Jelle Zijlstra

Minister of Economic Affairs
Minister of Economic Affairs
	In office; 2 September 1952 – 19 May 1959
Prime Minister	Willem Drees (1952–1958) ; Louis Beel (1958–1959)
Preceded by	Jan van den Brink
Succeeded by	Jan de Pous
Personal details
Born	Jelle Zijlstra; 27 August 1918; Oosterbierum, Netherlands
Died	23 December 2001 (aged 83); Wassenaar, Netherlands
Cause of death	Dementia
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal ; (from 1980)
Other political; affiliations	Anti-Revolutionary Party ; (until 1980)
Relatives	Rinse Zijlstra (brother)
Alma mater	Rotterdam School of Economics ; (BEc, M.Econ, PhD)
Occupation	Politician · civil servant · Economist · Businessperson · Banker · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Author · professor
Military service
Allegiance	Netherlands
Branch/service	Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service	1939–1940 (Conscription) ; 1940 (Active duty)
Rank	Lieutenant
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Netherlands; Battle of France;

Jelle Zijlstra (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjɛlə ˈzɛilstraː]; 27 August 1918 – 23 December 2001) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) now the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and economist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 November 1966 until 5 April 1967.^[1]^[2]

Zijlstra studied Economics at the

Minister of Finance taking office on 22 December 1958. For the election of 1959 Zijlstra again served as Lijsttrekker. Following a cabinet formation Zijlstra continued as minister of finance in the Cabinet De Quay. In September 1962 Zijlstra announced that he wouldn't not stand for the election of 1963 and declined to serve in new cabinet. Zijlstra returned as a distinguished professor of public economics at the Free University Amsterdam and was elected as a Member of the Senate after the Senate election of 1963 taking office on 25 June 1963 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Finance. Zijlstra also served as director of the Abraham Kuyper Foundation

from August 1963 until November 1966.

Zijlstra continued to be active in politics and in September 1966 was nominated as the next president of the Central Bank. However, after a political crisis, he was persuaded to lead an interim cabinet until the next election. Zijlstra formed the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra and became Prime Minister of the Netherlands and dual served as minister of finances, taking office on 22 November 1966. Before the election of 1967 Zijlstra indicated that he would not serve another term as prime minister and opted to accept the nomination as head of the Central Bank. Zijlstra left office following the installation of the Cabinet De Jong on 5 April 1967 and was confirmed as chief of the Central Bank, serving from 1 May 1967 until 1 January 1982.

Zijlstra retired from active politics at 63 and became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government, and continued to be active in advocating for a balanced governmental budget. Zijlstra was known for his abilities as skillful manager and effective debater. Zijlstra was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 30 April 1983 and continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death from dementia-related illness at the age of 83. He holds the distinction as the shortest-serving Prime Minister after World War II and his premiership is therefore usually omitted both by scholars and the public in rankings but his legacy as a minister in the 1950s and 60s and later as president of the Central Bank continue to this day.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Biography

Early life

Jelle Zijlstra was born on 27 August 1918 in

Nazi occupation authorities. Even so, he completed his economics degree in October 1945 as a Master of Economics

.

Immediately after graduating, Zijlstra became a research assistant at the Netherlands School of Economics and was promoted a year later to senior research assistant and in 1947 to lecturer. In 1948 he was awarded a doctorate as a Doctor of Philosophy with

cum laude for his thesis on the rate of circulation of money and its bearing on the value of money and monetary equilibrium. In the same year he was appointed professor of economics at the Vrije Universiteit

.

Politics

Representing the

Minister of Economic Affairs in the Drees II, Drees III and Beel II cabinets, and as Minister of Finance in the Beel II and De Quay

cabinets between 2 September 1952 and 24 July 1963.

Following his ministerial career, Zijlstra returned to the

Cabinet Cals, Zijlstra headed an interim government as Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Finance

between 22 November 1966 until 5 April 1967.

From 1967 until the end of 1981 he was President of De Nederlandsche Bank, the central bank of the Netherlands, and in the course of that period he was also President of the Bank for International Settlements in Basel. He has sat on many boards in the public and private sectors.

