Schermerhorn–Drees cabinet

The Schermerhorn–Drees cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 25 June 1945 until 3 July 1946. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), the social-democratic Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) and the social-liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) by royal decree following the end of World War II. The cabinet was a provisional centre-left[2] grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives, with prominent civil engineer Willem Schermerhorn of the Free-thinking Democratic League serving as Prime Minister. Social Democratic Leader Willem Drees served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs.

Schermerhorn–Drees cabinet

41st Cabinet of the Netherlands
Presentation of the incoming cabinet at the Binnenhof on 4 June 1946
Date formed25 June 1945 (1945-06-25)
Date dissolved3 July 1946 (1946-07-03)
1 year, 8 days in office
(Demissionary from 16 May 1946 (1946-05-16))
People and organisations
MonarchQueen Wilhelmina
Prime MinisterWillem Schermerhorn
Deputy Prime MinisterWillem Drees
No. of ministers16
Member party25 June 1945 – 9 February 1946

Roman Catholic
State Party

(RKSP)
Social Democratic
Workers' Party

(SDAP)
Free-thinking
Democratic League

(VDB)

9 February 1946 – 3 July 1946

Catholic People's Party
(KVP)
Labour Party
(PvdA)


Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
(Confidence and supply)
Status in legislatureCentre-left[1]
Majority government
(Grand coalition/Provisional)
History
Legislature term(s)1937–1946
Incoming formation1945 formation
Outgoing formation1946 formation
PredecessorThird Gerbrandy cabinet
SuccessorFirst Beel cabinet

This, the first Dutch cabinet after World War II, was appointed by Queen Wilhelmina just a month after the Netherlands were liberated by the Allied forces. It was a royal cabinet (which means that the cabinet is appointed by the monarch, and is not the result of an election). The States-General of the Netherlands was not yet functional, and would not become so until November 1945.

The cabinet served during the early days of the post-World War II 1940s. Domestically, it initiated recovery and rebuilding, and implemented several major reforms to social security. Internationally, the formation of the United Nations was started and the beginning of the decolonization of the Dutch East Indies.[3][4]

The Schermerhorn–Drees cabinet consisted of ministers from the SDAP (which in 1946 merged with the VDB and the CDU to become the post-War PvdA or Labour Party), the CHU minister Dr. Piet Lieftinck (who became a member of the PvdA on 9 February 1946), the ARP and the RKSP (named the KVP on 22 December 1945). Prime Minister Willem Schermerhorn was a member of the VDB, but would later become a member of the PvdA. Deputy Prime Minister Willem Drees was a member of the SDAP.

Cabinet actions

One of the main tasks of the cabinet was to revive the Dutch economy after the war and to rebuild the devastated infrastructure (ports, railroads, roads). Furthermore the Dutch administration had to be restored. Furthermore the cabinet had to deal with the arrest and prosecution of Dutch war criminals and Dutch collaborators.

Until August 1945 the war against Japan in the Dutch East Indies was also a main objective of the cabinet. After the Japanese surrender the cabinet was faced with the Indonesian nationalists Sukarno and Hatta, who proclaimed the independence of their country.

Another objective of the cabinet was the purification of the black money circuit. During the period the bank accounts in the Netherlands were under investigation by the Ministry of Finance, every Dutch citizen was given 10 guilders by the cabinet, in the Netherlands known as 'Het tientje van Lieftinck' (Lieftinck's tenner), named after the minister of Finance, Dr. Lieftinck.

Cabinet members

Ministers Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
Willem Schermerhorn Dr.
Willem
Schermerhorn

(1894–1977)
Prime Minister General Warfare 25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Free-thinking
Democratic League
Labour Party
Willem Drees Willem Drees
(1886–1988)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Social Affairs 25 June 1945 –
7 August 1948
[Continued]
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
Minister Labour Party
Louis Beel Dr.
Louis Beel
(1902–1977)
Minister Interior 23 February 1945 –
15 September 1947
[Retained] [Continued]
Roman Catholic
State Party
Catholic
People's Party
Eelco van Kleffens Eelco van
Kleffens

(1894–1983)
Minister Foreign Affairs 10 August 1939 –
1 March 1946
[Retained] [App]
Independent
Classical Liberal
Herman van Roijen Dr.
Herman
van Roijen

(1905–1991)
1 March 1946 –
3 July 1946
Independent
Social Democrat
Piet Lieftinck Dr.
Piet Lieftinck
(1902–1989)
Minister Finance 25 June 1945 –
1 July 1952
[Continued]
Christian
Historical Union
Labour Party
Hans Kolfschoten Hans Kolfschoten
(1903–1984)
Minister Justice 25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Roman Catholic
State Party
Catholic
People's Party
Hein Vos Hein Vos
(1903–1972)
Minister Commerce and
Industry
25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
Labour Party
Jo Meynen Jo Meynen
(1901–1980)
Minister War 25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Jim de Booy Commander
Jim de Booy
(1885–1969)
Navy 23 February 1945 –
3 July 1946
[Retained]
Independent
Classical Liberal
Minister Shipping 31 May 1944 –
3 July 1946
[Retained]
Gerard van der Leeuw Dr.
Gerard van
der Leeuw

(1898–1981)
Minister Education, Arts
and Sciences
25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Independent
Christian Democratic
Protestant
Labour Party
Steef van Schaik Steef van Schaik
(1888–1968)
Minister Transport and
Energy
25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Roman Catholic
State Party
Catholic
People's Party
Sicco Mansholt Sicco Mansholt
(1908–1995)
Minister Food Supplies,
Agriculture and
Fisheries
25 June 1945 –
16 October 1945
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
Agriculture,
Fisheries and
Food Supplies
16 October 1945 –
1 January 1958
[Continued]
Labour Party
Johan Ringers Dr.
Johan Ringers
(1885–1965)
Minister Public Works and
Reconstruction
25 June 1945 –
15 November 1946
[Continued]
Independent
Classical Liberal
Johann Logemann Dr.
Johann
Logemann

(1892–1969)
Minister Colonial Affairs 25 June 1945 –
3 July 1946
Independent
Social Democrat
Labour Party
Ministers without portfolio Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
Herman van Roijen Dr.
Herman
van Roijen

(1905–1991)
Minister Foreign Affairs United Nations 25 June 1945 –
1 March 1946
[App]
Independent
Social Democrat
Eelco van Kleffens Eelco van
Kleffens

(1894–1983)
1 March 1946 –
1 July 1947
Independent
Classical Liberal
Retained from the previous cabinet
Continued in the next cabinet
Appointed as Minister without portfolio for Foreign Affairs
Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs

Trivia

References

  1. Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  2. Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  3. "Coalities tussen sociaaldemocraten en confessionelen" (in Dutch). Historisch Nieuwsblad. 10 August 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  4. F.J.F.M. Duynstee; J. Bosmans (1977). Parlementaire geschiedenis van Nederland na 1945, deel 1, Het kabinet-Schermerhorn-Drees (1945-1946). Van Gorcum. p. 5. ISBN 90-232-1412-9.
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