View source for Mankes-Zernike, Anna (1887-1972)

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<h3>1959 Article</h3> Anna Zernike, b. 1887 at [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]], studied theology at the university and the [[Amsterdam Mennonite Theological Seminary (Kweekschool)|Mennonite seminary at Amsterdam]] and became the first woman minister in the Dutch Mennonite church. She served 1911-1915 at [[Bovenknijpe (Friesland, Netherlands)|Bovenknijpe]] in Friesland. In 1915 she was married to the painter Jan Mankes and retired, but after the death of her husband (1920) she again went into the ministry, serving 1921-1948 in the <em>[[Nederlandse Protestantenbond|Protestantenbond]] </em>(Dutch union of liberal Protestants) at Rotterdam. In 1921 she obtained her Th.D. degree. She wrote many articles for Dutch periodicals and a few books on art and religion. -- <em>Nanne van der Zijpp</em>

<hr/> <h3>1990 Article</h3>    [[File:Mankes-Zernike.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Anna Mankes-Zernike. A 1916 oil

painting by her husband, Jan

Mankes. Source: [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestand:Mankes-Zernike.jpg Wikipedia

Commons]'']]     Born 30 April 1887, Anna Zernike studied theology at the [[Amsterdam, University of (Amsterdam, Netherlands)|University of Amsterdam]] and the [[Amsterdam Mennonite Theological Seminary (Kweekschool)|Amsterdam Mennonite Theological Seminary]] (1905-1911). In 1911 she became the first woman pastor in The [[Netherlands|Netherlands]] when she accepted the invitation of the Mennonite congregation in Bovenknijpe. In 1915 she married the artist-painter Jan Mankes. Following his death in 1920 she became the leader of the Dutch Protestant organization "Linker-Maasoever" in Rotterdam, continuing in that work until her retirement in 1948. It was disappointing to her not to receive further invitations from Mennonite congregations after that. She spent her last years in the retirement center at [[Amersfoort (Utrecht, Netherlands)|Amersfoort]]. She died 6 March 1972.

Theologically she was attracted to the freethinking Protestantism represented also by her teacher G. A. van den Berg van Eysinga. While she fulfilled her pastoral tasks with thoroughness and care, she also became a frequent commentator on social and international issues. In 1918 she wrote her doctoral dissertation on historical materialism and the social democratic ethic. Together with R. N. Roland Holst she wrote the biography <em>Jan Mankes </em>(Utrecht, 1923, 1928). Other publications included <em>Opvoedings-problemen </em>(Amsterdam, 1924), <em>Rainer Maria Rilke: Een benadering </em>(Rotterdam, 1925), and <em>Historische godsdiensten en universeele religie </em>([[Assen (Drenthe, Netherlands)|Assen]], 1938). She also published her memoirs in <em>Een vrouw in het wondere ambt: Herinneringen van een predikante </em>(Amsterdam, n.d.).  -- <em>S. B. J. Zilverberg</em>
= Bibliography =
<em class="gameo_bibliography">Boeke, R. "Dr. A. Mankes-Zernike 1887-1972." <em class="gameo_bibliography">Rotterdam</em><em class="gameo_bibliography"> Jaarboekje </em>(1973): 189-193.</em>

<em class="gameo_bibliography">Doopsgezinde Jarboekje </em>(1973): 13-17 (1986): 34ff.
= Additional Information =
Anne Zernike [http://www.annezernike.nl/ website] (Dutch)
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 1139; vol. 5, pp. 537-538|date=1987|a1_last=Zijpp|a1_first=Nanne van der|a2_last=Zilverberg|a2_first=S. B. J.}}