Ida Gerhardt
Illustration — Ida Gerhardt (1968) Ida Gerhardt (11 May 1905 in Gorinchem – 15 August 1997 in Warnsveld) was a classicist and Dutch poet of a post-symbolist tradition.
Also recorded as Ida Gardina Margaretha Gerhardt
Ida Gerhardt

Photograph by Ron Kroon (Anefo) · cropped from GaHetNa / Nationaal Archief, The Netherlands · CC0
- Born
- 1905 · Gorinchem.
- Died
- 1997 · Warnsveld.
- Nationality
- Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Occupation
- poet · translator · writer · classical philologist
- Education
- Leiden University · Gymnasium Erasmianum
- Honours
- P.C. Hooft Award · Herman Gorterprijs · Martinus Nijhoff Translation Prize · Prijs voor Meesterschap · Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogt award
- Languages
- Dutch
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Illustration — Ida Gerhardt (1968) Ida Gerhardt (11 May 1905 in Gorinchem – 15 August 1997 in Warnsveld) was a classicist and Dutch poet of a post-symbolist tradition.
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wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
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Authority files
wikidata · Q2045335 · wikipedia · Ida Gerhardt
In this article
Life
Life
In her hometown Rotterdam Ida Gerhardt attended the Erasmus Gymnasium, where the poet J.H. Leopold was her Classics Teacher. He made an indelible impression on her. There she also met her future life partner Marie H. van der Zeyde. From 1924 to 1933 Gerhardt studied classical languages, first in Leiden and later in Utrecht. In 1942 she graduated cum laude on the translation of Lucretius' De rerum natura, Books I and V. From 1937 she was a teacher in Groningen, then in Kampen. In 1951, at the request of the non-conformist pedagogue Kees Boeke, she joined him at the school section of the Werkplaats Kindergemeenschap in Bilthoven. She retired in 1963 and settled in Eefde.
Literary career
Literary career
Just before the outbreak of World War II in May 1940, Ida Gerhardt made her debut with her first collection of poems, Kosmos. Her poems are characterized by a special focus on nature and landscape, especially the landscapes of the rivers Merwede, Waal, Lek and IJssel. Formed by her classical education and inspired by Christian beliefs, she does not confine to landscape descriptions, but always looks for kosmos, the unity in and of all creation. In her view there is meaning in nature and it is the poet's sacred duty to uncover this. Every poem is a complex network, full of sometimes mysterious relations between words, elements of nature, personal (even private) experiences, and the higher reality. Therefore, her work is often classified as symbolist or post-symbolist. Gerhardt's poetry was published when another poetics prevailed, which meant that her poetry in official criticism remained in the shadow. A real appreciation of her work emerged from 1970 onwards. In 1979 she received the Award for Mastership from the Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde, in 1980 the P.C. Hooftprijs. She also received recognition for her careful translation of the Psalms, which she made together with her friend, Marie H. van der Zeyde (1972). For her Latin translations of Virgil she received the prestigious Martinus Nijhoff Award. Her Collected Poems appeared in 1980 and were reprinted several times. The literary award Ida Gerhardt Poëzieprijs is named after her.
Identity
Identity
Ida Gerhardt is recorded as having received P.C. Hooft Award, Herman Gorterprijs and Martinus Nijhoff Translation Prize. Recognition and collections. Gerhardt received P.C. Hooft Award, Herman Gorterprijs, Martinus Nijhoff Translation Prize, Prijs voor Meesterschap and Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogt award.

Tekst van Ida Gerhardt op gemaal De Poel Monnickendam
Gouwenaar

Ida Gerhardt (1905-1997), Dutch poet, during the 1968 ceremony of the Martinus Nijhoff Prize, 26 January 1968
Photograph by Ron Kroon (Anefo) · cropped from GaHetNa / Nationaal Archief, The Netherlands
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1905
Ida Gerhardt born at Gorinchem.
1997
Ida Gerhardt died at Warnsveld.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Gorinchem.
Birth place
Warnsveld.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2045335: Ida Gerhardt
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Ida Gerhardt”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
scholarly publication
- Ida gerhardt: vijf gedickten, Dutch Crossing, 1980
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 1980
authority file
Sources and references
Sources and references
• Anneke Reitsma, In de taal zelf verscholen: over de poëzie van Ida Gerhardt (Amsterdam: Arbeiderspers, 1983) • Marie Helene van der Zeyde, De wereld van het vers: over het werk van Ida Gerhardt (Amsterdam: Athenaeum—Polak & Van Gennep, 1985) • Ad ten Bosch, Gebroken lied: een vriendschap met Ida Gerhardt (Amsterdam: Athenaeum/Polak & Van Gennep, 1999)
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog, Deel 6 (I). pagina 400.
- 2.Dit gedicht werd vervolgens gedrukt door de Regulierenpers in een oplage van 20 exemplaren. Ook het drukken van deze uitgave is te zien in de documentaire.
- 3.Aut M. Koenen , Dwars tegen de keer, Amsterdam, 2014. ISBN 9025303803
- 4.Zie voor een beschrijving van Gerhardts levensavond: Hans Werkman, Uren uit het leven van Ida Gerhardt, Baarn: De Prom 1997.
References
Citations
References
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scholarly publication
Ida gerhardt: vijf gedickten, Dutch Crossing, 1980Crossref registry
Verifiedauthority file
Partially resolvedreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q2045335: Ida GerhardtWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,582 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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