The EngSem Choir
Dr. Tom van Brederode had two major passions: the English language and singing. In the 1980s, he could combine both at the …
Democratizing the University
During the 1960s, the English Department was located on the Herengracht, in the Lambert Ten Kate-House. They shared this building with the …
Women and the English Novel: from Burney to Eliot , and from Chopin to Winterson.
From the early eighties until the end of the last century, this course was offered to ‘doctoraal’ students, on alternate years, by …
Obtaining an Academic Degree
It was not possible to take an academic exam in a modern language at the university until 1921, although the English Department …
Women in the Academy
Professor Jacobus Swart (1915-1978) was a language and literature teacher who was a member of the faculty from 1961 to 1978. He …
Standardizing Teacher Training
The university was not the only place to master the English language. From 1921 until 1987, many studied at home to gain …
Language Laboratory
Maud Peereboom’s English study in 1967 began with six weeks in the language lab to practice her intonation. Her grammar and vocabulary …
Reforming the Curriculum
The attempts to democratize the University of Amsterdam also affected the English Department. The extremely challenging Nederlands-English translation course was widely feared …
Making the Book of Bleak House
Charles Dickens became one of Britain’s most famous authors thanks to his good business sense as well as his talent for writing. …
Learning the Language
The English and the Dutch waged a number of wars in the latter half of the seventeenth century, usually over trading disputes. …
All is Fair in Love and War
In 1673 the playwright John Dryden wrote his account of the 1623 massacre of English soldiers in Amboyna (Maluku, Indonesia), by the …
The Dangerous Work of a Translator
A milestone in the development of the English language, the Tyndale Bible is one of the more exquisite artifacts housed in the …
Language, Literature, and Love
The English Department community has nurtured intense working partnerships as well as lifelong friendships. For Julia de Vreese and Wim Klooster, the …
Appointed by the Mayor and City Council Members
Until 1961, the University of Amsterdam really was the University OF Amsterdam: staff were appointed by both the City Council Member for …
Professor Olga Fischer Continues the Tradition
Professor Olga Fischer (b. 1951) was appointed Professor of Linguistics at the University of Amsterdam in 1999. She studied English in Amsterdam …
Dr. Bouwe Postmus Returns to the University
Several former English Department students have found their way back to the university over the years. One is Bouwe Postmus (b. 1945). …
Andries Vos, Professor Extraordinaire
Professor Andries Vos (1919-2010) taught from 1963 until 1984. He was an unusual character and has become one of the most well-known former …
The Harting Programme Scholarship
Pieter Harting (1892-1970) was professor of English Language and Literature from 1937 to 1962. The Harting Programme is part of his …
Professor Swaen, A Pioneer
Professor Adriaan Ernst Hugo Swaen (1863-1947) was the first professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Amsterdam, appointed in …
World War II
Meta de Vries began her study of English at the University of Amsterdam in 1938. In January 1941, she completed her …
Records of Student Life
Few of the earliest records of the English Department have survived. One remaining student administration book, spanning the 1920s to the 1950s, …
Student Publishing
An active English Department deserves its own periodical to showcase the work of students and staff, and the UvA has seen a …
London Excursions
John Peereboom (1924-2010) joined the faculty in the 1970s after spending thirteen years in London as a journalist. At the English Department, …