100 Notable alumni of
University of Amsterdam
Updated:
The University of Amsterdam is 143rd in the world, 49th in Europe, and 2nd in the Netherlands by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from the University of Amsterdam sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. 2 individuals affiliated with the University of Amsterdam won Nobel Prizes in Physics.
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Charles Michel
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Charles Michel is a Belgian politician who served as the president of the European Council from 2019 to 2024. He previously served as the prime minister of Belgium between 2014 and 2019. Michel became the minister of development cooperation in 2007 at age thirty-one, and remained in this position until elected the leader of the Francophone liberal Reformist Movement (MR) in February 2011. He led MR to the 2014 federal election, where they emerged as the third-largest party in the Chamber of Representatives. After coalition negotiations, Michel was confirmed as Prime Minister of a MR-N-VA-OVLD-CD&V government. He was sworn in on 11 October 2014, becoming the youngest Belgian prime minister since Jean-Baptiste Nothomb in 1841.
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Guido van Rossum
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- In 1981 graduated with master's degree
- Occupations
- computer scientistengineerprogrammerwriter
- Biography
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Guido van Rossum is a Dutch programmer. He is the creator of the Python programming language, for which he was the "benevolent dictator for life" (BDFL) until he stepped down from the position on 12 July 2018. He remained a member of the Python Steering Council through 2019, and withdrew from nominations for the 2020 election.
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Theo van Gogh
- Occupations
- presenterauthortelevision presenterdirectortelevision director
- Biography
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Theodoor "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch film director. He directed Submission: Part 1, a short film written by Somali writer and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, which criticised the treatment of women in Islam in strong terms. On 2 November 2004, he was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri, a Dutch-Moroccan Islamist who objected to the film's message. The last film Van Gogh had completed before his murder, 06/05, was a fictional exploration of the assassination of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. It was released posthumously in December 2004, a month after Van Gogh's death, and two years after Fortuyn's death.
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Thierry Baudet
- Occupations
- writerpolitician
- Biography
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Thierry Henri Philippe Baudet is a Dutch far-right politician, author, and self-declared conspiracy theorist. He is the founder and leader of Forum for Democracy (FvD), for which he was a member of the House of Representatives between 2017 and 2026, with the exception of his paternity leave.
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Pim Fortuyn
- Occupations
- columnistprofessorwritersociologistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn, known as Pim Fortuyn, was a Dutch politician, author, civil servant, businessman, sociologist and academic who founded the party Pim Fortuyn List (Lijst Pim Fortuyn or LPF) in 2002.
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Edsger W. Dijkstra
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1956-1959 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy in computer science
- Occupations
- programmerinformation scientistphysicistuniversity teachermathematician
- Biography
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Edsger Wybe Dijkstra was a Dutch computer scientist, programmer, mathematician, and science essayist.
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Jesse Klaver
- Occupations
- climate activistpoliticiantrade unionist
- Biography
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Jesse Feras Klaver is a Dutch politician who has served as leader of GroenLinks–PvdA in the House of Representatives since 2025, a member of the House of Representatives since 2010 and Leader of GroenLinks since 2015. Prior to this, he chaired the youth union of the Christian National Trade Union Federation from 2009 to 2010.
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Melvin Van Peebles
- Occupations
- film editorrecording artistfilm directorfilm produceractor
- Biography
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Melvin Van Peebles was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker.
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Petra Kelly
- Occupations
- activistenvironmentalistpolitician
- Biography
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Petra Karin Kelly was a German Green politician and ecofeminist activist. She was a founding member of the German Green Party, the first Green party to rise to prominence both nationally in Germany and worldwide. In 1982, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "forging and implementing a new vision uniting ecological concerns with disarmament, social justice and human rights."
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Kajsa Ollongren
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1985-1991
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jkvr. Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren is a Dutch-Swedish politician who served as Dutch Minister of Defence from 10 January 2022 to 2 July 2024. A member of the Democrats 66 (D66), she previously served as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Deputy Prime Minister in the third Rutte cabinet (2017–2022), and briefly as Mayor of Amsterdam (October 2017). Since June 2025 she is EU Special Representative (EUSR) for human rights of the Council of the European Union.
