Eighty years ago, in November, Leo Vroman kissed Georgine (Tineke) Sanders for the first time on a bench in the Zocherpark in Utrecht.

A plaque was unveiled on a bench in this spot to commemorate this kiss. They both studied in Utrecht and got to know each other whilst still very young. Leo knew immediately that Tineke was the love of his life. Tineke had to think about it for a while.

Leo Vroman mentioned this kiss often in his poetry, Tineke remained his muse and only love until his death. The festive unveiling of the plaque was performed by the mayor of Utrecht, Jan van Zanen, in the presence of both of Leo and Tineke’s daughters Geri and Peggy and their families. The bench is known colloquially as the ‘Vromanbench’, a lovely place for (new) sweethearts to meet in Utrecht.