Wim Hora Adema
Encyclopedia
Wim Hora Adema was a Dutch
author
of children's literature
and a feminist, notable for being the co-founder of Opzij
, founded in 1972 as a radical feminist monthly magazine. She was one of the best-known women of the Dutch second wave of feminism
.
, a liberal
Amsterdam
newspaper; in 1939, she was appointed editor for the national section. She worked there until 1941, when she resigned as a protest against the anti-Jewish measures taken at the paper. During World War II
, she was active in the Dutch resistance
, which brought her in contact with the group that published Het Parool
, an illegal resistance paper.
, editor-in-chief of Het Parool, asked her to start editing a page for women and children, called Voor de vrouw (maar voor haar niet alléén...) ("for the woman, but not just for her"). which also published reviews of children's books. In that period she shared desks with authors such as Gerard Reve
, Henri Knap, and Simon Carmiggelt
, and was one of the people in Amsterdam around whom literary life was centered. Contributors of stories and verse to the "legendary" page included Hora Adema herself as well as authors and journalists such as Annie M.G. Schmidt, Jeanne Roos, and Harriët Freezer; for almost twenty years, Fiep Westendorp
illustrated the column with black and white drawings that situated the position of woman in society. Adema worked for Het Parool for twenty-two years, during which time she helped nurture women authors and illustrators including Schmidt, Westendorp, Freezer, Hella Haasse
, and Mies Bouhuys. In 1968 she was fired by editor-in-chief Herman Sandberg, which caused some uproar and even led to the firing of an editor at Vrij Nederland
.
, Hora Adema started Man Vrouw Maatschappij (often abbreviated as MVM, and translated as "Man Woman Society"), a radical feminist action group considered the first Dutch Second-wave feminism
organization and active until it was dissolved in 1988.
With d'Ancona, Hora Adema founded the radical feminist monthly magazine Opzij (the title translates as "move over") in 1972, together with politician and sociologist Hedy d'Ancona. Opzij is the only publication that has survived from the Dutch second wave of feminism and has a large and loyal readership. In 1972, the magazine printed 1,700 copies per month; by 1992 this had grown to 65,000, having developed itself "from a radical feminist pamphlet to a liberal-feminist opinion magazine with a large dose of human interest." In 1992, d'Ancona and Adema were awarded the Harriët Freezer ring, an award given to contributors to women's emancipation, honoring them for Opzij and other contributions. In 2007 printed over 94,000 copies per month, though today it is considered a more mainstream magazine, focusing more on general opinion than on activism.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
and a feminist, notable for being the co-founder of Opzij
Opzij
Opzij is a mainstream Dutch feminist monthly magazine. It was founded as a radical feminist magazine in November 1972 by Wim Hora Adema and Hedy d'Ancona ; the title means both "out of the way!" and "about her." A former editor was Cisca Dresselhuys, who retired in 2008; the current editor is...
, founded in 1972 as a radical feminist monthly magazine. She was one of the best-known women of the Dutch second wave of feminism
Second-wave feminism
The Feminist Movement, or the Women's Liberation Movement in the United States refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted through the early 1990s....
.
Biography
Adema began her career as an unpaid worker for the Algemeen HandelsbladAlgemeen Handelsblad
Algemeen Handelsblad was an influential Amsterdam-based liberal daily newspaper, founded in 1828 by J.W. van den Biesen. At the peak of its influence -- from the time of the Boer War, when it championed the Boer cause in South Africa, through World War I -- it was edited by Charles Boissevain.It...
, a liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
newspaper; in 1939, she was appointed editor for the national section. She worked there until 1941, when she resigned as a protest against the anti-Jewish measures taken at the paper. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she was active in the Dutch resistance
Dutch resistance
Dutch resistance to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II can be mainly characterized by its prominent non-violence, summitting in over 300,000 people in hiding in the autumn of 1944, tended to by some 60,000 to 200,000 illegal landlords and caretakers and tolerated knowingly...
