Poem honors resistance hero Anda Kerkhoven at Healthy Ageing Campus

A memorial stone now graces the entrance of the Anda Kerkhoven Centre at the Healthy Ageing Campus in Groningen. Carved into a large marble slab is a poem that commemorates the life and legacy of Anda Kerkhoven (1919–1945). Kerkhoven, a resistance fighter during the Second World War, symbolizes courage, sacrifice, and the struggle for freedom. The stone was unveiled on March 19, 81 years after her execution in the woods near Glimmen.

A monument for remembrance and reflection

The poem ‘Ergens is het ooit begonnen’ was specially written for this occasion by poet Lilian Zielstra, commissioned by Stichting Straatpoezie Groningen. Zielstra served as the University of Groningen’s poet-in-residence during the 2013–2014 academic year, adding extra significance to her contribution.

The stone is accessible to everyone at the entrance of the new RUG building, the Anda Kerkhoven Centre. The initiative is a collaboration between the University of Groningen and Stichting Straatpoezie Groningen. 'By placing poetry in public spaces, we make stories like Anda Kerkhoven’s accessible to everyone,' says Anton Scheepstra of Stichting Straatpoezie Groningen. 'It’s a way to keep her memory alive and create moments of reflection in daily life.'

About Anda Kerkhoven

The Groningen resistance fighter and medical student Anda Kerkhoven (1919–1945) is one of the most inspiring figures in the history of the University of Groningen, thanks to her life, ideals and the way she stood up for them. Driven by pacifism and a deep love for nature, she joined the resistance during the Second World War, where she helped forge identity papers. In 1944, she was arrested and executed on March 19, 1945, in the woods between Haren and Glimmen. Her courage and dedication to justice continue to inspire.

Visit the poem

The stone with poem is freely accessible at the entrance of the Anda Kerkhoven Centre, located at Antonius Deusinglaan 3 in Groningen. Visitors and passersby are invited to read the poem and reflect on the story of this remarkable woman.

More information about this and other poetry projects in the city can be found on the website of Stichting Straatpoezie Groningen.