Archive Gerardus van der Leeuw

Brief overview

Name of the archive: Archive Gerardus van der Leeuw

Provenance: Van der Leeuw, Gerardus (1890-1950)

Dated: 1906-1950

Size: 4.5m

Language of the materials: Dutch

Summary:

Scientific archive containing correspondence, notes, lectures, sermons and published works by theologian Gerardus van der Leeuw.

Collection number: UBG003

Institute: University Library Groningen

Retainer: University Library Groningen

Provenance and acquisition

Biography:

Gerardus van der Leeuw was born 18 March 1890 in The Hague. He is the son of Gerardus van der Leeuw (1861-1922) and Elisabeth Antoinette Nelck (1863-1949). Gerardus van der Leeuw passed away 18 November 1950 in Groningen.

Between 1908 and 1913, Van der Leeuw studied theology and history of religion in Leiden, under the guidance of W.B. Kristensen and P.D. Chantepie de la Saussaye. During his time as a student, he was a member of the theological student society ‘Concordia Res Parva Crescit’. During 1913-1914, Van der Leeuw enjoyed time abroad in both Berlin and Göttingen, to learn more about Egyptology. In 1916 he defended his dissertation ‘Godsvorstellingen in de oud-Aegyptische pyramidenteksten.’ After his graduation, he worked as a Dutch Reform predikant in ‘s Heerenberg. In 1918 he left this position to become a professor in the history of religion, the encyclopedia of theology and Egyptian language and linguistics at the University of Groningen. He held this office until his passing, with a one-year break in 1945-1946. During this year, he was the ‘Minister’ of Education, Arts and Sciences in the post-war emergency government.

Van der Leeuw mainly published about Egyptian and Greek religions, primitive religions, religious phenomenology and comparative theology. As a theologian, Van der Leeuw held some unusual beliefs, and he was one of the leading figures in the reformation of the Dutch Reform Church, especially in the liturgical movement.

As a representative of the field of religious phenomenology, Van der Leeuw was heavily influenced by N. Söderblom, R. Otto, L. Lévy-Bruhl and R. Bultma

A selection of published works:

• Plaats en taak van de godsdienstgeschiedenis in de theologische wetenschap, Groningen 1918.  Inleiding tot de godsdienstgeschiedenis, 1924.

• La structure de la mentalité primitive, Paris 1928.

• Wegen en Grenzen. Studie over de verhouding van religie en kunst, Amsterdam 1932.

• Phänomenologie der Religion, Tübingen 1933.

• Religion in Essence and Manifestation, London 1938.

• De godsdiensten der wereld, Amsterdam 1940.

• Der Mensch und die Religion, Bazel 1941.

• Inleiding tot de phaenomenologie van den godsdienst, 1948.

• Van der Leeuw en K.Ph. Bernet Kempers, Beknopte geschiedenis van het kerklied, Groningen 1939.

Acquisition

The archive was given to the University Library Groningen by Van der Leeuw’s family.

Future additions

No future additions are expected.

Contents and collation

The archive is split into three categories: letters, small published works (other than monographs) and manuscripts (other than letters).

The roughly 750 letters addressed to Van der Leeuw can be found both in the catalogue of the University Library Groningen and in the catalogue of the CEN (Catalogus Epistularum Neerlandicarum).

A collection of reviews, articles, brochures and non-scientific publications (roughly 1200 documents total) by Van der Leeuw is available at the University Library Groningen under the name ‘Verzameld Werk’ (call number ‘ET B- 30). F. Sierksma edited ‘Dr G. van der Leeuw. Bibliografie zijner geschriften’ (in W.J. Kooiman and J.M. van Veen (ed.), Pro Regno Pro Sanctuario, een bundel studies en bijdragen van vrienden en vereerders bij de zestigste verjaardag van Prof. Dr. G. Van der Leeuw, Nijkerk, 1950, p.555-638) to function as a catalogue of the ‘Verzameld Werk’ collection, which can also be found under the same call number. Three boxes of non-categorised materials were later added, containing reviews of Van der Leeuw’s work, sermons, offprints, and speeches for radio.

The archive contains hundreds of sermons, lecture notes, speeches, dissertations, notes and diary entries.

Instructions for users of the archive

Accessibility

The collection is accessible for research purposes. To look at the collection, a University Library Access Pass is required.

Limitations to use

The materials in this collection are available for viewing only. They cannot be borrowed. When consulting this collection, the rules set out in the Reglement voor de gebruikers van de Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen apply. Reproductions, insofar as they are allowed are to be made in line with the rules set out in the Tarieven en diensten Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

The copyright is held by the heirs of Van der Leeuw, who have delegated it to the head librarian of the University Library Groningen. As owners of the collection, the University Library Groningen has the right to publish (parts of) the collection.

Accessing the collection

An inventory of the archive is available.

Citations

When referencing (materials from) this archive, the following information must be provided in full at least once. After this, an abbreviated citation suffices.

• Archive: University Library Groningen, Archive Gerardus van der Leeuw

• Individual items: Groningen, UB, Van der Leeuw [number]

Requests

Materials from this collection can be requested by sending an email to Special Collections department.

Other accessways

Most of Van der Leeuw’s published works are part of the collection of the University Library Groningen. These can be requested through Smartcat, the online Library Catalogue.

Appendix

Literature

• W. Hofstee, Goden en mensen. De godsdienstwetenschap van Gerardus van der Leeuw 1890-1950, Kampen 1997 (with references to previous works).

Portrait

A portrait of Van der Leeuw, painted by Justus Tjalling Halbertsma (1923-2011), is on display in the Senaatskamer of the Academybuilding at the University of Groningen. For more information, see R.E.O. Ekkart and J. Schuller tot Peursum-Meijer, Groninger Academieportretten, Groningen 1978, nr. 181.