Grachtengordel in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe

Stelly Hoeben

— Walk of Pride Amsterdam —

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 31, 2026

1. Stelly Hoeben Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Stelly Hoeben
1955 - 1999
zij/haar she/her

Psychologe Stelly Hoeben was actief betrokken bij de oprichting van Gaotika en het Lesbisch Archief in Nijmegen. Met haar aanwezigheid op beide plekken was zij een stuwende kracht van de lesbische en vrouwen- emancipatie in Nijmegen.

Psychologist Stelly Hoeben was actively involved in founding Gaotika and the Lesbian Archive in Nijmegen. With her presence in both institutions, she was a driving force behind lesbian and women's emancipation in Nijmegen.

Erected 2026 by Walk of Pride Amsterdam. (Marker Number 14.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Women. In addition, it is included in the Walk of Pride Amsterdam series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1955.

Location. 52° 22.404′ N, 4° 53.304′ E. Marker is in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland (North Holland). It is in Grachtengordel. It is at the intersection of Raadhuisstraat and Singel, on the right when traveling west on Raadhuisstraat. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Raadhuisstraat 8, Amsterdam,

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Noord-Holland 1016 DE, Netherlands. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Europe,

the European Union,

Atlantic Europe,

the Benelux Low Countries,

the Schengen Area,

Western Europe,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Holy Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Tania Leon (here, next to this marker); Inge Intven (a few steps from this marker); Annemarie Grewel (a few steps from this marker); Alfred Kinsey (within shouting distance of this marker); Emma Trosse (within shouting distance of this marker); Edgar Caïro (within shouting distance of this marker); Jacob Anton Schorer (within shouting distance of this marker); Sarah Hegazi (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Amsterdam.

Also see . . . Stelly Hoeben (Walk of Pride Amsterdam). Excerpt:

Stelly’s contributions were groundbreaking. As co-founder and driving force behind the Nijmegen Lesbian Archive (LAN), she laid the foundation for an archive that preserves the history of lesbian women while also making
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 31, 2026

2. Stelly Hoeben Marker - wide view
that accessible. Begun as an informal collection in a small spare room in a co-worker’s home, the archive officially opened its doors in Villa Lila, a hub for LGBTQ activities, in 1985. Stelly was not only involved in its development but also took the lead in digitizing the collection.

Already in the period when computers were still far from widespread, she recognized the potential of digitization and the emerging internet. Using a computer with a DOS operating system and barely 1GB of memory, she managed to organize the collection and make it accessible. This pioneering role demonstrated her forward-looking vision.

At the LAN’s ten-year anniversary in 1995, Stelly organized the first public exhibition in Nijmegen’s city hall, opened by Alderman Marja Alofs. Due to high water levels in the Rhine and the evacuation of the river region at that time, the city hall had become a press center, and the exhibition was broadcast worldwide as a backdrop to news reports.

Before the archive was established, Stelly had already been active at Gaotika, women’s center in Nijmegen. She had also participated in numerous demonstrations, including
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abortion protests and the Pierson Street riots of 1981 between squatters and the Nijmegen police. She served on the board of feminist bookstore De Feeks (The shrew) for several years. Stelly initiated Juffrouw Kip (a Sunday afternoon “salon” for older lesbians) and Lena’s Evening (a regular get-together for women at the Villa Lila) and organized film afternoons under the name Lavender Screen, where lesbian films were screened and discussed. These were all gatherings where lesbian women could meet in a relaxed environment. They continued for many years and offered a safe haven for many women.

(Submitted on September 21, 2026.)

Additional keywords. tegel

Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 21, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 21, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.