Dirk Jan de Geer
Jonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer (14 December 1870 – 28 November 1960) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Christian Historical Union (CHU) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 8 March 1926 until 10 August 1929 and from 10 August 1939 until 3 September 1940.
Dirk Jan de Geer | |
|---|---|
Dirk Jan de Geer in 1930 | |
| Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office 10 August 1939 – 3 September 1940 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelmina |
| Preceded by | Hendrikus Colijn |
| Succeeded by | Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy |
| In office 8 March 1926 – 10 August 1929 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelmina |
| Preceded by | Hendrikus Colijn |
| Succeeded by | Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck |
| Chairman of the Christian Historical Union | |
| In office 30 June 1933 – 10 August 1939 | |
| Preceded by | Jan Rudolph Slotemaker de Bruïne |
| Succeeded by | Hendrik Tilanus |
| Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives | |
| In office 28 April 1933 – 10 August 1939 | |
| Preceded by | Reinhardt Snoeck Henkemans |
| Succeeded by | Hendrik Tilanus |
| Parliamentary group | Christian Historical Union |
| Leader of the Christian Historical Union | |
| In office 8 July 1929 – 14 May 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Johan de Visser |
| Succeeded by | Hendrik Tilanus |
| Minister of the Interior and Agriculture | |
| In office 4 August 1925 – 8 March 1926 | |
| Prime Minister | Hendrikus Colijn |
| Preceded by | Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck |
| Succeeded by | Jan Kan |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 10 August 1939 – 3 September 1940 | |
| Prime Minister | Dirk Jan de Geer |
| Preceded by | Christiaan Bodenhausen |
| Succeeded by | Charles Welter |
| In office 8 March 1926 – 26 May 1933 | |
| Prime Minister | Dirk Jan de Geer (1926–1929) Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (1929–1933) |
| Preceded by | Hendrikus Colijn |
| Succeeded by | Pieter Oud |
| In office 28 July 1921 – 11 August 1923 | |
| Prime Minister | Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck |
| Preceded by | Simon de Vries |
| Succeeded by | Hendrikus Colijn |
| Mayor of Arnhem | |
| In office 8 May 1920 – 28 July 1921 | |
| Preceded by | Aarnoud van Heemstra |
| Succeeded by | Salomon de Monchy |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 9 May 1933 – 10 August 1939 | |
| In office 25 July 1922 – 18 September 1922 | |
| In office 4 November 1907 – 30 August 1921 | |
| Parliamentary group | Christian Historical Union (1908–1939) Christian Historical Party (1907–1908) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dirk Jan de Geer 14 December 1870 Groningen, Netherlands |
| Died | 28 November 1960 (aged 89) Soest, Netherlands |
| Political party | Christian Historical Union (from 1908) |
| Other political affiliations | Christian Historical Party (1903–1908) Christian Historical Voters' League (until 1903) |
| Spouse | Maria Voorhoeve (m. 1904; died 1955) |
| Relations |
|
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Utrecht University (LLB, LLM) |
| Occupation | |
Life Edit
Born in Groningen, he was a descendant of the De Geer family. After receiving his J.D. in 1895, De Geer worked as a journalist and acted as the town councillor of Rotterdam (1901–1907).
He served from 1907 as a Christian Historical member of Parliament. De Geer was a stable and respected politician before World War II. From 1920 to 1921, de Geer served as mayor of Arnhem. Between 1921 and 1923, he served as Minister of Finance. He resigned in 1923 because of his disagreement with the Naval Law of 1924. From 1925 to 1926, he served as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Agriculture. He was Prime Minister from 8 March 1926 to 10 August 1929. He also served as Minister of Finances from 1926 to 1933.
After the end of the fifth cabinet of Colijn, he was again asked to form a government in August 1939 and concurrently held the offices of Minister of Finance and of General Affairs. However, he was not suited for the role of prime minister of a nation at war, as he knew himself. When Nazi Germany attacked the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 (beginning of the Western campaign), the situation soon became very serious, and the government fled to Britain.
In Britain, De Geer advocated negotiating a separate peace between the Netherlands and Germany and damaged the Dutch government and Dutch morale by openly stating that the war could never be won. He was finally removed from office on the instigation of Queen Wilhelmina and replaced by Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy, officially on account of ill health.[1]
Later, he was sent with a diplomatic package to the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. He never arrived there since on a stopover in Portugal, he left the flight and went to the Germans. who allowed him to return to his ailing wife and the rest of his family in the Netherlands.[2]
That greatly angered Wilhelmina, who called him a traitor and deserter to the Dutch cause. He later wrote a controversial leaflet with "instructions" for the people on how to co-operate with the Germans. "With this pamphlet", the Dutch government-in-exile stated in a broadcast, "the writer has betrayed the Netherlands people, whatever happens to him personally".[2] Wilhelmina warned De Geer that if he published the pamphlet, he would be put on trial after the conclusion of the war.[3]
With the permission[2] of the Reichskommissariat Niederlande, De Geer went through with the publication. After the war, he was found guilty of high treason in time of war and was stripped of all of his honorary titles. The Appeal Court confirmed the sentence of a year's imprisonment, with three years' probation but waived the fine of 20,000 guilders and the deprivation of the title "Minister of State".[4]
He died some 15 years later in Soest.
Personal Edit
On 11 August 1904, De Geer married Maria Voorhoeve (1 May 1883 – 6 April 1955).[5][6]
His grandson is ex-footballer Boudewijn de Geer, and his great-grandson is current footballer Mike de Geer.
Death Edit
De Geer died on 28 November 1960 at Soest, Netherlands, at the age of 89, 16 days before his 90th birthday and several years after having suffered a stroke.
Decorations Edit
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion | Netherlands | 31 August 1933 | Stripped of title on 15 March 1950 | |
| Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 11 August 1923 | Stripped of title on 15 March 1950 | |
| Honorific Titles | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
| Minister of State | Netherlands | 31 August 1933 | Style of Excellency Stripped of title on 12 November 1947 | |
References Edit
- ^ "As a result of a reshuffle..." The Age. 19 September 1940. p. 8. Retrieved February 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Dutch Accuse Ex-Premier Of Traitor's Act". The Salt Lake Tribune. 22 April 1942. p. 5. Retrieved February 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Keesing's Contemporary Archives, Volume IV, (February, 1941) p. 4479
- ^ Keesing's Contemporary Archives Volume VI, (November, 1947) p. 8944
- ^ Driessen, Eduard. "Maria Voorhoeve (1883-1955) » Stamboom Driessen » Genealogie Online". Genealogie Online. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- ^ "Maria Voorhoeve geb. 1 mei 1883 Rotterdam ovl. 6 apr 1955 Soest: jwvdhurk". www.stamboomonderzoek.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
External links Edit
- Newspaper clippings about Dirk Jan de Geer in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
- (in Dutch) Jhr.Mr. D.J. (Dirk) de Geer Parlement & Politiek