, which brought her in contact with the group that published Het Parool
Het Parool
Het Parool is an Amsterdam-based daily newspaper. It was founded as a resistance paper during World War II by Frans Van Heuven Goedhart and Jaap Nunes Vaz...
, an illegal resistance paper.
Parool and Voor de vrouw: 1940s to 1950s
After the war ended, Het Parool hired her as editor for national news. After three years, in 1948, Gerrit Jan van Heuven GoedhartGerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart
Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart was a Dutch politician and diplomat. He was the first United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ....
, editor-in-chief of Het Parool, asked her to start editing a page for women and children, called Voor de vrouw (maar voor haar niet alléén...) ("for the woman, but not just for her"). which also published reviews of children's books. In that period she shared desks with authors such as Gerard Reve
Gerard Reve
Gerard Kornelis van het Reve was a Dutch writer. He adopted a shortened version of his name, Gerard Reve in 1973, and that is how he is known today. Together with Willem Frederik Hermans and Harry Mulisch, he is considered one of the "Great Three" of Dutch post-war literature...
, Henri Knap, and Simon Carmiggelt
Simon Carmiggelt
Simon Carmiggelt was a Dutch writer who became a well known public figure in the Netherlands because of his daily newspaper columns and his television appearances.-Biography:...
, and was one of the people in Amsterdam around whom literary life was centered. Contributors of stories and verse to the "legendary" page included Hora Adema herself as well as authors and journalists such as Annie M.G. Schmidt, Jeanne Roos, and Harriët Freezer; for almost twenty years, Fiep Westendorp
Fiep Westendorp
Fiep Westendorp was a Dutch illustrator who became especially popular due to her long-term collaboration with writer Annie M.G. Schmidt. Three generations of Dutch people have grown up with her illustrations...
illustrated the column with black and white drawings that situated the position of woman in society. Adema worked for Het Parool for twenty-two years, during which time she helped nurture women authors and illustrators including Schmidt, Westendorp, Freezer, Hella Haasse
Hella Haasse
Hélène "Hella" Serafia Haasse was a Dutch writer, often referred to as "the Grand Old Lady" of Dutch literature, and whose novel Oeroeg was a staple for generations of Dutch schoolchildren. Her internationally acclaimed Magnus opus is "Heren van de Thee", translated to "The Tea Lords"...
, and Mies Bouhuys. In 1968 she was fired by editor-in-chief Herman Sandberg, which caused some uproar and even led to the firing of an editor at Vrij Nederland
Vrij Nederland
Vrij Nederland is a Dutch magazine which was established during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II as an underground newspaper but has since grown into a magazine. The weekly magazine is generally considered to be intellectually left-wing...
.
Feminist activism and Opzij, 1960s and after
In the 1960s, Hora Adama gained attention writing feminist newspaper columns. With Hedy d'Ancona, Joke SmitJoke Smit
Johanna Elisabeth Smit was a Dutch feminist and politician.-References:* at www.parlement.com...
, Hora Adema started Man Vrouw Maatschappij (often abbreviated as MVM, and translated as "Man Woman Society"), a radical feminist action group considered the first Dutch Second-wave feminism
Second-wave feminism
The Feminist Movement, or the Women's Liberation Movement in the United States refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted through the early 1990s....
organization and active until it was dissolved in 1988.
With d'Ancona, Hora Adema founded the radical feminist monthly magazine Opzij (the title translates as "move over") in 1972, together with politician and sociologist Hedy d'Ancona. Opzij is the only publication that has survived from the Dutch second wave of feminism and has a large and loyal readership. In 1972, the magazine printed 1,700 copies per month; by 1992 this had grown to 65,000, having developed itself "from a radical feminist pamphlet to a liberal-feminist opinion magazine with a large dose of human interest." In 1992, d'Ancona and Adema were awarded the Harriët Freezer ring, an award given to contributors to women's emancipation, honoring them for Opzij and other contributions. In 2007 printed over 94,000 copies per month, though today it is considered a more mainstream magazine, focusing more on general opinion than on activism.