Herman Benjamins | |
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| Born | Herman Daniël Benjamins (1850-02-25)25 February 1850 |
| Died | 25 January 1933(1933-01-25) (aged 82) The Hague, Netherlands |
| Occupation(s) | educator, editor, writer |
| Notable work | Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië (1914-1917) De West-Indische Gids (1919) |
Herman Daniël Benjamins (25 February 1850 – 25 January 1933), was a Surinameseeducator,editor andwriter. He is best known as the founding editor ofDe West-Indische Gids,[1] and editor of theEncyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië (1914-1917).[2]
Herman Daniël Benjamins was born inParamaribo on 25 February 1850.[1] Benjamins went to theNetherlands to study mathematics and physics at theUniversity of Leiden. He received hisdoctorate on 2 July 1875, and returned to Suriname.[3]
In 1877, Benjamins was appointed as the principal of a high school. The school opened on 15 November 1877, but closed again in March 1878[3] due to lack of students.[1] On 1 June 1878, Benjamins was appointed Inspector of Education,[3] and served in this capacity until 1910.[1] In 1882, theGeneeskundige School, a non-academic medical school, was founded and Benjamins was among the first teachers.[4]
During the first nine years, he doubles the number of students and teachers in Suriname.[5] Benjamins propagated the use ofDutch overSranan Tongo, the English-based Creole spoken throughout the colony.[6] In 1893, he was awarded as Knight in theOrder of the Netherlands Lion.[7] In 1910, he asked for retirement, and retired to the Netherlands.[8]
In 1914, Benjamins andJohannes Snelleman embarked on anencyclopaedia about the Dutch West-Indies. On 27 February 1917, theEncyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië was published.[9] In 2008, theDigital Library for Dutch Literature compiled theCanon of Dutch Literature, a list of 1,000 culturally important publications which includes theEncyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië.[10]
In 1919, Benjamins foundedDe West-Indische Gids, a magazine with topics about Suriname and theNetherlands Antilles.[11] In 2012, the magazine was acquired byBrill Publishers and is nowadays known asNew West Indian Guide.[12] In 1898, Benjamins first started to write about theborder dispute between Suriname andBritish Guiana. He extensively used his magazine to resolve the issue.[13] Benjamins was also fascinated byAphra Behn, and often wrote about her.[14] In the translation ofOroonoko, Benjamins added a foreword casting doubt whether Behn had actually lived in Suriname, or whether the story is fictitious.[15]
Benjamins died 25 January 1933 inThe Hague at the age of 82.[1]
On 25 February 1930, the Westerschool was renamed Dr H.D. Benjaminsschool.[16] The H.D. Benjaminsstraat in Paramaribo has named in his honour.[1]
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