an individual level, the future looks rosy, to say the least.

    At the same time, the Netherlands seems to have lost its way. The expectations of society as a whole seem much more sombre. There is growing unrest about the collective identity. The Netherlands is frightened of losing ist norms and values.

    What's going on? Writer and theatre Artist Marjolijn van Heemsta, in the role of the Netherlands, interpreted these paradoxical feelings on psychiatrist Damiaan Denys' sofa.

  • Winternachten 2018 – Saturday Night Unlimited

    The Rage of Europe - about the innermost outsiders of Europe

    Rage is wafting around Europe. Rage in many forms and voices, but perhaps also from a common source. Led by author and cultural historian David Van Reybrouck, writers from various European cities delineate and interpret this rage from their own environments and perspectives.

    Some Europeans think that our continent is denying its origins and heading towards cultural suicide by opening itself to the culture of strangers. Others believe that Europe is mired in colonial reflexes and prejudices, and falls short in terms of welcoming new citizens. Yet others see only a Europe of interference and technocracy, bereft of passion, imagination and democratic vitality.

    Multitalented author and playwright Van Reybrouck wrote high-profile books such as Congo: A history, and essays such as "A Plea for Populism" and "Against Elections". Fatma Aydemir's debut novel Ellbogen (Elbow), about escalating violence in the U-Bahn, recently divided critics and readers in Germany. Grazyna Plebanek, originally from Warsaw, lived in Stockholm for a few years and in Brussels since 2005, where she works as a journalist and writer of short stories and novels. Until 1989, art historian, poet and essayist Magda Carneci published under a pseudonym in Bucharest; these days, she is, among others, Editor of Revista ARTA.

    As counterpoints, Rodaan Al Galidi recites some of his poems, Gerda Dendooven creates illustrations and Stefka and Amer Shanati play their music.

  • Winternachten 2014 – SATURDAY NIGHT UNLIMITED

    The Text of my Life: Marjolijn van Heemstra

    Which texts from world literature has Marjolijn van Heemskerk, a Dutch writer and theatre maker, cherished as long as she lives? This most beautiful or most inspiring text can be a poem, an excerpt from a novel or a song-text. She discusses the text with the audience. In Dutch.

  • Winternachten 2014 – SATURDAY NIGHT UNLIMITED

    My farther-farthest child

    The much-loved South African poet Antjie Krog introduces her son Andries Samuel, who with his much-praised poetry debut follows in her footsteps. Mother and son recite poems straight from the heart about family ties between parents and (grand)children; Wende set a poem specially written for this occasion by Antjie Krog and her son to music. She sings this new song for the first time tonight and also sings other songs. In English.

  • Winternachten 2013

    NRC Reading Club Live - The Leopard

    With: Bas Heijne, Elsbeth Etty, Marjolijn van Heemstra, Michel Krielaars

    The reading club discusses The Leopard (Il Gattopardo, 1958) by Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. In 2012 a reprint appeared of the much acclaimed translation by Anthonie Kee. Reason enough to (re)read this historical novel - set in 19th century Cicily, where the citizenry, under the leadership of Garibaldi, takes over from the nobility. Michel Krielaars, editor of the book pages of NRC Handelsblad hosts and there is a panel discussion with NRC editors Elsbeth Etty and Bas Heijne and guest Marjolijn van Heemstra, who based her book De laatste Aedema (The Last Aedema) on her own noble family. In Dutch.

  • Winternachten 2012 – Winternacht 1

    Who's Afraid of Youth

    Pupils of SG Johan de Witt and Lyceum Ypenburg climb the stage and recite poems of their own. More than ten hours of poetry lessons they have behind them. Inspiration came from poet Marjolijn van Heemstra, who visited them in class and read poetry with them. Then they started working with the teachers of Huis van Gedichten. After a lot of writing, crossing out, expanding and cutting down the pupils now read their finest verse at the festival. Marjolijn van Heemstra performs with them. Host: Nicole Terborg, musical accompaniment by Trio Koenijn. A programme in cooperation with Huis van Gedichten. In Dutch.

  • Winternachten 2011 – Winternacht 2

    Happy Poetry

    Poetry makes you happy! Allow yourself to be inspired tonight and get carries along by poets and performers Kees van Kooten, Rodaan Al Galidi (Iraq) and Marjolijn Heemstra, who get happy from poetry and want to share that happiness with others. Kees van Kooten brings the poetry of Billy Collins. Rodaan Al Galidi and Marjolijn van Heemstra read their own work. Host: rhymewriter and musician Peer de Graaf (singing & percussion) with his trio Lang & Gelukkig! (With Henk Koekkoek (ukelele & sax) and Piet Maas (double bass). In Dutch.