First Gerbrandy cabinet

The First Gerbrandy cabinet, also called the Second London cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch government-in-exile from 3 September 1940 until 27 July 1941. The War cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU), the social-democratic Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the social-liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VBD) and the conservative-liberal Liberal State Party (LSP) after the resignation of the previous Cabinet De Geer II. The national unity government (War cabinet) was the second of four war cabinets of the government-in-exile in London during World War II.[1]

First Gerbrandy cabinet
Second London cabinet

Cabinet of the Netherlands
Date formed3 September 1940 (1940-09-03)
Date dissolved27 July 1941 (1941-07-27)
(Demissionary from 12 June 1941 (1941-06-12))
People and organisations
Head of stateQueen Wilhelmina
Head of governmentPieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Deputy head of governmentHendrik van Boeijen (De Facto)
No. of ministers10
Ministers removed2
Member partyRoman Catholic
State Party

(RKSP)
Social Democratic
Workers' Party

(SDAP)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
Free-thinking
Democratic League

(VDB)
Liberal State Party
(LSP)
Status in legislatureNational unity government
War cabinet
History
Legislature terms1937–1946
PredecessorSecond De Geer cabinet
SuccessorSecond Gerbrandy cabinet

Formation

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On 26 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina dismissed the Second De Geer cabinet after she lost confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer to govern after the German Invasion on 10 May 1940. Subsequently on 28 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina appointed Minister of Justice Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (ARP) as Formateur to form a new cabinet. On 3 September 1940 the formation of the war cabinet was completed and Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was installed as Prime Minister. All ministers of the previous Second De Geer cabinet (excluding Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer) where retained, with Minister of Colonial Affairs Charles Welter (RKSP) taking over as Minister of Finance from Dirk Jan de Geer.

Term

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The cabinet fell on 12 June 1941 after a conflict between Queen Wilhelmina and Minister of Defence Adriaan Dijxhoorn, leading to the dismissal of the minister. Immediately also the other ministers resigned and the cabinet continued for five weeks as a demissionary cabinet until the ministries were redistributed and the Second Gerbrandy cabinet was installed on 27 July 1941.

Changes

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On 1 May 1941 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Aat van Rhijn (CHU) was appointed as a Member of the Court of Audits. Because there was little work in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries while the government-in-exile was in London the portfolio was combined with the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Shipping Max Steenberghe (RKSP).

Cabinet Members

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Ministers Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Dr.
Pieter Sjoerds
Gerbrandy

(1885–1961)
Prime Minister 3 September 1940 –
25 June 1945
[Continued]
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Minister Justice 10 August 1939 –
21 February 1942
[Retained] [Continued]
  Hendrik
van Boeijen

(1889–1947)
Minister General Affairs 3 September 1940 –
23 February 1945
[Retained] [Continued]
Christian
Historical Union
Minister Interior 24 June 1937 –
31 May 1944
[Retained] [Continued]
  Eelco van Kleffens
(1894–1983)
Minister Foreign Affairs 10 August 1939 –
1 March 1946
[Retained] [Continued]
Independent
Classical Liberal
  Charles Welter
(1880–1972)
Minister Finance 3 September 1940 –
27 July 1941
Roman Catholic
State Party
Minister Colonial Affairs 10 August 1939 –
17 November 1941
[Retained] [Continued]
  Max Steenberghe
(1899–1972)
Minister Commerce,
Industry and
Shipping
10 May 1940 –
17 November 1941
[Retained] [Continued]
Roman Catholic
State Party
  Major general
Adriaan Dijxhoorn
(1889–1953)
Minister Defence 10 August 1939 –
12 June 1941
[Retained] [Res]
Independent
Conservative Liberal
  Hendrik
van Boeijen

(1889–1947)
12 June 1941 –
15 September 1942
[Continued]
Christian
Historical Union
  Dr.
Jan van
den Tempel

(1877–1955)
Minister Social Affairs 10 August 1939 –
23 February 1945
[Retained] [Continued]
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
  Gerrit Bolkestein
(1871–1956)
Minister Education, Arts
and Sciences
10 August 1939 –
25 June 1945
[Retained] [Continued]
Free-thinking
Democratic League
  Willem Albarda
(1877–1957)
Minister Water Management 10 August 1939 –
23 February 1945
[Retained] [Continued]
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
  Dr.
Aat van Rhijn
(1892–1986)
Minister Agriculture and
Fisheries
10 May 1940 –
1 May 1941
[Retained] [App]
Christian
Historical Union
  Max Steenberghe
(1899–1972)
1 May 1941 –
17 November 1941
[Continued]
Roman Catholic
State Party
Source: (in Dutch) Parlement & Politiek
Resigned
Retained from the previous cabinet
Continued in the next cabinet
Appointed as President of the Court of Audit

References

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  1. ^ "Gerbrandy in Londen" (in Dutch). Andere Tijden. 18 March 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
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Official