Ellen Deckwitz
(The Netherlands, 1982) is a poet, columnist, critic and presenter at literary events, including Writers Unlimited. For De steen vreest mij (2011), she was awarded the C. Buddingh’ Prize for the best poetry debut. Her collection Hogere natuurkunde (2019) is part travelogue, part myth and part testimony, and the outcome of conversations Deckwitz engaged in with individuals whose roots also trace back to the former Dutch East Indies. In 2022, Eerste hulp bij poëzie was published, an omnibus containing her collections Olijven moet je leren lezen (2020) and Dit gaat niet over grasmaaien (2021). Deckwitz writes columns for national daily newspaper NRC. In her NPO Luister podcast Poëzie vandaag, she presents a Dutch or translated poem every workday morning. She is one of three critics of podcast Boeken FM. Since Autumn 2025, she has been one of the presenters of Nooit meer Slapen, the VPRO's night-time cultural radio programme.
Instagram: @la_deck
Past events
Memory of the body
A conversation about hereditary trauma and resilience.
Humour and discomfort
Irresistibly funny writing, with Viv Groskop and Joost Oomen. Moderator: Ellen Deckwitz.
Book of My Life: Mira Feticu in conversation with Ellen Deckwitz
About De Mitsukoshi Troostbaby Company van Auke Hulst.
Book of My Life: Onjuli Datta in conversation with Ellen Deckwitz
About Theft by Finding by David Sedaris.
Book of My Life: George Abraham in conversation with Ellen Deckwitz
About Gate of the Sun by Elias Khoury.
Old Ties, New Connections: A trip via the Indonesian past to the present
With Robin Block, Ellen Deckwitz, Adriaan van Dis, Lara Nuberg and Maddy Stolk
Book of My Life with Ellen Deckwitz
About The Evenings (De avonden) by Gerard Reve.
WWZ x Winternachten Festival 2022
Performers, Poetry & Punchlines - the best spoken word artists and poets of the moment all together on one stage!
Ellen Deckwitz and Adriaan van Dis: Inheritance
A discussion about family, inheritance and whether or not it is possible to escape the transferral of history, and thereby your roots, and the good fortune or grief that goes along with them.
Letters from Overseas
Nine authors present a letter they wrote to someone in a (former) colony, as an ode to the enslaved Wilhelmina, who sent a never-delivered but recently opened letter to her former master in 1795.
Who's afraid of youth
Pupils from schools in The Hague present their best poems. They've had over ten hours of poety lessons behind them. After a lot of writing and deleting, expanding and cutting they now bring their very best poems. Tonight Ellen Deckwitz performs with them. Programme in cooperation with Huis van Gedichten. In Dutch.
Long live poetry!
The best poets of the year read their poetry. Those nominated for the VSB Poetry Award, Luuk Gruwez, Ester Naomi Perquin and Menno Wigman, perform together with Ellen Deckwitz (C. Buddingh' Prize 2012 for the best poetic debut) and Rodaan Al Galidi (Literature prize of the European Union).
A programme in cooperation with Poetry International. In Dutch.
