Ad Simonis (1931-2020) was bishop of Rotterdam between 1970 and 1983 and then archbishop of Utrecht until 2007. In 1985, he was created cardinal by Pope John Paul II. Historians see him as a key figure in Dutch Church history of the 20th century, about whom opinions were divided.
This new publication was written by Bas van Nieuwland, who has worked at the KDC to organize the Simonis archive, with the cooperation of Andreas Caspers, Paul van Geest, Hans Krabbendam, Ramses Peters and Lodewijk Winkeler, and it is published by Radboud University Press.
This new book contains the inventory of the Simonis archive and some characteristic examples of the material from this archive. This part of the publication is preceded by a biographical introduction and three essays that provide prompts for further research. The authors of these essays will present their findings at the meeting on 2 September.
Visit the book launch
Want to know more about the meeting on 2 September 2025? Find the programme and how to register in the Radboud events calendar.