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Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau
- Occupations
- economist
- Biography
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Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, more commonly known as Mabel van Oranje, is a Dutch humanitarian and the widow of Prince Friso and sister-in-law of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. She spends her time in human rights activities such as co-founding War Child Netherlands, the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage.
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Eva Schloss
- Occupations
- biographerpainterwritermemoiristphotographer
- Biography
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Eva Schloss was an Austrian Holocaust survivor, memoirist, and the stepdaughter of Otto Frank, the father of Margot and diarist Anne Frank. She spoke widely about her family's experiences during the Holocaust and participated in the USC Shoah Foundation's Visual History Archive, recording interactive video testimony for use in educational programmes.
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Jeff Wilbusch
- Occupations
- film actoractorstage actor
- Biography
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Jeff Wilbusch is an Israeli-German actor.
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Hannie Schaft
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied international law
- Occupations
- partisanresistance fighterlaw student
- Biography
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Jannetje Johanna Schaft (16 September 1920 – 17 April 1945) was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II. She became known as "the girl with the red hair" (Dutch: het meisje met het rode haar, German: das Mädchen mit dem roten Haar). Her secret name in the resistance movement was "Hannie".
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Antonie Kamerling
- Occupations
- television actoractorsingerfilm actor
- Biography
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Anthonie Willem Constantijn Gneomar "Antonie" Kamerling was a Dutch actor and singer. He was member of the original cast of the Dutch soap opera Goede tijden, slechte tijden. He played in the films The Little Blonde Death (1993), All Stars (1997), and I Love You Too (2001). He also had starring roles in Dutch musical productions. He has become the voice of Geoff from Total Drama in the Dutch version of the series. He took his own life in 2010.
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Max Euwe
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1919-1926
- Occupations
- chess officialwriteruniversity teacherchess playermathematician
- Biography
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Machgielis "Max" Euwe was a Dutch chess player, mathematician, author, and chess administrator. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion, a title he held from 1935 until 1937. He served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.
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Mona Keijzer
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1987-1992 studied science of public administration
- 1992-1997 studied Law of the Netherlands
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Maria Cornelia Gezina "Mona" Keijzer is a Dutch politician and former civil servant who is the minister of housing and spatial planning in the Schoof cabinet since 2024. A member of the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging, BBB), she won a seat in the House of Representatives in the 2023 Dutch general election.
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Khadija Arib
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- In 1995 studied sociology
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Khadija Arib is a Moroccan-born Dutch politician of the Labour Party, who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands from 12 December 2015 to 7 April 2021. In the 2016 Speaker of the Dutch House of Representatives election on 13 January, she was elected to the position, which she had served as Acting Speaker since the resignation of Anouchka van Miltenburg on 12 December 2015. Arib became a member of the House of Representatives following the 1998 Dutch general election and served until 2022, with a brief interruption between 2006 and 2007.
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Lilian Marijnissen
- Occupations
- trade unionistpolitician
- Biography
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Lilian Marie Corneel Marijnissen is a Dutch politician who served as Leader of the Socialist Party and as its parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives from December 2017 to December 2023. She was first installed as a member of the House of Representatives on 23 March 2017 following the general election of 15 March.
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Johannes Diderik van der Waals
- Occupations
- university teacherphysicisttheoretical physicistmathematicianchemist
- Biography
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Johannes Diderik van der Waals was a Dutch theoretical physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1910 "for his work on the equation of state for gases and liquids". Van der Waals started his career as a schoolteacher. He became the first physics professor of the University of Amsterdam when its status was upgraded to Municipal University in 1877.
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Dionne Stax
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 2009
- Occupations
- television presenterpresenterjournalist
- Biography
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Dionne Stax is a Dutch journalist and newsreader.
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Sutan Sjahrir
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sutan Sjahrir was an Indonesian statesman and independence leader who served as the first prime minister of Indonesia from 1945 until 1947. He played a key role during the Indonesian National Revolution and was active in the nationalist movement during the 1930s. Sjahrir is remembered as an idealist and intellectual.
