Tag Archives: history
Mata Hari – Part Two Posted by heather on May 16, 2012
Last week I told you about the early years of the Dutch woman known as Mata Hari. Today we will continue where we left off and learn about her later years. On March 13th, 1905 Mata Hari (a name M’greet adopted with her new life in Paris) debuted as an exotic dancer. So admired were…
Mata Hari – Part One Posted by heather on May 10, 2012
Mata Hari was born Margaretha Zelle on August 7th 1876 in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. She was the second child of Adam Zelle and Antje van der Meulen. The only girl in a family of four children, she had thick black hair, dark eyes and an olive complexion. Her family gave her the nickname M’greet. Her…
M.C. Escher Posted by noortje on Jul 6, 2010
It’s almost impossible that you haven’t seen an image of Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972). With his typical art that is challenging for the eye and the brain he gained world wide fame. Maybe you haven’t seem his art in real life, but the chances are you encountered him online, since he has a huge range…
Het Begijnhof Amsterdam Posted by noortje on Jun 24, 2010
The Begijnhof in Amsterdam is the only little courtyard, once home of the begijnen, built in the Midieval times of Amsterdam. You can enter it at the Singel, almost a meter below the rest of the city center. The Begijnhof is one of the oldest canal gardens in Amsterdam. First of all: begijnen were people…
De Canon van Nederland Posted by sarah on May 10, 2010
De Canon van Nederland is a list of 50 important points in Dutch history chosen by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Learning. This list covers such important topics as the beginning of Dutch civilization, famous artists and writers, and cultural themes. If you have an interest in broadening your knowledge of Dutch culture, this…
Geert Mak : A Short History about Amsterdam Posted by sarah on Feb 21, 2010
Geert Mak is a Dutch author and historian who writes mostly about the history of the Netherlands, though has also written quite extensively on European history. One of the reasons I really like Geert Mak as an author is that his use of language is superb. His writing is thoughtful and also thought provoking. …