Willem Frederik Hermans (1 September 1921 – 27 April 1995) was a Dutch author known for his poetry, novels, short stories, plays, and literary criticism. Among his most celebrated works are The House of Refuge (1952), The Darkroom of Damocles (1958), and Beyond Sleep (1966).

After World War II, Hermans attempted to sustain himself solely through writing. However, given the post-war recovery period, it was challenging. Between 1948 and 1957, he published three collections of short stories, with The House of Refuge gaining prominence. In 1958, he became a lecturer in physical geography at Groningen University, a position he held until moving to Paris in 1973. That same year, he gained widespread attention with The Darkroom of Damocles.

In the 1970s, Hermans played a pivotal role in exposing Friedrich Weinreb as a deceiver of Jews during the war. He notably declined the P. C. Hooft Award in 1971 but was awarded the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren in 1977, considered the most prestigious literary honor for Dutch-language writers. King Boudewijn of Belgium personally awarded Hermans the prize.

Hermans is recognized as one of "De Grote Drie" (The Great Three), a title given to the three most influential postwar Dutch authors, alongside Harry Mulisch and Gerard Reve.