Blonde Dolly

Sebilla Alida Johanna Niemans (27 September 1927 – 31 October 1959), known as Blonde Dolly, was a Dutch prostitute and businesswoman who was murdered by strangulation. Her murderer was never caught.

As she did not get on with her stepmother, Niemans left home looking for a job and accommodation. Through a fortune teller and a purported Italian sailor who was, in fact, a pimp, she entered prostitution in the Kerkstraat. After being investigated by police, Niemans returned to her father and stepmother and started training in dressmaking. It was estimated that she had been strangled on the night of 30-31 October. There were no signs of violence, and a considerable amount of cash was found in the residence by the police. Robbery was ruled out as a motive for the crime.

In popular culture The life and death of Blonde Dolly was incorporated in Michel Dubois' novel Murder on Black Martha (1962), and was portrayed in director Gerrit van Elst's film Blonde Dolly (1987). Casper Postmaa wrote a book about the case. In 2019 appeared Blonde Dolly by Tomas Ross with new details about the murder.