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Frits Bolkestein
- Occupations
- playwrightautobiographerhistorianeconomistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein was a Dutch politician and energy executive who served as Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 1990 to 1998 and European Commissioner for Internal Market from 1999 until 2004 under Romano Prodi.
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Lodewijk Asscher
- Occupations
- juristlawyeruniversity teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Lodewijk Frans Asscher is a Dutch politician and jurist who served as Leader of the Labour Party (PvdA) from 2016 to 2021 and parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021.
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Ronald Plasterk
- Occupations
- columnistwriteruniversity teachermicrobiologistgeneticist
- Biography
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Ronald Hans Anton Plasterk is a Dutch retired politician of the Labour Party (PvdA). He has a PhD degree in biology, specialising in molecular genetics. He is founder and CEO of Frame Cancer Therapeutics. He was appointed professor at the University of Amsterdam in September 2018.
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Ferdinand Grapperhaus
- Occupations
- writerlawyeruniversity teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Ferdinand Bernhard Joseph "Ferd" Grapperhaus is a Dutch politician who served as Minister of Justice and Security in the Third Rutte cabinet from 26 October 2017 until 10 January 2022. He is a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).
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Joop den Uyl
- Occupations
- politicianwriterjournalistresistance fightereconomist
- Biography
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Johannes Marten den Uijl, better known as Joop den Uyl ( Dutch: [ˈjoːb dɛn ˈœyl] ), was a Dutch politician and economist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1973 to 1977. He was a member of the Labour Party (PvdA). Den Uyl studied economics at the University of Amsterdam obtaining a Master of Economics degree and worked as a civil servant at the Ministry of Economic Affairs from February 1942 until May 1945 and as a journalist and editor for Het Parool and Vrij Nederland from May 1945 until January 1949. Den Uyl served as director of the Wiardi Beckman Foundation from January 1949 until June 1963. Den Uyl became a member of the House of Representatives shortly after the number of seats was raised from 100 to 150 seats following the election of 1956 serving from 6 November 1956 until 5 June 1963 as a frontbencher and spokesperson for economics. Den Uyl was appointed as Minister of Economic Affairs in the Cals cabinet, taking office on 14 April 1965. After Labour Leader Anne Vondeling unexpectedly announced he was stepping down, Den Uyl announced his candidacy and was selected as his successor as Leader on 13 September 1966. Under his leadership, the PvdA became a big tent party that undermined support for the small left parties, including the Radicals and the Communists.
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Reinout Oerlemans
- Occupations
- television actorfilm directortelevision presenteractortelevision producer
- Biography
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Reinout Oerlemans is a Dutch soap opera actor, film director, television presenter and television producer. He is the founder of the TV production company Eyeworks.
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Hans Wiegel
- Occupations
- columnistwriterpolitician
- Biography
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Hans Wiegel was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businessman.
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Humberto Tan
- Occupations
- writertelevision presenterfashion designerpresenter
- Biography
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Humberto Tan-A-Kiam, better known as Humberto Tan, is a Dutch radio and television presenter, sports journalist and writer of Surinamese descent.
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Willem Frederik Hermans
- Occupations
- university teachergeographerwatercoloristcollagistnovelist
- Biography
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Willem Frederik Hermans was a Dutch author of poetry, novels, short stories, plays, as well as book-length studies, essays, and literary criticism. His most famous works are The House of Refuge (novella, 1952), The Darkroom of Damocles (novel, 1958), and Beyond Sleep (novel, 1966).
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Astrid Joosten
- Occupations
- television presenterwriterpresenteractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Astrid Maria Bernadette Joosten is a Dutch television personality and presenter. She is known for the magazine programme Jongbloed en Joosten, and presenting the quiz show Twee voor Twaalf. She also starred in the 2005 film Off Screen.
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James Barry Munnik Hertzog
- Occupations
- military personnelpolitician
- Biography
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General James Barry Munnik Hertzog KC, better known as Barry Hertzog or J. B. M. Hertzog, was a South African politician and soldier. He was a Boer general during the Second Boer War who served as the third prime minister of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1939. Hertzog advocated for the development of Afrikaner culture and was determined to prevent Afrikaners from being excessively influenced by British culture. He founded the National Party in 1914.
