Bernhard van Haersma Buma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernhard van Haersma Buma
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| Born |
Bernhardus van Haersma Buma
23 March 1932 Stavoren, Netherlands
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| Died | 26 June 2020 (aged 88) Leeuwarden, Netherlands
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| Nationality | Dutch |
| Occupation | politician, mayor and writer |
Bernhardus "Bernhard" van Haersma Buma (born March 23, 1932 – died June 26, 2020) was an important Dutch politician and writer. He was a member of two political parties, the Christian Historical Union (CHU) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as the mayor of two towns, Workum and Sneek.
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Early Life and Family
Bernhard van Haersma Buma was born in Stavoren, a town in the Friesland province of the Netherlands. His father, S. M. van Haersma Buma, was also a mayor in Stavoren starting in 1930.
When Bernhard was six years old, his family moved because his father became mayor of Wymbritseradiel. Sadly, during World War II, his father was arrested and died in a concentration camp in 1942. Bernhard came from a family of grietmannen, which were like rural mayors in earlier times.
Education and Early Career
After finishing high school in Sneek in 1950, Bernhard went to Utrecht University to study law. After he graduated, he started his career working for the mayor's office in The Hague. In 1959, he worked for the office of the King's commissioner in Drenthe. A King's commissioner is a special official who represents the King or Queen in a province.
Besides his work, Bernhard was also active in politics. In 1960, he became the chairman of a group for young people in the Christian Historical Union party.
Becoming a Mayor
In June 1962, when Bernhard van Haersma Buma was 30 years old, he was chosen to be the mayor of Workum. Eight years later, in June 1970, he became the mayor of Sneek. He stayed mayor of Sneek until he retired in 1993.
During his time as mayor, and even after he retired, Bernhard wrote several books. These books were mostly about the history of Friesland, the province where he was born and lived.
A Family of Leaders
Bernhard married Elly van Werkum in 1959. They had two daughters and a son named Sybrand van Haersma Buma. Sybrand followed in his father's footsteps and became a politician too.
Sybrand became a member of the House of Representatives (which is like the Dutch parliament) in 2002. From 2010, he was the leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal party in parliament. He also became the leader of his party in 2012. Since 2019, Sybrand has been the mayor of Leeuwarden.
Later Life
On June 26, 2020, Bernhard van Haersma Buma became unwell while swimming. People nearby helped him, and an ambulance was called. He was taken to a hospital in Leeuwarden, where he passed away at the age of 88.
