author
Gerrit Kalff
1856–1923
A leading Dutch literary historian and professor, he helped shape how generations of readers understood the history of Dutch literature. His major studies combine careful scholarship with a broad view of literary culture.
1 Audiobook
Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche letterkunde, Deel I
by Gerrit Kalff
About the author
Born in Zwolle on June 30, 1856, Gerrit Kalff became one of the Netherlands' best-known scholars of Dutch literature. He studied in Leiden and later served as professor of Dutch language and literature and history at Leiden University, where he also held the role of rector magnificus in 1917–1918.
Kalff is especially remembered for his large-scale literary histories, including his multi-volume Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche letterkunde. His work aimed to place writers and texts in a wider cultural and historical setting, making Dutch literary history feel like a living tradition rather than a simple list of names and dates.
Alongside his academic work, he wrote essays and studies on Dutch literary life and remained an important presence in literary scholarship until his death in Sassnitz, Germany, on August 31, 1923. His books continued to be read and reissued, and they still mark him out as a major interpreter of Dutch literature.