author
J. (Jan) Schenkman
1806–1863
A Dutch teacher, poet, and children’s author, Jan Schenkman helped shape the modern Sinterklaas tradition. His beloved 1850 book and holiday songs introduced details that remain familiar today, including the steamboat arrival and the song “Zie ginds komt de stoomboot.”
1 Audiobook
Sint Nikolaas en zijn knecht
by J. (Jan) Schenkman
About the author
Jan Schenkman was born in Amsterdam on October 1, 1806, and died there on May 4, 1863. He worked as a teacher and became known for humorous poems, stories, and books for children. He was also a prominent member of the Maatschappij tot Nut van ’t Algemeen, an organization devoted to public education and culture.
Schenkman is best remembered for Sint Nikolaas en zijn knecht (Saint Nicholas and His Servant), first published in 1850. In this picture book, he brought together familiar Sinterklaas customs and added influential new elements, including Saint Nicholas’s arrival by steamboat in Amsterdam and the song “Zie ginds komt de stoomboot.”