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Tim Krabbé
- Occupations
- autobiographerchess composerpainterchess playerjournalist
- Biography
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Hans Maarten Timotheus "Tim" Krabbé is a Dutch journalist, novelist and chess player.
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Adriaan van Dis
- Occupations
- playwrightpoetwriterpresenterjournalist
- Biography
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Adriaan van Dis is a Dutch author. He debuted in 1983 with the novella Nathan Sid. In 1995 his book Indische Duinen (My Father's War), which in its narrative is a follow-up to his debut novella, was also awarded several prestigious literary awards.
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André Kuipers
- Occupations
- university teacherastronautphysician
- Biography
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André Kuipers is a Dutch physician and ESA astronaut. He became the second Dutch citizen, third Dutch-born and fifth Dutch-speaking astronaut upon launch of Soyuz TMA-4 on 19 April 2004. Kuipers returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-3 11 days later.
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Pieter Zeeman
- Occupations
- university teacherphotographerphysicist
- Biography
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Pieter Zeeman was a Dutch experimental physicist who shared the 1902 Nobel Prize in Physics with Hendrik Lorentz for their discovery and theoretical explanation of the Zeeman effect.
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Jacques Santer
- Occupations
- bankerlawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Jacques Louis Santer is a Luxembourgish politician who served as president of the European Commission from 1995 to 1999 before resigning amidst allegations of corruption. He served as the finance minister of Luxembourg from 1979 until 1989, and as prime minister of Luxembourg from 1984 to 1995, as a member of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), which was the leading party in the Luxembourgish government between 1979 and 2013. As prime minister of Luxembourg, he also led the negotiations on the Single European Act, which effectively set aside the 20-year-old Luxembourg compromise.
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Els Borst
- Occupations
- hematologistphysicianuniversity teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Else "Els" Borst-Eilers was a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 (D66) party and physician. She was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 21 December 2012.
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Martin Bosma
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Martin Bosma is a Dutch politician and former journalist who served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2023 to 2025. He entered the House of Representatives for the Party for Freedom (PVV) on 30 November 2006, and served as his party's spokesperson on matters of higher education, mass media and culture. He also served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2010 until 2023. On 14 December 2023, he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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Marlene Dumas
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1979-1980 studied psychology
- Occupations
- writerconceptual artistcollagistlithographersculptor
- Biography
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Marlene Dumas is a South African artist and painter based in the Netherlands.
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Hedy d'Ancona
- Occupations
- politiciangeographertelevision producersociologistwomen's rights activist
- Biography
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Hedwig "Hedy" d'Ancona is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) who served as Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture between 1989 and 1994.
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Ad Melkert
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Adrianus Petrus Wilhelmus "Ad" Melkert is a Dutch politician and diplomat of the Labour Party (PvdA) who has served as a Member of the Council of State since 20 January 2016.
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Joost Zwagerman
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1984-1984
- Occupations
- poetcolumnistwriternon-fiction writeressayist
- Biography
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Johannes Jacobus Willebrordus "Joost" Zwagerman was a Dutch writer, poet and essayist. Among his teachers was the novelist Oek de Jong.
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Teun A. van Dijk
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1967-1968
- 1968-1972 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy
- Occupations
- researcherprofessorsociologistlinguist
- Biography
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Teun Adrianus van Dijk is a scholar in the fields of text linguistics, discourse analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).
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Brigitte Kaandorp
- Occupations
- singercabaret performer
- Biography
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Brigitte Kaandorp is a Dutch comedian and singer-songwriter. She started her show business career in 1983. Kaandorp's style is a mix of absurdism and sensitive songs, sometimes playing the ukulele. Many of her shows have been broadcast on Dutch TV. She also performed in Belgium.
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Wim Eijk
- Occupations
- Latin Catholic priesttheologianprofessorCatholic bishopphysician
- Biography
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Willem Jacobus "Wim" Eijk is a Dutch prelate of the Catholic Church, a cardinal since 2012. He has been the Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht since 2007. He was Bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden from 1999 to 2007. Before his clerical career he worked as a medical doctor; as a priest he made medical ethics the focus of his academic studies. He has done his doctoral studies in medicine and philosophy, and also holds a licentiate in theology.
