Henk Zeevalking

Hendrik Jan "Henk" Zeevalking (7 June 1922 – 23 February 2005) was a Dutch politician and co-founder of the Democrats 66 (D66) party and jurist.

Henk Zeevalking
Henk Zeevalking in 1981
Minister of Transport and
Water Management
In office
11 September 1981  4 November 1982
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byDany Tuijnman
Succeeded byNeelie Kroes
Chairman of the Democrats 66
In office
27 October 1979  11 September 1981
LeaderJan Terlouw
Preceded byJan Glastra van Loon
Succeeded byCees Spigt (Ad interim)
Mayor of Rijswijk
In office
16 January 1979  11 September 1981
Preceded byHans Grosheide
Succeeded byRiet Daamen-van Houte
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
8 June 1977  24 January 1979
Parliamentary groupDemocrats 66
State Secretary for Justice
In office
6 June 1975  8 September 1977
Prime MinisterJoop den Uyl
Preceded byJan Glastra van Loon
Succeeded byBert Haars
Mayor of Utrecht
In office
1 February 1974  6 September 1974
Ad interim
Preceded byHans van Tuyll
van Serooskerken
Succeeded byHenk Vonhoff
Personal details
Born
Hendrik Jan Zeevalking

(1922-06-07)7 June 1922
Laag-Keppel, Netherlands
Died23 February 2005(2005-02-23) (aged 82)
Delft, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Political partyDemocrats 66 (from 1966)
Other political
affiliations
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(1956–1966)
Spouse(s)
Dinie Brugman
(m. 1948)
Children3 children
Alma materUtrecht University
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
OccupationPolitician · Jurist · Lawyer · Businessman · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Academic administrator · Author

Zeevalking attended a Gymnasium in Utrecht from April 1934 until June 1940 and applied at the Utrecht University in January 1946 majoring in Law and obtaining an Bachelor of Laws degree in August 1946 before graduating with an Master of Laws degree in December 1947. Zeevalking worked as a researcher at the Utrecht University from December 1947 until February 1950. Zeevalking worked as a criminal defense lawyer in Utrecht from February 1950 until September 1970. Zeevalking served on the Municipal Council of Utrecht from April 1970 until June 1975 and served as an Alderman in Utrecht from September 1970 until September 1974. Zeevalking served as acting Mayor of Utrecht from 1 February 1974 until 6 September 1974 following the retirement of Hans van Tuyll van Serooskerken.

Zeevalking was appointed as State Secretary for Justice in the Cabinet Den Uyl following the resignation of Jan Glastra van Loon, taking office on 6 June 1975. The Cabinet Den Uyl fell on 22 March 1977 after four years of tensions in the coalition and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. Zeevalking was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1977, taking office on 8 June 1977 but he was still serving in the cabinet and because of dualism customs in the constitutional convention of Dutch politics he couldn't serve a dual mandate he subsequently resigned as State Secretary for Justice on 8 September 1977. In December 1978 Zeevalking was nominated as Mayor of Rijswijk, he was installed as Mayor, taking office on 16 January 1979 and subsequently resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 24 January 1979. Zeevalking also served as Chairman of the Democrats 66 from 27 October 1979 until 11 September 1981. After the election of 1981 Zeevalking was appointed as Minister of Transport and Water Management in the Cabinet Van Agt II, taking office on 11 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 after months of tensions in the coalition and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the first cabinet formation of 1982 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with Zeevalking continuing as Minister of Transport and Water Management, taking office on 29 May 1982. In August 1982 Zeevalking announced his retirement from national politics and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1982. The Cabinet Van Agt III was replaced by the Cabinet Lubbers I following the second cabinet formation of 1982 on 4 November 1982.

Biography

Early life

Hendrik Jan Zeevalking was born on 7 June 1922 in a Dutch Reformed family in Laag-Keppel, a village in the municipality Bronckhorst situated in the province of Gelderland. He studied Law at the Utrecht University from 1946 until 1947.

Politics

He was co-founder of the social-liberal political party Democrats 66 (D66) in 1966. He served as vicechair of the party from 1968 to 1969 and as chair from 1979 to 1981. He served as an alderman of traffic and public works in Utrecht (1970–1974). He was State Secretary for Justice in the Den Uyl cabinet (1975–1977), mayor of Rijswijk (1979–1981), and Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (1981–1982).

Zeevalking was a member of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. He was also an active Freemason and published several books on freemasonry.[1][2]

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon barHonourCountryDateComment
Officer of the Legion of Honour France 17 February 1977
Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 11 April 1978
Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II Belgium 21 March 1982
Knight Commander of the Order of Merit Germany 30 September 1982
Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 9 December 1982
Commander of the National Order of Merit France 18 August 1994

References

  1. "Mr. H.J. (Henk) Zeevalking" (in Dutch). Parlement.com. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  2. "Minister in beton en politiezaken" (in Dutch). Trouw. 24 February 2005. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
Official
Party political offices
Preceded by
Jan Glastra van Loon
Chairman of the Democrats 66
1979–1981
Succeeded by
Cees Spigt
Ad interim
Political offices
Preceded by
Hans van Tuyll
van Serooskerken
Mayor of Utrecht
1974
Ad interim
Succeeded by
Henk Vonhoff
Preceded by
Jan Glastra van Loon
State Secretary for Justice
1975–1977
Succeeded by
Bert Haars
Preceded by
Hans Grosheide
Mayor of Rijswijk
1979–1981
Succeeded by
Riet Daamen-van Houte
Preceded by
Dany Tuijnman
Minister of Transport and
Water Management

1981–1982
Succeeded by
Neelie Kroes
Academic offices
Preceded by
Dolf Cohen
Chairman of the
Supervisory board of the
Delft University of Technology

1985–1988
Succeeded by
Jan Beenakker
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