1578
The oldest book in the collection of Atria

'Der vrouwen lof ende lasteringe' (On the virtues and vices of women) is the oldest book in the collection. It was published in 1578 and is a translation from French of De la bonté et mauvaiseté des femmes from 1564. It is a treatise in two parts dealing with the virtues and vices of women. Most of the chapters are devoted either to a virtue or a vice; in some of the chapters, exemplary women or notable and unusual histories play a central role. Before original Dutch works in praise of women appeared in the seventeenth century, ‘Der vrouwen lof ende lasteringe’ enjoyed popularity in the Dutch Republic and played an important role in the Dutch tradition.

(original title): Der vrouwen lof ende lasteringe: begrijpende alle de goetheyt, deucht ende weerdicheyt der goeder : ende wederom alle de quaetheyt gebrec en valscheyt der quader vrouwen; ouergheset in Duytsch deur J.L.M. van Hapart / Jan van Marconville . -Antwerpen : Frank van Rauelenghien, 1578 . - 251p.

1879
First novel of women’s emancipation in the Netherlands

The protagonist of the first Dutch novel of women’s emancipation ‘Hilda van Suylenburg’ frees herself from the confining norms of her day and combines her profession as a lawyer with a happy marriage. The book was an important source of inspiration for the First Feminist Wave in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. All of the key issues of the women’s movement were taken up in this novel: laws regulating marriage, work, women’s right to vote, and professional opportunities for women in the sciences and arts. After the book appeared, many magazine articles and no fewer than twenty pamphlets and brochures were written in response to the book to discuss the social and political vision of ‘Hilda van Suylenburg’, or that of its author Cécile Goekoop Jong van Beek en Donk.

Hilda van Suylenburg / Cécile Goekoop-de Jong van Beek en Donk . - Amsterdam : Scheltema & Holkema, 1897 . - 245p.

1918
Pamphlet about women’s suffrage

This pamphlet from the Dutch Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht (Association for Women’s Suffrage) dating from 1918 sent their best wishes to the National Women’s Suffrage Associations in the United States and in Great Britain in the struggle for securing women’s suffrage.
It also called upon the Dutch public to vote into office a government that would grant all women the right to vote. In the Netherlands, women were granted the right to vote in 1919. In 1917, women had gained the right to run for political office, but not until 1919 did they gain the right to cast a vote.

Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht. - Amsterdam : Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht, 1918 . - 1p.

1919
Commemorative volume from the Dutch Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht 1894-1919

The Dutch Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht (Association for Women’s Suffrage) was founded in 1894 by Wilhelmina Drucker (1847-1925) with the goal of securing women’s suffrage. After women won the right to vote in 1919, the organization changed its name to the Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Staatsburgeressen (Dutch Women Citizens’ Association). This book includes articles that cover the 25-year long struggle for women’s suffrage, photographic portraits of women who held leadership positions in the organization, articles about nineteenth century women pioneers, personal memories of suffragists and a list of published texts.

Gedenkboek bij het 25-jarig bestaan van de Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht, 1894-1919 / E. v.d. Hoeven , G. van Leeuwen-van Marsveen , M.W.H. Rutgers-Hoitsema [et al.] . - Amsterdam : Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht, 1919 . - 149p.