Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Encyclopedia
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (April 13, 1885 – September 7, 1961) was a Dutch
politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party
(ARP). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
from September 3, 1940 until June 24, 1945. He was the Prime Minister
of the Dutch government in exile
during World War II
.
, in the province of Friesland
, in the Netherlands
. He was an ethnic Frisian, and his name is styled in the traditional Frisian way: first name ("Pieter"), patronymic ("Sjoerds", meaning "son of Sjoerd"), family name (Gerbrandy).
for the Anti-Revolutionaire Partij (ARP), and became a professor at the Vrije Universiteit
of Amsterdam (1930). Against his party's advice he was Minister of Justice (1939).
The royal family and many leading politicians had fled to London
in 1940. There, they formed a government in exile. After De Geer
's resignation and because of Gerbrandy's rejection of De Geer's defeatism, Queen Wilhemina
appointed him as prime minister of the Dutch government in exile
, serving in turn as minister of justice, the Colonies, and the general conduct of the War. On his initiative, the Dutch government started to broadcast from Radio Oranje. This station supplied the Dutch population with information from the free world.
In 1945, after the liberation of the south, he formed a new cabinet without socialists, which was alleged to be strictly subordinated to the military rule. He resigned after the total liberation. He strongly opposed the government's ‘Indonesian policy’, and in 1946–50 chaired the National Committee for the Maintenance of the Kingdom's Unity, which was against the separation of Indonesia
and supported the idea of a Republic of the South Moluccas.
In 1948 he returned in the Dutch Parliament. However, because of his hot temper, he alienated himself from his party members. In 1956 he was member of a commission, which investigated the affair around Greet Hofmans
. In 1959 he resigned as a member of Parliament..
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party
Anti Revolutionary Party
The Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
(ARP). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
from September 3, 1940 until June 24, 1945. He was the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
of the Dutch government in exile
Dutch government in exile
The Dutch government in exile was the government of the Netherlands, headed by Queen Wilhelmina, that evacuated to London after the German invasion of the country at the outset of World War II....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was born in the village of Goënga near SneekSneek
Sneek is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and seat of the former municipality of Sneek in the province of Friesland . As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân...
, in the province of Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
, in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He was an ethnic Frisian, and his name is styled in the traditional Frisian way: first name ("Pieter"), patronymic ("Sjoerds", meaning "son of Sjoerd"), family name (Gerbrandy).
Politics
From 1920 to 1930 he was a member of the States of FrieslandFriesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
for the Anti-Revolutionaire Partij (ARP), and became a professor at the Vrije Universiteit
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
of Amsterdam (1930). Against his party's advice he was Minister of Justice (1939).
The royal family and many leading politicians had fled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1940. There, they formed a government in exile. After De Geer
Dirk Jan de Geer
Jonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer was a Dutch nobleman, lawyer, conservative statesman and prime minister of the Netherlands . He was disgraced for advocating a peace settlement between the Kingdom and Nazi Germany in 1940.Born in Groningen, he was a descendant of the de Geer family painted by Rembrandt...
's resignation and because of Gerbrandy's rejection of De Geer's defeatism, Queen Wilhemina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
appointed him as prime minister of the Dutch government in exile
Dutch government in exile
The Dutch government in exile was the government of the Netherlands, headed by Queen Wilhelmina, that evacuated to London after the German invasion of the country at the outset of World War II....
, serving in turn as minister of justice, the Colonies, and the general conduct of the War. On his initiative, the Dutch government started to broadcast from Radio Oranje. This station supplied the Dutch population with information from the free world.
In 1945, after the liberation of the south, he formed a new cabinet without socialists, which was alleged to be strictly subordinated to the military rule. He resigned after the total liberation. He strongly opposed the government's ‘Indonesian policy’, and in 1946–50 chaired the National Committee for the Maintenance of the Kingdom's Unity, which was against the separation of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and supported the idea of a Republic of the South Moluccas.
In 1948 he returned in the Dutch Parliament. However, because of his hot temper, he alienated himself from his party members. In 1956 he was member of a commission, which investigated the affair around Greet Hofmans
Greet Hofmans
Greet Hofmans was a faith healer and hand layer. For nine years she was a friend and advisor of Queen Juliana, often residing at Palace Soestdijk...
. In 1959 he resigned as a member of Parliament..
Decorations
- Knight - Order of the Netherlands Lion (1930)
- Grand Officer - Order of the Netherlands Lion (1946)
See also
- First Gerbrandy cabinetFirst Gerbrandy cabinetThe first cabinet of Gerbrandy was one of the four cabinets during the Dutch government in exile which were seated in London. The cabinet is formed after the Second De Geer cabinet resigned after Queen Wilhelmina withdrew her confidence in the cabinet because of their approach towards the war with...
- Second Gerbrandy cabinetSecond Gerbrandy cabinetThe second cabinet of Gerbrandy was one of the four cabinets during the Dutch government in exile which were seated in London. The cabinet was formed after a conflict between Queen Wilhelmina and minister Dijxhoorn of Defence regarding his Bureau Bijzondere Aangelegenheden leading to his dismissal...
- Third Gerbrandy cabinetThird Gerbrandy cabinetThe third cabinet of Gerbrandy was the last of four cabinets of the Dutch government in exile during the second world war and was seated in London. The cabinet was formed after the resignation of the SDAP ministers from the second Gerbrandy cabinet in January 1945...