Jan de Quay

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jan de Quay

In office
May 19, 1959 – July 24, 1963
Preceded by Louis Beel
Succeeded by Victor Marijnen

Born August 26, 1901(1901-08-26)
's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Died July 4, 1985 (aged 83)
Beers, Netherlands
Political party Katholieke Volks Partij

Jan Eduard de Quay (August 26, 1901July 4, 1985) was a Dutch politician. He served as prime minister of Netherlands between 1959 and 1963.
De Quay was born in 's-Hertogenbosch. He obtained his Bachelor in psychology at Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht in 1926 and his doctorate in 1927. His Master's degree was however in the field of Letters and Philosophy.

In 1928 he was appointed lector in psychotechnics at the Catholic Hogeschool Tilburg (current Katholieke Universiteit Brabant), which was followed by his appointment to professor in 1933. During the mobilization in the prelude to World War II (1939-1940) he served as reserve lieutenant. In July 1940 he chaired the now controversial Nederlandsche Unie together with Mr. Louis Einthoven and Mr. Johannes Linthorst Homan. This Union was controversial because its leaders suggested partial collaboration with the German occupiers.

In May and June 1940 De Quay functioned as commissioner for labour as part of the Ministry of Social Affairs. In July 1942 he was arrested and held at Haaren. This lasted until June 1943, when he went into hiding. After the liberation of the southern part of the Netherlands in late 1944, he became chairman of the Commission on Agriculture, Trade and Commerce.

From 5 April until 23 June 1945 he was Secretary of War in the Second Cabinet of Gerbrandy. Between 1946 and 1959 De Quay was Commissary of the Queen in the province of Noord-Brabant. He was minister-president from 19 May 1959 tot 24 July 1963.

Between 1963 and 1966 and between 1967 and 1969 he was a senator for the Catholic People's Party. In the Cabinet of Jelle Zijlstra he was vice-premier and Minister of Traffic, Water Management and Public Works.

Dr. J.E. de Quay died at the age of 83 in Beers in Noord-Brabant.

[edit] Sources