Piet Kasteel

Petrus Albertus "Piet" Kasteel (4 November 1901 – 13 December 2003) was a Dutch journalist, diplomat, and colonial administrator. He was parliamentary editor of De Maasbode, and fled to England during World War II where he served for the Dutch government-in-exile. He served as Governor of Curaçao and Dependencies from 15 July 1942 until 4 August 1948, Dutch Ambassador to Chile (1948–1956), to Ireland (1956–1966) and briefly to Israel (1966).

Piet Kasteel
Kasteel (1942)
Ambassadors of the Netherlands to Ireland
In office
March 1956 – 1966
Ambassadors of the Netherlands to Chile
In office
1948–1956
Governor of Curaçao and Dependencies
In office
15 July 1942 – 4 August 1948
Preceded byGielliam Wouters
Succeeded byLeonard Antoon Peters
Personal details
Born
Petrus Albertus Kasteel

(1901-11-04)4 November 1901
Zwolle, Netherlands
Died13 December 2003(2003-12-13) (aged 102)
Rome, Italy
Occupationjournalist, diplomat and colonial administrator

Biography

Kasteel was born on 4 November 1901 in Zwolle, Netherlands.[1] He converted to the Catholic Church.[2] In 1923, he moved to Amsterdam, where he became a journalist for De Tijd,[3] and founded the Catholic association De Klare Waarheid.[4] In October 1929, he became parliamentary editor of De Maasbode,[5] then the largest Catholic newspaper in the Netherlands.[6] In 1938, he received his doctorate in political and social sciences from KU Leuven on a biography of prime minister Abraham Kuyper.[3][7]

On 14 May 1940, after the German invasion of the Netherlands, Kasteel as a known anti-fascist boarded a fishing boat leaving his wife and children behind, and arrived in England two days later. He offered his services to the Dutch government-in-exile under the nom de guerre "Chateau neuf du Pape".[1] He started to work for the Ministry of Justice, and befriended Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy. In September 1940, Gerbandy became Prime Minister-in-exile, and appointed Kasteel as his personal secretary.[3]

On 15 July 1942, Kasteel was installed as Governor of Curaçao and Dependencies.[8] In 1947 negotiations started for political autonomy of Curaçao and Dependencies. The island of Aruba no longer wanted remain subordinate to Curaçao, and demonstrations were organised.[9] In January 1948, the delegations of Aruba and Curaçao demanded the resignation of Kasteel.[10] In June 1948, Kasteel announced his resignation,[11] and left on 4 August 1948.[8]

Via della Conciliazione, Rome

Kasteel was appointed Ambassador of the Netherlands to Chile, and served until 1956,[3] In March 1956, he was appointed Ambassador to Ireland, and served until 1966. He served briefly as Ambassador to Israel, and retired in December 1966.[1] After retiring, Kasteel moved to Via della Conciliazione in Rome, Italy near the Vatican where his son Karel served in the Apostolic Camera.[3]

On 13 December 2003, Kasteel died in Rome, at the age of 102.[3]

Honours

References
  1. "Dr. P.A. (Piet) Kasteel". Dutch Parliament (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  2. "Piet Kasteel, Gouverneur van Curaçao". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 18 May 1942. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  3. Jan Kuijk en Pieter van der Ven (17 December 2003). "Leven met Kuyper, Gerbrandy en zoon Karel". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  4. "Piet Kasteel". Dagblad van Noord-Brabant (in Dutch). 23 November 1927. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  5. "De Parlementaire Redacteur van de "Maasbode"". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 7 October 1929. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  6. "Witlox, Johannes Henricus Josephus Maria". Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  7. Piet Kasteel (1938). Abraham Kuyper (Thesis) (in Dutch). Kampen: Kok.
  8. "Staatkundige geschiedenis periode 1". National Archive of Curaçao (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  9. "Demonstratie in Willemstad". De Nederlander (in Dutch). 11 September 1947. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  10. "Curaçao krijgt zijn zin". De Gooi- en Eemlander (in Dutch). 30 January 1948. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  11. "Staten van Curaçao protesteren". Overijsselsch dagblad (in Dutch). 15 June 1948. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  12. "Decoration (in the year 1815-1993)". Open Archives. Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  13. "Legioen der Eer voor Dr. Piet Kasteel". Limburgsch dagblad (in Dutch). 17 April 1948. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  14. "Kort Nieuws". Twentsch dagblad Tubantia en Enschedesche courant (in Dutch). 28 February 1948. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  15. "Vrijheidspalmen voor Kasteel". De Tijd : godsdienstig-staatkundig dagblad (in Dutch). 30 October 1946. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  16. "Ridders en edelvrouwen Heilig Graf ingekleed". De tijd : dagblad voor Nederland (in Dutch). 27 May 1968. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
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