Ida (Ida Sarah) Heijermans

Born in Rotterdam on December 9, 1866, Ida Sarah Heijermans became known in the Netherlands as a teacher, pedagogue, and writer. She came from the notable Heijermans family and was the sister of playwright Herman Heijermans, but she built a career of her own through education and writing.

Heijermans published fiction as well as works on education and child-rearing, and she is especially remembered for children’s literature and for her interest in how young people learn. Around 1900 she also served as editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine De Vrouw, reflecting her involvement in questions about women’s roles, education, and social progress.

Her outlook is often described as socially engaged and moderately feminist, with sympathy for social democracy. She died in Amsterdam on April 8, 1943, leaving behind a body of work that connects literary imagination with a serious concern for children, learning, and everyday life.