Willem Drees Jr.

Willem "Wim" Drees Jr. (24 December 1922 – 5 September 1998) was a Dutch politician of the Democratic Socialists '70 (DS'70). He served as Parliamentary leader of the Democratic Socialists '70 in the House of Representatives from 29 April 1971 and a Member of the House of Representatives from 11 May 1971. After the Dutch general election of 1971 and became Minister of Transport and Water Management in the Cabinet Biesheuvel I serving from 6 July 1971 until 21 July 1972. He returned to the House of Representatives on 5 September 1972 and again became Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives on 14 May 1973. He resigned his positions on 20 August 1977 and retired as Leader of the Democratic Socialists '70 the same day.

Biography

Education

After attending Gymnasium Haganum from 1934 to 1940, Drees studied at the Erasmus University Rotterdam from 1940 to 1946, and gained his doctorate there in 1955.

Family

Son of former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Willem Drees, he was member of the Labour Party from 1946 until 1970 when he entered politics as Party leader of the new Democratic Socialists '70, a relatively right-wing split from the Labour Party. On 3 February 1947 he married Anna Erica Gescher (born 26 October 1922). They had five children; four girls and one son Willem B. Drees the third child became a philosopher. Anna Erica Drees-Gescher died on 12 May 1988 at the age of 65. Willem Drees Jr. died on 5 September 1998 at the age of 75. Relatively young compared to his parents; his father Willem Drees died at the age of 101 and his mother Catharina Hent died at the age of 85.

Decorations