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Maurice de Hond
- Occupations
- association football refereeentrepreneurstatistician
- Biography
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Maurice de Hond is a Dutch pollster and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Steve JobsSchool, an elementary school which gives each student an iPad to encourage individualized learning. As of 2016, 35 public schools in the Netherlands adopted the school model. Two Steve JobsSchools opened in South Africa in 2016. The schools closed after a negative report by government educational inspectors found that students who graduated from the schools were lacking severely in educational skills and the foundation running the schools declared bankruptcy in 2018.
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Joseph Luns
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Joseph Marie Antoine Hubert Luns was a Dutch politician, diplomat and jurist who served as the fifth Secretary General of NATO from 1971 to 1984, being the longest-serving officeholder since the office was established in 1952. Prior to this, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, starting in 1956. Luns was a member of the now-defunct Catholic People's Party (KVP), later merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).
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Luitzen Egbertus Jan Brouwer
- Occupations
- university teachertopologistwriterphilosophermathematician
- Biography
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Luitzen Egbertus Jan "Bertus" Brouwer was a Dutch mathematician and philosopher who worked in topology, set theory, measure theory and complex analysis. Regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th century, he is known as one of the founders of modern topology, particularly for establishing his fixed-point theorem and the topological invariance of dimension.
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Hans Janmaat
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Johannes Gerardus Hendrikus "Hans" Janmaat was a Dutch businessman and politician of the far-right Centre Party (CP) who later founded the Centre Democrats (CD).
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Rik van de Westelaken
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1991-1996 graduated with master's degree in communication studies
- Occupations
- television presenternews presenterpresenter
- Biography
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Rik van de Westelaken is a Dutch television presenter. He is known for presenting television programs which include the NOS Journaal, Peking Express and Wie is de Mol?. Other programs include the travel show Rik over de grens and the quiz show 5 Golden Rings.
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Lauren Verster
- Occupations
- television presenterprogram makerpresenter
- Biography
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Lauren Verster is a Dutch programme maker and television presenter.
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Herman Tjeenk Willink
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgepolitician
- Biography
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Herman Diederik Tjeenk Willink is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and jurist. He was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 21 December 2012.
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Ivo Niehe
- Occupations
- television presenterpresenterprogram makerfilm producertelevision producer
- Biography
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Ivo Johannes Ignatius Niehe is a Dutch radio and television presenter, television producer and actor.
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Godfried Bomans
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1933-1939 studied jurisprudence
- Occupations
- children's writerauthorpastellistcolumnistresistance fighter
- Biography
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Godfried Jan Arnold Bomans was a Dutch author and television personality. Much of his work remains untranslated into English.
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Ed van Thijn
- Occupations
- writerautobiographeruniversity teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Eduard van Thijn was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and historian. He was a member of the Municipal Council of Amsterdam (1962–1971), member of the House of Representatives (1967–1981; 1982–1983), Minister of the Interior (1981–1982; 1994), Mayor of Amsterdam (1983–1994), and member of the Senate (1999–2007).
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Eugène Dubois
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1877
- Occupations
- anatomistuniversity teacheranatomical draftspersonpaleoanthropologistgeologist
- Biography
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Marie Eugène François Thomas Dubois was a Dutch paleoanthropologist and geologist. He earned worldwide fame for his discovery of Pithecanthropus erectus (later redesignated Homo erectus), or "Java Man". Dubois was the first anthropologist to embark upon a purposeful search for hominid fossils.
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Geert Mak
- Occupations
- presenterjournalisttelevision presenterpoet lawyeruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Geert Ludzer Mak is a Dutch journalist and non-fiction writer.
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Frits Zernike
- Occupations
- university teacherphysicistmathematicianinventorchemist
- Biography
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Frits Zernike was a Dutch physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1953 for his invention of the phase-contrast microscope.
