9 Most Notable People from Groningen
9 Most Notable People from Groningen
It's difficult to choose just a few candidates but here's who we thought should make the list.
Arjen Robben (1984 - Present)
Arjen Robben, born in Bedum, is a name that resonates with all football fans worldwide. Known for his incredible speed, agility, and that unforgettable left foot, Robben dazzled on the international stage, representing the Netherlands at 3 World Cups and going down as one of our greatest ever players. His career, which kick-started at just 12 years old in FC Groningen's youth ranks, led him to represent world’s elite clubs, including Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. In a heartwarming full-circle moment, he returned to FC Groningen in 2020 before retiring a year later.
Wubbo Ockels (1946 - 2014)
Wubbo Ockels (actually born in Almelo but considered Groningen his hometown) rocketed into history as the first Dutchman in space aboard 1985’s STS-61A Challenger mission. With a PhD from the University of Groningen, he was a key player in a mission that broke records for crew size and scientific ambition, with Ockels travelling some 2.5 million miles in 110 Earth orbits, and logging over 168 hours in space. Not only did he scoop up the Generaal Snijdersfonds Gold Medal (the highest aviation award in the Netherlands), but he had a planetoid between Mars and Jupiter named in his honor!
Aletta Jacobs (1854 - 1929)
Born in 1854 in Sappemeer, Aletta Henriëtte Jacobs was a history-making Dutch physician and women's suffrage activist. She was the first woman to officially attend a Dutch university, graduating from the University of Groningen in 1878, going on to become the Netherlands' first female doctor.
Beyond her medical practice, she was a force for women's rights, founding the country's first birth control clinic in 1882 and playing a key role in the women's suffrage movement. She co-founded the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, with her efforts instrumental in granting Dutch women the right to vote in 1919.
Abel Tasman (1603 - 1659)
Abel Tasman, born in 1603 in Lutjegast, is renowned as one of the greatest explorers of the 17th century. Working for the Dutch East India Company, he embarked on groundbreaking voyages in 1642 and 1644, charting territories in the Southern Hemisphere no European had seen before. He became the first European to reach the islands of Tasmania (named Van Diemen's Land in his time), New Zealand, and the Fiji Islands, charting significant portions of Australia's coastline along the way.
With places like the Tasman Sea, Tasmania, and Abel Tasman National Park named in his honor, his legacy as a daring explorer endures. Imagine, how without any modern tech, this Groninger's adventures have literally expanded the known world.
Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853 - 1926)
A University of Groningen graduate, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes marked his place in history as a pioneering Dutch physicist. His landmark achievement in 1908, liquefying helium for the first time has opened new paths for studying materials at extremely low temperatures. This exploration led him to discover superconductivity, fundamentally changing our understanding of physics. Recognized for his significant contributions, Onnes was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913. His accolades, including the Rumford Medal and the Franklin Medal, alongside a crater on the moon named after him, cement Onnes’ enduring legacy in the scientific community.
Dirk Jan de Geer (1870 - 1960)
Dirk Jan de Geer marked a very complex landscape of Dutch politics. His career saw him serving as Prime Minister of the Netherlands twice, first from March 1926 to August 1929 and then from August 1939 until his controversial resignation in September 1940.
De Geer's political tenure included roles as mayor of Arnhem, Minister of Finance, and Minister of the Interior and Agriculture. However, his legacy is overshadowed by his actions during World War II. Following the German invasion and the Dutch government's retreat to London, de Geer's proposal to negotiate peace with the Germans clashed with the stance of Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch government in exile, leading to his dismissal.
The subsequent attempt to return to the occupied Netherlands and advocation of Nazi co-operation branded him a traitor in the eyes of many. He was found guilty of high treason in time of war, sentenced to a year imprisonment and stripped of his honorary titles.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (1990 - Present)
Ranomi Kromowidjojo, hailing from Sauwerd, has cemented her name in swimming history with her remarkable achievements. Kromowidjojo has clinched three Olympic gold medals: one in the 2008 4x100 m freestyle relay and two individual golds in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics. Not just an Olympic champion, she holds the world record in the 50m freestyle in short course swimming and, along with her Dutch teammates, the 4x50 m freestyle relay. Throughout her career, Kromowidjojo has amassed a staggering 39 medals at FINA World Championship events.
Pete Hoekstra (1953 - Present)
Pete Hoekstra's story epitomises the American dream. Born in Groningen, he migrated to the United States at just three years old.
Hoekstra was elected as a Republican to represent Michigan's 2nd congressional district in the House of Representatives, where he served for nearly two decades. His tenure included significant roles, notably as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from 2004 to 2007.
In 2017, Hoekstra's career took an international turn when President Donald Trump nominated him as the U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, a role confirmed by the Senate and officially commenced in January 2018. His ambassadorship focused on bolstering U.S.-Dutch relations, emphasizing security cooperation, economic ties, and the mutual commitment to freedom and democracy.
Selma Engel-Wijnberg (1922 - 2018)
Selma Wijnberg's life story is inspiring. Born in 1922, she would become one of only two Dutch Jewish Holocaust survivors from the Sobibor extermination camp. Her escape during the 1943 uprising, alongside her future husband Chaim Engel, led to her hiding in Poland and enduring unimaginable hardships, including a battle with typhus.
She found refuge with Polish farmers and survived in secrecy until the war's end. Post-war, Wijnberg's journey took her from Israel to the United States, where she settled in Branford, Connecticut, building a life far from the horrors of Sobibor. Her bravery was recognized in 2010 when the Netherlands honored her with the title of Knight in the Order of Oranje-Nassau.