Willem Polak (14 September 1924, Amsterdam – 1 October 1999, Ilpendam) was mayor of Amsterdam from 15 June 1977 until 1 June 1983.[1]
Polak was born to a Jewish merchant family in Amsterdam on the 14th of September 1924. His parents were killed during the second World War. After the war, he worked as a journalist for Het Vrije Volk. In Joop den Uyl's government, he was appointed Secretary of State for local finances, and worked towards improving the financial position of the larger Dutch cities. Subsequently, he became mayor of Amsterdam for a six-year period, where his challenges included numerous squatting cases as well as riots related to Queen Beatrix's coronation.
He died in 1999 at his home in Ilpendam.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ivo Samkalden |
Mayor of Amsterdam 1977–1983 |
Succeeded by Ed van Thijn |