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Paul Rosenmöller
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1974-1978 studied sociology
- Occupations
- television presenterpoliticiantrade unionistpresenterprogram maker
- Biography
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Paul Rosenmöller is a Dutch politician and former trade unionist and television presenter. Between 1989 and 2003, he was member of the Dutch House of Representatives for GroenLinks and was party leader from 1994. Rosenmöller has been a member of the Senate for GroenLinks since June 2019 and leader of GroenLinks–Labour Party in the Senate since June 2023.
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Barbara Baarsma
- Occupations
- university teachereconomist
- Biography
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Barbara Elisabeth Baarsma is a Dutch economist, and Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Amsterdam.
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Jojanneke van den Berge
- Occupations
- television presenterpresenterjournalist
- Biography
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Jojanneke van den Berge is a Dutch journalist who worked for the broadcasting association PowNed.
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Hella Haasse
- Occupations
- playwrightpoetwriter
- Biography
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Hélène "Hella" Serafia Haasse was a Dutch writer, often referred to as the "Grande Dame" of Dutch literature, and whose novel Oeroeg (1948) was a staple for generations of Dutch schoolchildren. Her internationally acclaimed magnum opus is Heren van de Thee, translated to The Tea Lords. In 1988 Haasse was chosen to interview the Dutch Queen for her 50th birthday after which celebrated Dutch author Adriaan van Dis called Haasse "the Queen among authors".
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Johan Ferrier
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Johan Henri Eliza Ferrier was a Surinamese politician who served as the first president of Suriname from 1975 to 1980. He was also the country's last governor-general before independence, serving from 1968 to 1975, before becoming the first president upon independence from the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1975 and also served as the fifth prime minister from 1955 to 1958.
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Ella Vogelaar
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Graduated with Master of Education
- Occupations
- politiciansocial workertrade unionist
- Biography
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Catharina Pieternella "Ella" Vogelaar was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and trade union leader.
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Lara Ricote
- Occupations
- comedian
- Biography
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Lara Ricote is a Mexican-American comedian and actor based in London, UK.
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Gunay Uslu
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1997-2001 graduated with Master of Arts in cultural studies
- 2008-2015 graduated with Doctor
- Occupations
- cultural historianpolitician
- Biography
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Gunay Uslu is a Dutch cultural historian and politician, who has served as State Secretary for Culture and Media in the fourth Rutte cabinet from 10 January 2022 till 1 December 2023. She is a member of the Democrats 66 (D66) party.
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Gidi Markuszower
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gideon "Gidi" Markuszower is an Israeli–Dutch politician. He became a senator on 9 June 2015 on behalf of the right-wing populist Party for Freedom (PVV). In the 2017 Dutch general election, he was elected to the House of Representatives and gave up his Senate seat. On 20 January 2026, he left the PVV parliamentary group along with six other MPs to found the independent Markuszower Group.
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Bert Koenders
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Albert Gerard Koenders is a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017. He is currently a professor at Leiden University and a special envoy of the World Bank. He is also chair of the Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs, a member of the board of trustees of the International Crisis Group and a commissioner of the International Commission on Missing Persons.
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Christiaan Eijkman
- Occupations
- physicianphysiologistbiochemistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Christiaan Eijkman was a Dutch physician and professor of physiology whose demonstration that beriberi is caused by poor diet led to the discovery of antineuritic vitamins (thiamine). Together with Sir Frederick Hopkins, he received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1929 for the discovery of vitamins.
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Sacha de Boer
- Occupations
- television presenterphotographerjournalist
- Biography
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Sacha de Boer is a Dutch photographer, presenter and former journalist. From 1996 to 2013 she was a news presenter of the Dutch public news broadcaster NOS Journaal, acting as the news anchor of the eight o'clock news from 2003 onwards.
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Willem Wilmink
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied Dutch studies
- Occupations
- university teacherchildren's writerwriterliterary theoristmusician
- Biography
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Willem Wilmink was a Dutch poet and writer. He was best known for the large number of songs he wrote for popular children programs and his accessible, straightforward poetry.
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Dick Swaab
- Occupations
- physicianbiologistneuroscientistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Dick Frans Swaab is a Dutch physician and neurobiologist (brain researcher). He is a professor of neurobiology at the University of Amsterdam and was until 2005 Director of the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research (Nederlands Instituut voor Hersenonderzoek) of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen).