Personal

On 11 March 1946 Zijlstra married his childhood sweetheart Hetty Bloksma (30 January 1921 – 19 November 2013).^[9]^[10] They had three daughters and two sons, who were born between 1947 and 1961. The last months of life were dominated by his deteriorating health, and he suffered from dementia. Jelle Zijlstra died in Wassenaar on 23 December 2001 at the age of eighty-three Zijlstra, and was buried at the cemetery of the local Reformed Church in Wassenaar. His younger brother Rinse Zijlstra (19 April 1927 – 26 September 2017) was also a member of the House of Representatives, serving from 23 February 1967 until 10 May 1971 and a Senator serving from 12 April 1983 until 13 June 1995 for the Anti-Revolutionary Party and the Christian Democratic Appeal.^[11]

Decorations

Ribbon bar	Decoration	Country	Date	Comment
Military decorations
	War Memorial Cross	Netherlands	5 May 1946
	Mobilisation War Cross	Netherlands	31 August 1948
Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash of the Decoration of Honour for Services	Austria	1958
	Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown	Belgium	10 December 1966
	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	27 April 1967
	Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange	Netherlands	27 August 1978
	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	18 November 1981	Elevated from Commander (27 July 1963)
Honorific Titles
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Minister of State	Netherlands	30 April 1983	Style of Excellency

References

^ "Zijlstra, Jelle (1918–2001)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
^ (in Dutch) Jelle Zijlstra: intellectuele schatkistbewaker Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Elsevier, 14 June 2011
^ (in Dutch) Jelle Zijlstra (1918–2001) Biografie, Absolutefacts.nl, 19 February 2005
^ "De no-nonsense van Jelle Zijlstra" (in Dutch). Historischnieuwsblad.nl. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
^ (in Dutch) Willem Drees gekozen tot ‘Dé premier na WO II’, Geschiedenis24.nl, 15 January 2006
^ (in Dutch) NRC-enquête: Drees en Lubbers beste premiers sinds 1900, NRC Handelsblad, 28 September 2013
^ (in Dutch) I&O Research, I&O Research, 13 March 2020
^ "Jelle Zijlstra (1918–2001)". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
^ (in Dutch) Overlijdensbericht Heintje (Hetty) Bloksma in Trouw, 23-11-2013
^ "Stamboom Willems Hoogeloon-Best » Hetty Bloksma" (in Dutch). GenealogieOnline. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
^ (in Dutch) Vergeten volksvertegenwoordigers: dr. Jelle Zijlstra Archived 23 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, @Geschiedenisgek, 24 August 2011

External links

Official

(in Dutch) Dr. J. (Jelle) Zijlstra Parlement & Politiek
(in Dutch) Dr. J. Zijlstra (ARP) Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal
(in Dutch) Kabinet-Zijlstra Rijksoverheid

Party political offices
Preceded by Jan Schouten 1952	Lijsttrekker of the Anti-Revolutionary Party 1956 • 1959	Succeeded by Barend Biesheuvel 1963
Preceded by Jan Schouten	Leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party 1956 1958–1959	Succeeded by Sieuwert Bruins Slot
Preceded by Sieuwert Bruins Slot	Leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party 1956 1958–1959
Preceded by Jan Schouten	Parliamentary leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party in the House of Representatives 1956
Political offices
Preceded by Jan van den Brink	Minister of Economic Affairs 1952–1959	Succeeded by Jan de Pous
Preceded by Henk Hofstra	Minister of Finance 1958–1963 1966–1967	Succeeded by Johan Witteveen
Preceded by Anne Vondeling	Minister of Finance 1958–1963 1966–1967	Succeeded by Johan Witteveen
Preceded by Jo Cals	Prime Minister of the Netherlands 1966–1967	Succeeded by Piet de Jong
Preceded by Jo Cals	Minister of General Affairs 1966–1967	Succeeded by Piet de Jong
Civic offices
Preceded by Marius Holtrop	President of De Nederlandsche Bank 1967–1982	Succeeded by Wim Duisenberg
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by Jan Schouten	Director of the Abraham Kuyper Foundation 1963–1966	Succeeded by Wim Hoogendijk

[1] "Zijlstra, Jelle (1918–2001)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2019.

