450 years of Leiden University: Famous people (2)
Leiden University was founded in 1575 and is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university has seven faculties (six in Leiden and one in The Hague), with 33.701 students enrolled in 2025. In February you could read about famous people, but there are more Dutch celebrities who have a connection to the university. Did they complete their studies? Yet they became famous in another field. This eleventh blog covers: Famous people (2).
Famous people
Martin Buitenhuis (Van Dik Hout)
Martin Guido Buitenhuis (1969) is a Dutch singer, composer, and lyricist. He is best known for the pop group Van Dik Hout. Buitenhuis was born in Den Helder. In 1985, he founded the pop group Van Dik Hout together with his school friends. He became the singer and also wrote many songs for the band. The song *Stil in mij* reached the Dutch Top 40 in 1994. In 2002, he appeared as a bartender in the film *Volle maan*. In 2015, he participated in the eighth season of *De Beste Zangers*. Martin studied at university, but studying and the band Van Dik Hout did not go together. So he dropped out of his studies.
Video: Van Dik Hout – Stil in mij (1994):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5XuLLbQ03E
In the years that followed, the group had several major hits in the Netherlands. More successful albums, largely written by the Assorgia/Buitenhuis duo, would follow. They performed at major festivals, such as the Liberation Festival in Haarlem (1994), Pinkpop (1995, 1998), Noorderslag (1996), Lowlands (1996), and Parkpop (1996). During their performance at Lowlands, Van Dik Hout surprised the press and audience by playing a number of songs with “mystery guest” Herman Brood, including *Pijn*, which was later released as a single. In 2002, Van Dik Hout performed at the wedding reception of Willem-Alexander and Máxima in the Amsterdam ArenA.
Jan steen
Jan Havickszoon Steen (Leiden, 1626 – Leiden, buried February 3, 1679) was a Dutch painter of the 17th century, the era of Northern Netherlandish Baroque painting. His work is world-famous for his humorous and ironic view of life. He is best known for his entertaining paintings of messy and wild households, tavern scenes, and quacks attempting to cure heartbreak with medicines. However, his repertoire also includes serious history paintings, other genre scenes, and a few portraits. The Dutch expressions 'a household of Jan Steen' and 'to liven things up' are derived from his work.
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Like his even more famous contemporary Rembrandt van Rijn, Steen attended the Latin school in Leiden. In 1646, he enrolled at the University of Leiden, but this probably had more to do with the privileges, such as exemption from militia service and from excise duties on wine and beer, than with serious career plans. He was registered as a student of letters but did not complete his studies. The only mention of his age dates from November 1646, when he states that he is twenty years old. Since his parents married in November 1625, it is plausible that he was born the following year.
Eppo van Nispen tot Sevenaer
Jhr. Eppo Folef Marie van Nispen tot Sevenaer (Voorburg, May 27, 1964) is a Dutch administrator in the heritage sector. He has been Director of the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision since early 2018. Previously, Van Nispen was Director of DOK Delft and of the Foundation for Collective Promotion of the Dutch Book.
After attending Aloysius College in The Hague, Van Nispen studied at Leiden University (did not complete). Van Nispen worked in various positions in broadcasting, including at TROS (90s) and SBS (2003–2005). Between 2005 and 2010, he was director of DOK Delft, where he helped transform the library in an innovative way. Between 2010 and 2017, Van Nispen was director of the CPNB. Since February 2018, he has been director of Beeld & Geluid.
DJ Armin van Buuren
Armin Jozef Jacobus Daniël van Buuren (1976) is a Dutch disc jockey and music producer. In 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012, he ranked number 1 on DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJ list. The Leiden-based DJ Armin van Buuren received the City of Leiden's Medal of Honor in 2013. He received the award from Mayor Henri Lenferink. The Medal of Honor is traditionally presented on the eve of the celebration of the Relief of Leiden. The medal, comparable to honorary citizenship, was awarded for the 76th time. It is a token of appreciation for someone who has dedicated themselves to Leiden. According to the municipality, Van Buuren is an ambassador for Leiden par excellence. For instance, he actively campaigned for the Glass House to come to Leiden in 2011. And every year during Queen's Day, he gave a free show in the city that attracted thousands of people from Leiden and the surrounding area.
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