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Anton Pannekoek
- Occupations
- historian of scienceuniversity teacherpoliticianphilosopherastronomer
- Biography
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Antonie "Anton" Pannekoek was a Dutch astronomer, historian, philosopher, Marxist theorist, and socialist revolutionary. He was one of the main theorists of council communism (Dutch: radencommunisme).
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Joris Luyendijk
- Occupations
- television presenterwriterjournalistanthropologistpresenter
- Biography
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Joris Luyendijk is a Dutch non-fiction author, anthropologist, news correspondent, and TV interviewer.
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Tjalling Koopmans
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1934-1934
- Occupations
- economistmathematicianphysicist
- Biography
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Tjalling Charles Koopmans was a Dutch-American mathematician and economist. He was the joint winner with Leonid Kantorovich of the 1975 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on the theory of the optimum allocation of resources. Koopmans showed that on the basis of certain efficiency criteria, it is possible to make important deductions concerning optimum price systems.
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Jet Bussemaker
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 1979-1986 studied political science
- Occupations
- university teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Mariëtte "Jet" Bussemaker is a retired Dutch politician. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), she served as Minister of Education, Culture and Science from 5 November 2012 to 26 October 2017 in the Second Rutte cabinet. She has been a professor of Science, Policy, Social Impact and Healthcare at Leiden University since 1 July 2018.
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Bram Peper
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Graduated with Master of Social Science
- Occupations
- university teachersociologistpolitician
- Biography
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Abraham "Bram" Peper was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA).
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Simon Vestdijk
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1917-1927
- Occupations
- essayistphysician writerwritertranslatorpoet
- Biography
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Simon Vestdijk was a Dutch writer.
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Frans Brüggen
- Occupations
- conductormusicologistmusic educatoruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Franciscus Jozef Brüggen (30 October 1934 – 13 August 2014) was a Dutch conductor, recorder player and baroque flautist.
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Mei Li Vos
- Occupations
- directorcolumnistpoliticianwritertrade unionist
- Biography
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Mei Li Vos is a Dutch politician, former trade unionist and editorialist. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), she was a member of the House of Representatives from 1 March 2007 to 17 June 2010 and again from 20 September 2012 until 23 March 2017. She has been a member of the Senate since 11 June 2019, serving as parliamentary leader of the PvdA group until 2023, as First Vice-President of the Senate from 2023 until 2025, and as President of the Senate since 2025.
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Hugo Brandt Corstius
- Occupations
- linguistcolumnistwriteruniversity teacherjournalist
- Biography
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Hugo Brandt Corstius was a Dutch author, known for his achievements in both literature and science.
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Simone Weimans
- Occupations
- news presenter
- Biography
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Simone Weimans is a Dutch presenter. Since 2011 she is a news presenter of the Dutch public news broadcaster NOS Journaal.
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Christianne van der Wal
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Christianne van der Wal-Zeggelink is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).
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Fons Trompenaars
- Occupations
- anthropologistsociologist
- Biography
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Alfonsus Trompenaars (born 1953, Amsterdam) is a Dutch organizational theorist, management consultant, trainer, motivational speaker and author of various books on all subjects of culture and business. Known for the development of his model of national culture differences and Dilemma Theory.
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Roxane van Iperen
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Graduated with Master of Laws in rights
- Occupations
- juristwriterjournalist
- Biography
-
Roxane van Iperen is a Dutch writer and jurist.
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Derk Jan Eppink
- Occupations
- writerjournalistcolumnistpolitician
- Biography
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Derk Jan Eppink is a Dutch journalist, politician in the Netherlands, and former cabinet secretary for European Commissioners Bolkestein (1999–2004) and Kallas (2004–2007). In 2009, he was elected to the European Parliament for List Dedecker, and in 2019 for Forum for Democracy. In 2021, he became an MP in the Dutch House of Representatives for the JA21 party, but in 2023 he switched to the Farmer-Citizen Movement.
