Right here, we find the Dirkje Menkens-van der Spiegelbrug. Have you heard of Dirkje Menkens-van der Spiegel? She was a Dutch author of Christian children’s books.
Dirkje Menkens-van der Spiegelbrug is named in her honor. It is a tribute to her contribution to literature. Dirkje was born in Abbenes on September 9 1894.
Dirkje was the only child of Adrianus van der Spiegel. Her mother was Geertruida Frederica Wilhelmina Lauwersheimer. Adrianus was a religious education teacher.
Dirkje became a teacher herself. In 1914, she completed her teacher training. Then, she passed an exam in 1915 for “useful needlework”. In 1923, she earned a degree in French.
In 1920, she became a teacher. She taught at the School with the Bible in Sassenheim. In 1928, she married Cord Hendrik Menkens.
From 1931, Dirkje had a children’s radio show on NCRV for four years. She told stories on the show. There are thirty known children’s stories by her.
Dirkje published her first book in 1927. It was called “Een andere jongen” which means “Another Boy”. She wrote over fifty books in total. Besides children’s books, she wrote Christian feuilletons. These appeared in the Nieuwe Leidsche Courant newspaper. Some were later published as books.
Her work was interrupted in 1940. The Rotterdam bombing destroyed the printing equipment. But she kept writing after the war.
Dirkje’s books include titles like “Jolige Juud” and “Die zonnige zomervakantie”. The latter translates to “That Sunny Summer Vacation”. Her stories often explored family life. They also highlighted Christian values.
Dirkje Menkens-van der Spiegel passed away on November 9 1958. She and her husband had no children. They left their estate to Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s hospital in Lambarene.
Standing on the Dirkje Menkens-van der Spiegelbrug, remember her legacy. She brought joy and faith to countless children through her stories. The Dirkje Menkens-van der Spiegelbrug serves as a reminder. It honors her impact on Dutch literature and culture.