author
Katharina Leopold
1846–1914
A Dutch teacher and children's writer, she is remembered for warm, lively writing for young readers and for lyrics that became beloved Sinterklaas songs. Her work grew out of everyday school life and helped shape children's literature in the Netherlands.
1 Audiobook
Zonnestralen in School en Huis : Vertellingen
by Henriette Dietz, Katharina Leopold
About the author
Born in Groningen in 1846, Katharina Leopold was a Dutch teacher, children's author, and lyricist. She published under the name Katharina Leopold and became especially known for writing for children in a clear, cheerful style.
Alongside her teaching work, she wrote children's books and verse, often connected to the world of school and home. She is widely remembered as the lyricist of the Sinterklaas songs "O, kom er eens kijken" and "Hij komt, hij komt, die lieve goede Sint", which helped keep her name familiar long after her lifetime.
Leopold spent her life in Groningen, where she was born on May 7, 1846, and died on June 4, 1914. Her career as an educator and writer reflects the close link between teaching and children's literature in her era.