Jan Gerard Kemmerling

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Jan Gerard Kemmerling (February 4, 1776 - January 15, 1818), at the age of 23 he became secretary at the newly established France Canton Heerlen, when the French arrived in Heerlen, in the year 1795, he sympathized with their ideas of Enlightenment and revolution.

In the year 1801 he also started to work as a notary, and in the same year became a member of the municipal government. In the year 1805 he was made maire (French name for mayor) of Heerlen, he was also the maire of Nieuwenhagen (till his death).

He tried to befriend the Prussians who occupied Heerlen on July 13, 1814, and was seemingly successful, for after Heerlen became a part of the new Kingdom of the Netherlands (May 12, 1815) he remained as mayor.

King Willem I rather had civil servants who were trained in modern administrational duties under Napoleon then once not used to this.