About Maartje Draak

Zwartwit beel van Maartje Draak met papierwerk in haar hand en zittend aan een bureau

Maartje Draak (25 March 1907 – 16 November 1995) was an extraordinary professor of Celtic Language and Literature at Utrecht University. From 1949, she served as a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam and in 1951 also received an appointment at Utrecht University. These appointments were later converted into positions as extraordinary professor in 1957 and 1955, respectively. In 1982, the internationally renowned Celtic scholar retired.

Maartje Draak has been called “the best storyteller in the history of medieval Dutch studies” (Van Oostrom, 312–313). With books such as Sinte Brandaan, she reached a wide audience. The anecdote that she sometimes introduced herself by saying, “My name is Draak, and I deal in fairy tales,” reflects her reputation as a popularizer. In 1955, Maartje Draak became the first woman to be elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) in the Literature section.

After her death, the Maartje Draak Fund was established at the KNAW through a bequest. On 19 July 2024, the Maartje Draak Fund was transferred to the Utrecht University Fund.