Jan de Quay

Jan de Quay
Jan de Quay in 1962
39th Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office May 19, 1959 – July 24, 1963
Monarch	Juliana
Preceded by	Louis Beel
Succeeded by	Victor Marijnen
Minister of Transport and Water Management
In office November 22, 1966 – April 5, 1967
Prime Minister	Jelle Zijlstra
Preceded by	Ko Suurhoff
Succeeded by	Joop Bakker
Deputy Prime Minister
In office November 22, 1966 – April 5, 1967 Serving with Barend Biesheuvel
Prime Minister	Jelle Zijlstra
Preceded by	Anne Vondeling
Succeeded by	Johan Witteveen
Member of the Senate
In office June 25, 1963 – November 22, 1966
Member of the Senate
In office June 13, 1967 – September 16, 1969
Minister of Defence
In office August 1, 1959 – September 4, 1959
Prime Minister	Jan de Quay
Preceded by	Sidney J. van den Bergh
Succeeded by	Sim Visser
Queen's Commissioner of North Brabant
In office November 1, 1946 – May 19, 1959
Monarch	Wilhelmina (1946-1948) Juliana (1948-1959)
Preceded by	Johannes van Oyen
Succeeded by	Constant Kortmann
Minister of War
In office April 4, 1945 – June 24, 1945
Prime Minister	Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Preceded by	Jim de Booy
Succeeded by	Jo Meynen
Personal details
Born	Jan Eduard de Quay August 26, 1901 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Died	July 4, 1985 (aged 83) Beers, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Roman-Catholic State Party (for 1945) Catholic People's Party (1945-1980)
Spouse(s)	Maria van der Lande (1901-1988)
Children	9
Alma mater	Utrecht University (PhD)
Occupation	Politician Professor Psychologist
Religion	Roman Catholic

Jan Eduard de Quay (August 26, 1901 – July 4, 1985) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party (KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from May 19, 1959 until July 24, 1963.

He previously served as Minister of War from April 4, 1945 until June 24, 1945 in the Cabinet Gerbrandy III. He became Queen's Commissioner of North Brabant serving from November 1, 1946 until May 19, 1959. After the Dutch general election of 1959, de Quay became Prime Minister of the Netherlands, leading the Cabinet De Quay. And as acting Minister of Defence from August 1, 1959 until September 4, 1959 following the resignation of Sidney J. van den Bergh.

After his premiership, De Quay remained in active politics and became a Member of the Senate from June 25, 1963 until November 22, 1966 when he became Minister of Transport and Water Management and Deputy Prime Minister in the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra serving from November 22, 1966 until April 5, 1967. He became again a Member of the Senate serving from June 13, 1967 until September 16, 1969.^[1]

Biography

Early life

Jan Eduard de Quay was born in 's-Hertogenbosch on August 26, 1901. After attending a Jesuit school in Katwijk, he graduated in psychology from the University of Utrecht in 1926. The following year he was awarded a doctorate for his thesis on the contribution of sensory and motor factors to the learning and labour process.

In 1928 he was appointed lecturer in psychotechnology at the Catholic college of higher education in Tilburg (now the University of Tilburg) and in 1933 professor of business economics and psychotechnology at the same institution. During the pre-war mobilisation of the Netherlands (1939-1940) De Quay became a lieutenant in the reserve. In July 1940 he formed the Triumvirate of the controversial nationalist Dutch Union with Louis Einthoven and Hans Linthorst Homan. This Union was controversial because its leaders suggested partial collaboration with the German occupiers. In August 1940 De Quay started secret meetings with the fascistic Nationaal Front in oder to fuse the two organisations. During these talks De Quay called himself a fascist, the Union a fascistic organisation and said that he rejected democracy.^[2] In May and June of the same year he was government commissioner for labour at the Ministry of Social Affairs. In this position he encouraged the Dutch population to seek employment in Germany. From July 1942 to June 1943 he was interned in Haaren, after which he went into hiding from the occupation authorities. This lasted until June 1943, when he went into hiding. Following the liberation of the area south of the rivers in late 1944, he became chairman of the Board of Commissioners for Agriculture, Industry, Trade and Commerce set up to restore the national economy.

Politics

From April 5 until June 23, 1945, De Quay was Minister of War in the Cabinet Gerbrandy II. On November 1, 1946 he became Queen's Commissioner of North Brabant until May 19, 1959. He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from May 19, 1959 until July 24, 1963. He served as a Member of the Senate from June 25, 1963 until November 22, 1966. During the Cabinet Zijlstra he served as Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and Deputy Prime Minister from November 22, 1966 until April 5, 1967. On June 13, 1967 he again was a Member of the Senate until September 16, 1969.

Trivia

De Quay died on July 4, 1985 in Beers, he was 83.^[3]

Decorations

• Order of the Netherlands Lion
  • Knight (September 17, 1946)
  • Commander (April 17, 1967)
• Order of Orange-Nassau
  • Commander (April 29, 1959)
  • Grand Officer (July 27, 1963)

References

1. (Dutch) Jan Eduard de Quay (1901-1985) Historici.nl
2. (Dutch) Met het CDA op weg naar de fascistische heilstaat Vrijspreker.nl
3. (Dutch) Jan Eduard de Quay (1901-1985) Bhic.nl

External links

• Dr. J.E. de Quay (Ministry of General Affairs)
• (Dutch) Dr. J.E. (Jan) de Quay (Parlement & Politiek)
• (Dutch) Dr. J.E. de Quay (KVP) (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal)