biography
pronunciation:
[drays]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1886–1988)
|
| biography:
| Dutch left-wing politician and prime minister (1948–58), born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He became a government stenographer, then entered politics, joining the Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP, Socialist Democratic Workers' Party) and becoming president of its branch in The Hague in 1911. He was a member of The Hague Municipal Council (1913–42) and the Provincial Council of South Holland (1919–41), and was alderman responsible for social affairs (1919–31) and finance and public works (1931–3) in The Hague. He sat in the Second Chamber from 1933 until the German invasion of 1940. During World War 2 he worked in the resistance and spent one year in Buchenwald. After the war he helped to form the Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA) and was responsible for the Pensions Act (1947), gaining great popularity. He served as prime minister in 1948–58. In 1971 he left the PvdA as being too radical. He was responsible for handing over the Netherlands East Indies to the Indonesian government. A special stamp was issued to commemorate his 100th birthday. His son, also called Willem Drees, followed him into politics. |
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