First Gerbrandy cabinet

Last updated
First Gerbrandy cabinet
Second London cabinet
Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Cabinet of the Netherlands
Date formed3 September 1940 (1940-09-03)
Date dissolved27 July 1941 (1941-07-27)
(Demissionary from 12 June 1941 (1941-06-12))
People and organisations
Head of state Queen Wilhelmina
Head of government Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Deputy head of government Hendrik van Boeijen (De Facto)
No. of ministers10
Ministers removed2
Member party Roman Catholic
State Party

(RKSP)
Social Democratic
Workers' Party

(SDAP)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
Free-thinking
Democratic League

(VDB)
Liberal State Party
(LSP)
Status in legislature National unity government
War cabinet
History
Legislature terms 1937–1946
Predecessor Second De Geer cabinet
Successor Second Gerbrandy cabinet

The First Gerbrandy cabinet , also called the Second London cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch government-in-exile from 3 September 1940 until 27 July 1941. The War cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU), the social-democratic Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the social-liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VBD) and the conservative-liberal Liberal State Party (LSP) after the resignation of the previous Cabinet De Geer II. The national unity government (War cabinet) was the second of four war cabinets of the government-in-exile in London during World War II. [1]

Contents

Formation

On 26 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina dismissed the Second De Geer cabinet after she lost confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer to govern after the German Invasion on 10 May 1940. Subsequently on 28 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina appointed Minister of Justice Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (ARP) as Formateur to form a new cabinet. On 3 September 1940 the formation of the war cabinet was completed and Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was installed as Prime Minister. All ministers of the previous Second De Geer cabinet (excluding Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer) where retained, with Minister of Colonial Affairs Charles Welter (RKSP) taking over as Minister of Finance from Dirk Jan de Geer.

Term

The cabinet fell on 12 June 1941 after a conflict between Queen Wilhelmina and Minister of Defence Adriaan Dijxhoorn, leading to the dismissal of the minister. Immediately also the other ministers resigned and the cabinet continued for five weeks as a demissionary cabinet until the ministries were redistributed and the Second Gerbrandy cabinet was installed on 27 July 1941.

Changes

On 1 May 1941 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Aat van Rhijn (CHU) was appointed as a Member of the Court of Audits. Because there was little work in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries while the government-in-exile was in London the portfolio was combined with the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Shipping Max Steenberghe (RKSP).

Cabinet Members

[2]
Ministers Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)BeginEndParty
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy 1941 (1).jpg Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy Prime Minister 3 September 194027 July 1941 [Continued] Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Minister Justice 3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued]
Hendrik van Boeijen 1942 (1).jpg Hendrik van Boeijen Minister General Affairs 3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued] Christian
Historical Union
Minister Interior 3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued]
Eelco van Kleffens 1945.jpg Eelco van Kleffens Minister Foreign Affairs 3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued] Independent
Classical Liberal
Welter, Ch.J.I.M. - SFA007000358.jpg Charles Welter Minister Finance 3 September 194027 July 1941 Roman Catholic
State Party
Minister Colonial Affairs 3 September 1940 [Retained] 17 November 1941 [Continued]
Max Steenberghe.jpg Max Steenberghe Minister Commerce,
Industry and
Shipping
3 September 1940 [Retained] 17 November 1941 [Continued] Roman Catholic
State Party
Adriaan Dijxhoorn.jpg Adriaan Dijxhoorn Minister Defence 3 September 1940 [Retained] 12 June 1941 [Res] Independent
Conservative Liberal
Hendrik van Boeijen 1942 (1).jpg Hendrik van Boeijen 12 June 194127 July 1941 [Continued] Christian
Historical Union
Jan van den Tempel 1942 (1).jpg Dr.
Jan van
den Tempel

(1877–1955)
Minister Social Affairs 3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued] Social Democratic
Workers' Party
Gerrit Bolkestein (1944).jpg Gerrit Bolkestein Minister Education, Arts
and Sciences
3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued] Free-thinking
Democratic League
Onze afgevaardigden (1913) - Willem Albarda (cropped).jpg Willem Albarda Minister Water Management 3 September 1940 [Retained] 27 July 1941 [Continued] Social Democratic
Workers' Party
Aart van Rhijn (1940-1945).jpg Aat van Rhijn Minister Agriculture and
Fisheries
3 September 1940 [Retained] 1 May 1941 [App] Christian
Historical Union
Max Steenberghe.jpg Max Steenberghe 1 May 194127 July 1941 [Continued] Roman Catholic
State Party
Resigned
Retained from the previous cabinet
Continued in the next cabinet
Appointed as President of the Court of Audit

References

  1. "Gerbrandy in Londen" (in Dutch). Andere Tijden. 18 March 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  2. Source: (in Dutch) Parlement & Politiek