Lien Deyers

Lien Deyers, stage name of Nicolina Dijjers Spanier, was a screen actress from the Netherlands, who worked in the German film-industry. She was the first Dutch actress to rise to some international fame. Lien Deyers was born in Amsterdam as Nicolina Spanier, daughter of Nathan Spanier, piano teacher, and Johanna Liefjes. She had a half-brother, Andries Liefjes, a child from a previous relationship of Liefjes. After Spanier’s death mrs. Liefjes married the hotel-owner Egbert Dijjers and the family moved to The Hague. Later in life Lien would officially change her name into Dijjers Spanier and would occasionally also use the name Dijjers Liefjes. At several times she stated her year of birth being 1910 or 1911. In interviews she’d never mention Spanier or Liefjes. At the early age of five her potential was noted by Amsterdam theatre owner and film producer David Sluizer, but she did not enter the film business. She lived her childhood years in Amsterdam and later The Hague until her stepfather, owner of a big hotel in The Hague, married the Austrian actress Lotte Erol. Lien travelled between The Hague, Vienna and Lausanne, where she went to a private school.