Hans de Koster

Hans de Koster in 1972

Henri Johan "Hans" de Koster (5 November 1914 – 24 November 1992) was a Dutch politician. He was born in Leiden, and died in Wassenaar.

Early years

Hans de Koster graduated from Higher Civic School and earned his bachelor's degree in economics in Amsterdam. He then continued his studies abroad.

He worked at Koster & Co in Leiden, a flour mill renamed in 1928 as N.V. De Sleutels (now Meelfabriek).

World War II

During World War II, de Koster led the espionage group "Peggy". He promoted plans to assist the Dutch population and for Dutch economic recovery and he was in clandestine communication with Britain.

De Koster was friends with the Dutch royal family and especially with Prince Bernhard.

Post-war

In 1946 he became director at N.V. De Sleutels, like his grandfather. In 1964, Keys was acquired by Meneba, and for three years de Koster was a board member.

In the De Jong cabinet (1967-1971), he was State Secretary for Foreign Affairs on behalf of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Dutch: Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie, VVD). He was subsequently defence minister in two Biesheuvel cabinets (1971-1972 and 1972-1973).

In 1972 de Koster presented the Rijckevorsel Commission report which proposed changes in the Dutch armed forces, including a major reduction in the army and transfer of Air Force roles to NATO partners. , build a training area at Ter Apel and the first step towards a volunteer professional army.

After his time as minister, he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives and spokesman on Foreign Affairs of the VVD (1973-1977) and from 1977 to 1980 he was a member of the Dutch Senate. From 1978 to 1981 he was Chairman of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

From his personal archives, released in 2005, it was revealed that he breached the confidentiality of the private fixed Parliamentary Committee for Defence in June 1975, and the prince was informed about the developments. He also knew through a filibuster during a meeting of the committee to avoid research into the prince.

Awards and decorations

Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion (29 April 1966)
Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (8 June 1973)
Bronze Lion

Preceded by Willem den Toom	Minister of Defence 1971-1973	Succeeded by Henk Vredeling

Ministers of Defence of the Netherlands

Ministry of Defence

Lambooij Deckers Colijn Van Dijk Dijxhoorn Van Boeijen Furstner Van Lidth de Jeude De Booy De Quay Meynen Fiévez Schagen van Leeuwen Schokking s'Jacob Staf Van den Bergh De Quay Visser De Jong Den Toom De Koster Vredeling Stemerdink Kruisinga De Koning Scholten De Geus Van Mierlo De Ruiter Van Eekelen Bukman Bolkestein Ter Beek Voorhoeve De Grave Korthals Kamp Van Middelkoop Hillen Hennis-Plasschaert

De Jong cabinet (1967-1971)

^{Preceded: Zijlstra cabinet · Succeed: First Biesheuvel cabinet}

Prime Minister	Piet de Jong General Affairs

Deputy Prime Ministers	Johan Witteveen Finance Joop Bakker Transport, Public Works and Water Management and Surinamese and Netherlands Antilles Affairs

Ministers	Henk Beernink Interior Joseph Luns Foreign Affairs Carel Polak Justice Leo de Block Economic Affairs) (1967-1970 Piet de Jong Economic Affairs) (Acting Roelof Nelissen Economic Affairs) (from 1970 Willem den Toom Defence Bauke Roolvink Social Affairs and Health Gerard Veringa Education and Science Pierre Lardinois Agriculture and Fisheries Wim Schut Housing and Spatial Planning Marga Klompé Culture, Recreation and Social work

Minister without portfolio	Berend Jan Udink Development Cooperation

State Secretaries	Chris van Veen Interior Hans de Koster Foreign Affairs Frits Grapperhaus Finance Klaas Wiersma Justice) (from 1970 Louis van Son Economic Affairs Joop Haex Defence Adri van Es Defence Anthony Duynstee Defence Roelof Kruisinga Social Affairs and Health Hans Grosheide Education and Science Mike Keyzer Transport, Public Works and Water Management Hein van de Poel Culture, Recreation and Social work

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 283094912 BPN: 96644632

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