Josef van Schaik

Summary

Josephus Robertus Hendricus "Josef" van Schaik (31 January 1882 – 23 March 1962) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP) and later co-founder of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist. He was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 15 March 1951.[1]

Josef van Schaik
Van Schaik in 1951
Member of the Council of State
In office
1 June 1951 – 1 February 1957
Vice PresidentFrans Beelaerts
van Blokland

(1951–1956)
Bram Rutgers
(1956–1957)
Minister of the Interior
In office
15 June 1949 – 20 September 1949
Ad interim
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byJohan van Maarseveen
Succeeded byFrans Teulings
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
7 August 1948 – 15 March 1951
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byWillem Drees
Succeeded byFrans Teulings
Minister of Transport and
Water Management
In office
7 August 1948 – 1 November 1948
Ad interim
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byHein Vos
Succeeded byDerk Spitzen
Minister for Constitutional Reform
In office
7 August 1948 – 15 March 1951
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice discontinued
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
In office
8 June 1937 – 11 November 1937
Preceded byCarel Goseling
Succeeded byLaurentius Nicolaas
Deckers
Parliamentary groupRoman Catholic
State Party
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
7 August 1948 – 15 March 1951
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byWillem Drees
Succeeded byFrans Teulings
In office
26 May 1933 – 24 June 1937
De facto
Prime MinisterHendrikus Colijn
Preceded byDirk Jan de Geer
Succeeded byCarel Goseling
Minister of Justice
In office
26 May 1933 – 24 June 1937
Prime MinisterHendrikus Colijn
Preceded byJan Donner
Succeeded byCarel Goseling
Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
11 November 1937 – 7 August 1948
Preceded byPiet Aalberse Sr.
Succeeded byRad Kortenhorst
In office
18 September 1929 – 26 May 1933
Preceded byCharles Ruijs de
Beerenbrouck
Succeeded byCharles Ruijs de
Beerenbrouck
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
8 June 1937 – 7 August 1948
In office
20 February 1917 – 1 June 1933
Parliamentary groupCatholic People's Party
(1945–1948)
Roman Catholic
State Party

(1926–1945)
General League of
Roman Catholic
Caucuse

(1917–1926)
Personal details
Born
Josephus Robertus Hendricus van Schaik

(1882-01-31)31 January 1882
Breda, Netherlands
Died23 March 1962(1962-03-23) (aged 80)
The Hague, Netherlands
Political partyCatholic People's Party
(from 1945)
Other political
affiliations
Roman Catholic
State Party
(1926–1945)
General League of
Roman Catholic
Caucuses
(1910–1926)
Spouse
Maria Brouwers
(m. 1913)
RelationsSteef van Schaik (brother)
ChildrenVirginia van Schaik (1914–1987)
Johannes van Schaik (1917–1991)
Maria van Schaik (1919–1999)
1 other son and 1 other daughter
Alma materUtrecht University
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
OccupationPolitician · civil servant · jurist · lawyer · judge · prosecutor · nonprofit director · academic administrator · lobbyist

Van Schaik worked as a teacher at a middle school in Arnhem from 1905 until 1906. He worked as a lawyer and prosecutor in Arnhem from 1906 until 1919, served as a judge at the court of Arnhem from 1910 until 1919, and worked as a lawyer and prosecutor in The Hague from 1919 until 1933.

Van Schaik became a Member of the House of Representatives after the death of Joseph van Nispen tot Sevenaer, taking office on 20 February 1917. After the election of 1929, Van Schaik was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, taking office on 18 September 1929. Following the election of 1933, Van Schaik was appointed as Minister of Justice in the Cabinet Colijn II and served as the De facto Deputy Prime Minister, taking office on 26 May 1933. The Cabinet Colijn II fell just two years later on 23 July 1935 and was replaced by the Cabinet Colijn III, with Van Schaik continuing as Minister of Justice and De facto Deputy Prime Minister, taking office on 31 July 1935. After the election of 1937, Van Schaik returned as a Member of the House of Representatives and became the Parliamentary leader of the Roman Catholic State Party in the House of Representatives on 8 June 1937. The Cabinet Colijn III was replaced by the Cabinet Colijn IV on 24 June 1937. Van Schaik was re-elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives following the appointment of Piet Aalberse Sr. as a Member of the Council of State, taking office on 11 November 1937. During World War II, Van Schaik continued to serve as the De jure Speaker of the House of Representatives, but in reality his political influence was marginalized and he spent most of the German occupation secluded.

Following the end of World War II, Queen Wilhelmina ordered a Recall of Parliament. Van Schaik remained in the House of Representatives and was again re-elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives. On 22 December 1945 the Roman Catholic State Party was renamed as the Catholic People's Party. Van Schaik was one of the co-founders and became the unofficial Deputy Leader of the Catholic People's Party. For the election of 1948 Van Schaik was one of the Lijsttrekkers (top candidates) of the Catholic People's Party. The Catholic People's Party held all of their seats and remained the largest party with 32 seats in the House of Representatives. The following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition agreement between the Catholic People's Party, the Labour Party (PvdA), the Christian Historical Union (CHU) and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), which formed the Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik, with Van Schaik appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Constitutional Reform, taking office on 7 August 1948. Van Schaik served as acting Minister of Transport and Water Management from 7 August 1948 until 1 November 1948, until the installation of Derk Spitzen. Van Schaik served as acting Minister of the Interior from 15 June 1949 until 20 September 1949 following the appointment of Johan van Maarseveen as Minister of Colonial Affairs. The Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik fell on 24 January 1951, and shortly thereafter Van Schaik, per his request, was not considered for a ministerial post in the new cabinet. The Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik was replaced by the Cabinet Drees I on 15 March 1951.

Van Schaik remained active in politics. He was nominated as a Member of the Council of State, serving from 1 June 1951 until 1 February 1957 and served as Chairman of the Van Schaik Commission, a state commission that was tasked with constitutional reforms and decolonization, serving from 17 April 1950 until 15 January 1954. He also served on several state commissions on behalf of the government. Following the end of his active political career, he remained active as an advocate and lobbyist for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Van Schaik was known for his abilities as a consensus builder and negotiator. He continued to comment on political affairs as an elder statesman until his death.

Decorations edit

Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
  Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Holy See 1 May 1931
  Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown Belgium 29 Augustus 1936
  Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 30 July 1937
  Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown Luxembourg 10 August 1946
  Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour France 5 June 1950
  Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great Holy See 31 January 1952
  Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 30 April 1954 Elevated from Grand Officer (15 March 1951)
Honorific Titles
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
  Minister of State Netherlands 15 March 1951 Style of Excellency

References edit

  1. ^ "Schaik, Josephus Robertus Hendricus van (1882-1962)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2019.

External links edit

  • (in Dutch) Mr. J.R.H. (Joop) van Schaik Parlement & Politiek
Party political offices
Preceded by Parliamentary leader of the
Roman Catholic State Party
in the House of Representatives

1937
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the House
of Representatives

1929–1933
1937–1948
Succeeded by
Preceded by Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Justice
1933–1937
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister
1948–1951
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Office established
Minister for Constitutional Reform
1948–1951
Succeeded by
Office discontinued
Preceded by Minister of Transport and
Water Management

Ad interim

1948
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of the Interior
Ad interim

1949
Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by
Unknown
Chairman of the
Supervisory board of the
Probation Agency

1930–1933
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by Chairman of the
Mine Council

1932–1933
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by
Unknown
Vice Chairman of the
Supervisory board of the
Radboud University Nijmegen

1946–1949
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
Chairman of the
Supervisory board of the
Radboud University Nijmegen

1949–1957
Succeeded by
Unknown