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Hans Gruijters

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Hans Gruijters
Hans Gruijters in 1975
Mayor of Lelystad
In office
1 January 1980 – 1 July 1996
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byChris Leeuwe
Minister of Housing
and Spatial Planning
In office
11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977
Prime MinisterJoop den Uyl
Preceded byBé Udink
Succeeded byPieter Beelaerts van Blokland
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
7 December 1972 – 11 May 1973
Parliamentary groupDemocrats 66
Personal details
Born
Johannes Petrus Adrianus Gruijters

(1931-06-30)30 June 1931
Helmond, Netherlands
Died17 April 2005(2005-04-17) (aged 73)
Lelystad, Netherlands
Political partyDemocrats 66 (1966–2004)
Other political
affiliations
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(1952–1966)
Spouse
Jannetje Mol
(m. 1960)
Children1 son
Alma materUniversity of Amsterdam
(Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • journalist
  • businessman
  • editor
  • author

Johannes Petrus Adrianus "Hans" Gruijters (Dutch pronunciation: [ɦɑns ˈxrœytərs];[a] 30 June 1931 – 17 April 2005) was a Dutch politician and co-founder of the Democrats 66 (D66) party and journalist.[1]

Biography

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Hans Gruijters studied psychology and political and social sciences at the University of Amsterdam. In 1954 he received a master's degree in psychology. After that he became the executive secretary with a textile company in Helmond. Later he was a joint proprietor of various companies in hotel and catering industry in Amsterdam. From 1960 to 1967 he ran the foreign affairs section of the Dutch daily newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad. From 1971 to 1973 he was the main editor of the VNU, a Dutch media conglomerate.

As a politician Gruijters was an active member of the VVD. As of 1959 he acted as the chairman of the Amsterdam's JOVD. From November 1962 until 21 March 1966 he was VVD's representative in the Amsterdam's city council. After a conflict which had been provoked by his decision not to attend the wedding ceremony of Princess Beatrix and Claus von Amsberg he left the VVD. He thought that the marriage would not contribute to the social role that the royal house should play in society.

Together with Hans van Mierlo he founded D66 in 1966. From 7 July 1970 to 1971 he was a member of the Provincial Council of North Holland. As of 7 December 1972 until 11 May 1973 he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives. From 11 May 1973 until 19 December 1977 he was a minister of public housing and environmental planning in the cabinet of Den Uyl. From 1980 until his retirement in 1996 he was mayor of Lelystad. In 2004 he left the D66 as he felt no longer to be welcome there.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Gruijters in isolation: [ˈɣrœytərs].

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Tammes, K.C. (2020). Een verdwaalde intellectueel: Hans Gruijters (1931-2005), kroegbaas, oprichter D'66, minister in het kabinet-Den Uyl, eerste burgemeester van Lelystad. Amsterdam: Prometheus. ISBN 978-90-446-4129-5. OCLC 1144123539.
[edit]
Official
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Housing
and Spatial Planning

1973–1977
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Office established
Mayor of Lelystad
1980–1996
Succeeded by
Chris Leeuwe