[2] (in Dutch) Jelle Zijlstra: intellectuele schatkistbewaker Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Elsevier, 14 June 2011

[3] (in Dutch) Jelle Zijlstra (1918–2001) Biografie, Absolutefacts.nl, 19 February 2005

[4] "De no-nonsense van Jelle Zijlstra" (in Dutch). Historischnieuwsblad.nl. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2019.

[5] (in Dutch) Willem Drees gekozen tot ‘Dé premier na WO II’, Geschiedenis24.nl, 15 January 2006

[6] (in Dutch) NRC-enquête: Drees en Lubbers beste premiers sinds 1900, NRC Handelsblad, 28 September 2013

[7] (in Dutch) I&O Research, I&O Research, 13 March 2020

[8] "Jelle Zijlstra (1918–2001)". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 31 July 2015.

[9] (in Dutch) Overlijdensbericht Heintje (Hetty) Bloksma in Trouw, 23-11-2013

[10] "Stamboom Willems Hoogeloon-Best » Hetty Bloksma" (in Dutch). GenealogieOnline. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

[11] (in Dutch) Vergeten volksvertegenwoordigers: dr. Jelle Zijlstra Archived 23 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, @Geschiedenisgek, 24 August 2011

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[9]

[10]

[11]

v t e Zijlstra cabinet (1966–1967)
Preceded: Cals cabinet Succeed: De Jong cabinet
Prime Minister	Jelle Zijlstra (General Affairs and Finance)
Deputy Prime Ministers	Jan de Quay (Transport and Water Management) Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs )
Ministers	Koos Verdam (Interior) Joseph Luns (Foreign Affairs) Teun Struycken (Justice) Economic Affairs ) Piet de Jong (Defence) Gerard Veldkamp (Social Affairs and Health) Isaäc Arend Diepenhorst (Education and Sciences) Herman Witte (Housing and Spatial Planning) Marga Klompé (Culture, Recreation and Social Work)
Minister without portfolio	Theo Bot (Aid to Developing Countries)
State Secretaries	Leo de Block (Foreign Affairs and Transport and Water Management) Economic Affairs ) Gerard Peijnenburg (Defence) Adri van Es (Defence) Heije Schaper (Defence) José de Meijer (Social Affairs and Health) Louis Bartels (Social Affairs and Health) Hans Grosheide (Education and Sciences)

v t e De Quay cabinet (1959–1963)
Preceded: Second Beel cabinet Succeed: Marijnen cabinet
Prime Minister	Jan de Quay (General Affairs)
Deputy Prime Minister	Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs )
Ministers	Edzo Toxopeus (Interior) Joseph Luns (Foreign Affairs) Jelle Zijlstra (Finance) Albert Beerman (Justice) Economic Affairs ) Sidney J. van den Bergh (Defence) (1959) Jan de Quay (Defence) (Ad interim) Sim Visser (Defence) (from 1959) Charles van Rooy (Social Affairs and Health) (1959–1961) Victor Marijnen (Social Affairs and Health) (Ad interim) Gerard Veldkamp (Social Affairs and Health) (from 1961) Jo Cals (Education, Arts and Sciences) (1959–1961) Marga Klompé (Education, Arts and Sciences) (1961–1962) (Ad interim) Jo Cals (Education, Arts and Sciences) (1962–1963) Marga Klompé (Education, Arts and Sciences) (from 1963) (Ad interim) Victor Marijnen (Agriculture and Fisheries) Jan van Aartsen (Housing and Construction) Marga Klompé (Social Work)
State Secretaries	Norbert Schmelzer (General Affairs) Theo Bot (Interior) Hans van Houten (Foreign Affairs) Willem van den Berge (Finance) Economic Affairs ) (1959–1961) Economic Affairs ) (from 1961) Michael Calmeyer (Defence) Piet de Jong (Defence) Bauke Roolvink (Social Affairs and Health) Ynso Scholten (Education, Arts and Sciences) Gerard Stubenrouch (Education, Arts and Sciences) (1959–1962) (†) Harry Janssen (Education, Arts and Sciences) (from 1962) Eddie Stijkel (Transport and Water Management)

