Timeline Lieke Marsman

The life and work of Lieke Marsman (1990–2026) — Dutch poet, philosopher and novelist, Poet Laureate of the Netherlands 2021–2023, who wrote unflinchingly about illness, climate and mortality.

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Dashed left edge = started before this timeline · Dashed right edge = still ongoing

Lieke Marsman 11

1990 Lieke Marsman born in 's-Hertogenbosch Born 25 July 1990 Lieke Marsman is born on 25 July 1990 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Noord-Brabant, and grows up in Zaltbommel.
2008 Studies philosophy in Amsterdam Universiteit van Amsterdam After her final school exams in 2008, Marsman begins studying philosophy at the University of Amsterdam — a discipline that would shape the reflective tone of her later work.
2010 Debut: Wat ik mijzelf graag voorhoud Award-winning poetry debut At twenty, Marsman debuts with the poetry collection "Wat ik mijzelf graag voorhoud", which immediately wins the C. Buddingh'-prijs, the Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogtprijs and the Liegend Konijn Debuutprijs.
2014 De eerste letter Second poetry collection Marsman publishes her second poetry collection "De eerste letter", which explores anxiety and panic attacks.
2017 Het tegenovergestelde van een mens Debut novel on climate Her first novel interweaves prose, poetry and essay around the theme of climate change — the hybrid form that would come to define her work. NRC later named it one of the best books of the century.
2018 Cancer diagnosis Rare cartilage cancer In 2018 Marsman is diagnosed with a rare form of cartilage cancer. She writes about the illness and its political context in "De volgende scan duurt vijf minuten" (2018), combining ten poems with an essay.
2021 – 2023 Dichter des Vaderlands Poet Laureate of the Netherlands From January 2021 to January 2023 Marsman serves as Dichter des Vaderlands, succeeding Tsead Bruinja and followed by Babs Gons. She made complex themes accessible to a strikingly young audience.
2021 In mijn mand Poetry collection on appointment On the day of her appointment as Poet Laureate, Marsman publishes the collection "In mijn mand", centring on the value of life and the place of death within it.
2022 Arm and shoulder amputated July 2022 In July 2022 Marsman's right arm and shoulder are amputated after treatment fails to halt the spread of the disease. She continued to write and speak publicly about illness and mortality.
2025 Constantijn Huygens Prize & Op een andere planeet Career achievement prize In 2025 Marsman receives the Constantijn Huygens-prijs for her entire oeuvre — its youngest-ever laureate — and publishes "Op een andere planeet kunnen ze me redden", mixing diary fragments with philosophical reflection on her approaching death.
2026 Death Died 3 June 2026 Lieke Marsman dies on 3 June 2026 of a rare cartilage cancer, aged 35. Her poetic essay "De dichter en de duivel", based on Dante's Inferno, is published posthumously.