Ed van Thijn

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Eduard van Thijn


Born	August 16, 1934 (1934-08-16) (age 73) (age 73) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political party	Labour Party (PvdA)
Residence	Amsterdam
Religion	none

Eduard van Thijn (born August 16, 1934 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch politician. Of Jewish ancestry, he and his mother were imprisoned in the Westerbork concentration camp during World War II, and also spent 18 months in hiding. After the war, he studied political science and social science at the City University of Amsterdam.

van Thijn began his political career as a councillor in the city government of Amsterdam. He subsequently served in the Tweede Kamer (lower house) of the Dutch Parliament.

He was Minister of Home Affairs in the 1980s, and mayor of Amsterdam from 1983 to 1994. He returned as Minister of Home Affairs from January 18, 1994 to May 27, 1994, but left in the wake of the IRT Affair. From 1999, he has served as a senator in the Eerste Kamer (upper house) for the Labour Party (PvdA).

van Thijn has been married three times. He and his first wife Marion had two children. He was in a relationship with the politician Hedy d'Ancona during the 1970's. From 1983 to 1990, his second marriage was to Eveline Herfkens, herself a politician. He married Odette Taminiau, his third wife, in 1992.