v t e Second Beel cabinet (1958–1959)
Preceded: Third Drees cabinet Succeed: De Quay cabinet
Prime Minister	Louis Beel (General Affairs and Social Affairs and Health)
Deputy Prime Minister	Teun Struycken (Interior, Property and Public Sector Organisations and Justice)
Ministers	Joseph Luns (Foreign Affairs) Jelle Zijlstra ( Economic Affairs ) Kees Staf (War and Navy and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies) Jo Cals (Education, Arts and Sciences) Jan van Aartsen (Transport and Water Management) Herman Witte (Housing and Construction) Marga Klompé (Social Work) Colonial Affairs )
State Secretaries	Norbert Schmelzer (Interior, Property and Public Sector Organisations) Economic Affairs ) Harry Moorman (Navy) René Höppener (Education, Arts and Sciences)

v t e Third Drees cabinet (1956–1958)
Preceded: Second Drees cabinet Succeed: Second Beel cabinet
Prime Minister	Willem Drees (General Affairs)
Deputy Prime Minister	Teun Struycken (Interior, Property and Public Sector Organisations)
Ministers	Ko Suurhoff (Interior) (Ad interim) Joseph Luns (Foreign Affairs) Henk Hofstra (Finance) Ivo Samkalden (Justice) Jelle Zijlstra ( Economic Affairs ) Kees Staf (War and Navy) Ko Suurhoff (Social Affairs and Health) Jo Cals (Education, Arts and Sciences) Jacob Algera (Transport and Water Management) (1956–1958) Herman Witte (Transport and Water Management) (Ad interim) Jan van Aartsen (Transport and Water Management) (1958) Sicco Mansholt (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies) (1956–1958) Kees Staf (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies) (Ad interim) Anne Vondeling (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies) (1958) Herman Witte (Housing and Construction) Marga Klompé (Social Work) Colonial Affairs ) (Ad interim) Colonial Affairs )
State Secretaries	Norbert Schmelzer (Interior, Property and Public Sector Organisations) Ernst van der Beugel (Foreign Affairs) Economic Affairs ) Ferdinand Kranenburg (War) (1956–1958) Meine van Veen (War) (1958) Harry Moorman (Navy) Aat van Rhijn (Social Affairs and Health) Anna de Waal (Education, Arts and Sciences) (1956–1957) René Höppener (Education, Arts and Sciences) (1956–1957)

v t e Second Drees cabinet (1952–1956)
Preceded: First Drees cabinet Succeed: Third Drees cabinet
Prime Minister	Willem Drees (General Affairs)
Deputy Prime Minister	Louis Beel (Interior) (1952–1956)
Ministers	Julius Christiaan van Oven (Interior) (Ad interim) Johan Beyen (Foreign Affairs) Jo van de Kieft (Finance) Leendert Antonie Donker (Justice) (1952–1956) (†) Louis Beel (Justice) (Ad interim) Julius Christiaan van Oven (Justice) (from 1956) Jelle Zijlstra ( Economic Affairs ) Kees Staf (War and the Navy) Ko Suurhoff (Social Affairs and Health) Jo Cals (Education, Arts and Sciences) Jacob Algera (Transport and Water Management) Sicco Mansholt (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies) Herman Witte (Reconstruction and Housing) Louis Beel (Social Work) (Ad interim) Frans-Jozef van Thiel (Social Work) Colonial Affairs) (1952–1956) († ) Colonial Affairs ) (1956–1957) (Ad interim)
Ministers without portfolio	Economic Policy ) United Nations Affairs and Colonial Policy )
State Secretaries	Willem Hendrik van den Berge (Finance) Economic Affairs ) Ferdinand Kranenburg (War) Harry Moorman (Navy) Aat van Rhijn (Social Affairs and Health) Piet Muntendam (Social Affairs and Health) (1952–1953) Anna de Waal (Education, Arts and Sciences)