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Tobias Asser
- Occupations
- professorjuristuniversity teacherdiplomatlawyer
- Biography
-
Tobias Michael Carel Asser was a Dutch lawyer and legal scholar. In 1911, he won the Nobel Peace Prize (together with Alfred Fried) for his role in the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the First Hague Peace Conference in 1899 and for his achievements in establishing the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).
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Liesje Schreinemacher
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Elisabeth Nelly Anna Jean "Liesje" Schreinemacher is a Dutch lawyer and politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) who served as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in the fourth Rutte cabinet from 10 January 2022 to 2 July 2024. She previously served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 until 2022.
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Princess Carolina, Marchioness of Sala
- Occupations
- aristocrat
- Biography
-
Princess Carolina of Bourbon-Parma, Marchioness of Sala, is the fourth and youngest child of Princess Irene of the Netherlands and Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma. She is a member of the House of Bourbon-Parma as well an extended member of the Dutch royal family. Per a 1996 royal decree issued by Queen Beatrix, she is entitled to the style and title Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Carolina de Bourbon de Parme in The Netherlands as a member of the extended royal family.
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Anna Donáth
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- 2010-2012 studied migration studies and ethnic studies
- Occupations
- politiciansociologist
- Biography
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Anna Júlia Donáth is a Hungarian politician. She was elected as a Momentum Movement (part of the Renew Europe group) Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in the 2019 European Parliament election. Donáth was the leader of the party between 21 November 2021 and 29 May 2022, and also from 28 January to 7 July 2024.
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Uri Rosenthal
- Occupations
- university teachercolumnisthistoriandiplomatpolitician
- Biography
-
Uriël "Uri" Rosenthal is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and political scientist.
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Judith Sargentini
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Judith Sargentini is a former Dutch politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP). She is a member of the GreenLeft (Dutch: GroenLinks) party, which is part of The Greens–European Free Alliance, and the European Green Party. Previously, she was chair of the party's delegation in Amsterdam's city council.
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Ernst Hirsch Ballin
- Occupations
- juristjudgeuniversity teacherpolitician
- Biography
-
Ernst Maurits Henricus Hirsch Ballin is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist.
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Abraham Pais
- Occupations
- physicisthistorian of scienceuniversity teachernuclear physicist
- Biography
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Abraham Pais was a Dutch-American physicist and science historian. Pais earned his Ph.D. from University of Utrecht just prior to a Nazi ban on Jewish participation in Dutch universities during World War II. When the Nazis began the forced relocation of Dutch Jews, he went into hiding, but was later arrested and saved only by the end of the war. He then served as an assistant to Niels Bohr in Denmark and was later a colleague of Albert Einstein at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. His Subtle is the Lord, considered by many to be the definitive biography of Einstein, won the Science Writing Award. He followed it with Inwaard Bound: Of Matter and Forces in the Physical World, a history of modern physics, Niels Bohr's Times: In Physics, Philosophy, and Polity and Einstein Lived Here: Essays for the Layman. He was a physics professor at Rockefeller University until his retirement. He won the 1995 Lewis Thomas Prize for science writing.
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Jules Wijdenbosch
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied public administration and political science
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jules Albert Wijdenbosch was a Surinamese politician who was President of Suriname from 1996 to 2000 and prime minister from 1987 to 1988.
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Bartel Leendert van der Waerden
- Enrolled in the University of Amsterdam
- Studied in 1919-1924
- Occupations
- historianuniversity teachermathematicianhistorian of mathematics
- Biography
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Bartel Leendert van der Waerden was a Dutch mathematician and historian of mathematics.
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Mariëtte Hamer
- Occupations
- linguistpoliticiantrade unionist
- Biography
-
Mariëtte Iris Hamer is a Dutch politician and trade union leader serving as commissioner for combating inappropriate behavior and sexual violence since 2022. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), she was its leader in the House of Representatives from 2008 to 2010.
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Alan Shatter
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Alan Joseph Shatter is an Irish lawyer, author and former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Defence from 2011 to 2014. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South constituency from 1981 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2016. He left Fine Gael in early 2018 and ran as an independent candidate at the 2024 general election, but was not elected.
