Ko Suurhoff

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Ko Suurhoff
and Health
In office
2 September 1952 – 22 December 1958
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byDolf Joekes
Succeeded byLouis Beel
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
23 February 1967 – 14 March 1967
In office
20 March 1959 – 14 April 1965
In office
3 July 1956 – 3 October 1956
In office
24 October 1946 – 2 September 1952
In office
21 September 1939 – 4 June 1946
Parliamentary groupLabour Party
(1946–1965)
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
(1939–1946)
Personal details
Born
Jacobus Gerardus Suurhoff

(1905-07-23)23 July 1905
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died14 March 1967(1967-03-14) (aged 61)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Cause of deathCancer
Political partyLabour Party (from 1946)
Other political
affiliations
Social Democratic
Workers' Party
(1923–1946)
Spouse
Alida Voorzanger
(m. 1930)
Children2 sons and 2 daughters
OccupationPolitician · Trade Union leader · Accountant · Activist
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands Army
Years of service1925–1927 (Conscription)
1927–1935 (Reserve)
Rank Staff sergeant
UnitJohan Willem Friso Regiment
Battles/warsInterbellum

Jacobus Gerardus "Ko" Suurhoff (23 July 1905 – 14 March 1967) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) and co-founder of the Labour Party (PvdA) and trade union leader.[1]

Suurhoff attended a

Dutch Trade Unions association (NVV) from April 1930 until May 1940. Suurhoff served on the Municipal Council
of Amsterdam from June 1939 until February 1941.

Suurhoff became a

invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation. During the German occupation Suurhoff continued to serve as a Member of the House of Representatives in name only but in reality the de facto political influence of the House of Representatives was marginalized by the German occupation authority
.

On 4 May 1942 Suurhoff was arrested by the

Recall of Parliament and Suurhoff remained in the House of Representatives. Suurhoff again served on the Municipal Council of Amsterdam from June 1945 until October 1946. On 9 February 1946 the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) choose to merge to form the Labour Party (PvdA). Suurhoff was one of the co-founders and became one of the unofficial Deputy Leaders of the Labour Party. After the election of 1946
Suurhoff wasn't reelected and he continued to serve until the end of the parliamentary term on 4 June 1946.

Suurhoff again worked as a trade union leader for the Dutch Trade Unions association from June 1946 until September 1952 serving as General-Secretary of the Executive Board from August 1949 until September 1952. Suurhoff returned as a Member of the House of Representatives following the resignation of

Minister of the Interior from 13 October 1956 until 29 October 1956 until the appointment of Teun Struycken who had served as Governor of the Netherlands Antilles. The Cabinet Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 on after the Labour Party and the Catholic People's Party (KVP) disagreed on a proposed Tax increase and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1958 when it was replaced by caretaker Cabinet Beel II
on 22 December 1958.

After the

Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning Pieter Bogaers served as acting Minister of Transport and Water Management. The Cabinet Cals fell on 14 October 1966 after the Leader of the Catholic People's Party Norbert Schmelzer had proposed a motion that called for a stronger austerity policy to further reduce the deficit was seen an indirect motion of no confidence and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1966 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra on 22 November 1966. After the election of 1967 Suurhoff again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 23 February 1967 but shortly thereafter he was diagnosed with terminal
cancer, he died a month later at the age of 61.

Suurhoff was known for his abilities as a debater and manager. He holds the distinction as the third longest-serving Minister of Social Affairs after World War II with 6 years, 111 days.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 22 December 1958
Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 5 December 1966 Elevated from Knight (28 April 1951)

References

  1. ^ "Suurhoff, Jacobus Gerardus (1905-1967)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2018.

External links

Official
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Labour Party
1961–1965
Succeeded by
Sjeng Tans
Political offices
Preceded by
and Health

1952–1958
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister of the Interior

Ad interim

1956
Succeeded by
Teun Struycken
as Minister of the Interior,
Property and Public
Sector Organisations
Preceded by
Minister of Transport and
Water Management

1965–1966
1966
Succeeded by
Pieter Bogaers
Ad interim
Preceded by
Pieter Bogaers
Ad interim
Succeeded by