Astrid Roemer

Astrid Roemer
Roemer in 2016
Born
Astrid Heligonda Roemer

(1947-04-27)27 April 1947
Paramaribo, Suriname
Died8 January 2026(2026-01-08) (aged 78)
Paramaribo, Suriname
OccupationWriter
LanguageDutch
NationalitySuriname
Netherlands
Notable worksOn a Woman's Madness (Over de gekte van een vrouw)
Notable awardsP. C. Hooft Award (2016)
Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren (2021)

Astrid Heligonda Roemer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɑstrɪt ɦeːliˈɣɔndaː ˈrumər], 27 April 1947 – 8 January 2026) was a Surinamese-Dutch writer and teacher. The Dutch-language author published novels, novellas, drama, poetry and radio plays. In 2016 she won the P. C. Hooft Award, the most important literary prize in the Netherlands and Belgium. Roemer was the first Surinamese author to win this award. She was also the first Surinamese author to win the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren, which she was awarded in 2021. Translations of her work were longlisted for the National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2023 and the International Booker Prize in 2025.