First Gerbrandy cabinet

The First Gerbrandy cabinet, also called the Second London cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch government-in-exile from 3 September 1940 until 27 July 1941. The War cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU), the social-democratic Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the social-liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VBD) and the conservative-liberal Liberal State Party (LSP) after the resignation of the previous Cabinet De Geer II. The national unity government (War cabinet) was the second of four war cabinets of the government-in-exile in London during World War II.

First Gerbrandy cabinet Second London cabinet
Cabinet of the Netherlands
Date formed	3 September 1940 (1940-09-03)
Date dissolved	27 July 1941 (1941-07-27) (Demissionary from 12 June 1941 (1941-06-12))
People and organisations
Head of state	Queen Wilhelmina
Head of government	Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Deputy head of government	Hendrik van Boeijen (De Facto)
No. of ministers	10
Ministers removed	2
Member party	Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP) Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) Christian Historical Union (CHU) Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) Liberal State Party (LSP)
Status in legislature	National unity government War cabinet
History
Legislature terms	1937–1946
Predecessor	Second De Geer cabinet
Successor	Second Gerbrandy cabinet

Formation

On 26 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina dismissed the Second De Geer cabinet after she lost confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer to govern after the German Invasion on 10 May 1940. Subsequently on 28 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina appointed Minister of Justice Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (ARP) as Formateur to form a new cabinet. On 3 September 1940 the formation of the war cabinet was completed and Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was installed as Prime Minister. All ministers of the previous Second De Geer cabinet (excluding Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer) where retained, with Minister of Colonial Affairs Charles Welter (RKSP) taking over as Minister of Finance from Dirk Jan de Geer.

Term

The cabinet fell on 12 June 1941 after a conflict between Queen Wilhelmina and Minister of Defence Adriaan Dijxhoorn, leading to the dismissal of the minister. Immediately also the other ministers resigned and the cabinet continued for five weeks as a demissionary cabinet until the ministries were redistributed and the Second Gerbrandy cabinet was installed on 27 July 1941.

Changes

On 1 May 1941 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Aat van Rhijn (CHU) was appointed as a Member of the Court of Audits. Because there was little work in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries while the government-in-exile was in London the portfolio was combined with the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Shipping Max Steenberghe (RKSP).

Cabinet Members

Ministers			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
		Dr. Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (1885–1961)	Prime Minister			3 September 1940 – 25 June 1945 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
			Minister	Justice		10 August 1939 – 21 February 1942 [Retained] [Continued]
		Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947)	Minister	General Affairs		3 September 1940 – 23 February 1945 [Retained] [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
			Minister	Interior		24 June 1937 – 31 May 1944 [Retained] [Continued]
		Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983)	Minister	Foreign Affairs		10 August 1939 – 1 March 1946 [Retained] [Continued]	Independent Classical Liberal
		Charles Welter (1880–1972)	Minister	Finance		3 September 1940 – 27 July 1941	Roman Catholic State Party
			Minister	Colonial Affairs		10 August 1939 – 17 November 1941 [Retained] [Continued]
		Max Steenberghe (1899–1972)	Minister	Commerce, Industry and Shipping		10 May 1940 – 17 November 1941 [Retained] [Continued]	Roman Catholic State Party
		Major general Adriaan Dijxhoorn (1889–1953)	Minister	Defence		10 August 1939 – 12 June 1941 [Retained] [Res]	Independent Conservative Liberal
		Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947)				12 June 1941 – 15 September 1942 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
		Dr. Jan van den Tempel (1877–1955)	Minister	Social Affairs		10 August 1939 – 23 February 1945 [Retained] [Continued]	Social Democratic Workers' Party
		Gerrit Bolkestein (1871–1956)	Minister	Education, Arts and Sciences		10 August 1939 – 25 June 1945 [Retained] [Continued]	Free-thinking Democratic League
		Willem Albarda (1877–1957)	Minister	Water Management		10 August 1939 – 23 February 1945 [Retained] [Continued]	Social Democratic Workers' Party
		Dr. Aat van Rhijn (1892–1986)	Minister	Agriculture and Fisheries		10 May 1940 – 1 May 1941 [Retained] [App]	Christian Historical Union
		Max Steenberghe (1899–1972)				1 May 1941 – 17 November 1941 [Continued]	Roman Catholic State Party
Source: (in Dutch) Parlement & Politiek

^Resigned

^{Retained from the previous cabinet}

^{Continued in the next cabinet}

^{Appointed as President of the Court of Audit}

External links

Official

• (in Dutch) Kabinet-Gerbrandy I en II Parlement & Politiek