kids encyclopedia robot

Hans van den Broek facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
In this article, the family name is van den Broek, not Broek.
Quick facts for kids
His Excellency
Hans van den Broek
Hans van den Broek 1983.jpg
Van den Broek in 1983
European Commissioner
In office
6 January 1993 – 16 September 1999
President
See list
Jacques Delors (1993–1995)
Jacques Santer (1995–1999)
Manuel Marín (1999)
Preceded by Frans Andriessen
Succeeded by Frits Bolkestein
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
4 November 1982 – 3 January 1993
Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by Dries van Agt
Succeeded by Pieter Kooijmans
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
In office
11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Prime Minister Dries van Agt
Preceded by Durk van der Mei
Succeeded by Wim van Eekelen
Member of the House
of Representatives
In office
14 September 1989 – 7 November 1989
In office
3 June 1986 – 14 July 1986
In office
16 September 1982 – 4 November 1982
In office
12 October 1976 – 11 September 1981
Parliamentary group Christian Democratic Appeal
(1980–1989)
Catholic People's Party
(1976–1980)
Personal details
Born
Henri van den Broek

(1936-12-11)11 December 1936
Paris, France
Died 22 February 2025(2025-02-22) (aged 88)
Nationality Dutch
Political party Christian Democratic Appeal
(from 1980)
Other political
affiliations		 Catholic People's Party
(until 1980)
Spouse
Josée van Schendel
​
(m. 1966)​
Children Princess Marilène (born 1970)
and 1 other daughter
Relatives Prince Maurits (son-in-law)
Residences Lochem, Netherlands
Alma mater Utrecht University
(LL.B., LL.M.)
Occupation
Military service
Allegiance  Netherlands
Branch/service Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service 1965–1966 (Conscription)
1966–1967 (Reserve)
Rank Nl-landmacht-kapitein ritmeester.svg Captain
Unit Regiment Huzaren van Boreel

Henri "Hans" van den Broek (11 December 1936 – 22 February 2025) was a well-known Dutch politician and diplomat. He was a member of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as a European Commissioner from 1993 to 1999.

Van den Broek studied law at Utrecht University. He became a lawyer and later worked as a director for a company. He then entered politics, becoming a Member of the House of Representatives in 1976. He held important roles like State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In 1993, he became a European Commissioner. In this role, he handled important matters like external relations and the enlargement of the European Union. He was known for being a skilled negotiator and mediator. After retiring from active politics, he continued to work as an advocate for human rights and European integration. He was given the special title of Minister of State in 2005.

Early Life and Education of Hans van den Broek

Henri van den Broek was born on 11 December 1936 in Paris, France. His parents were Hendrik Johannes van den Broek and Maria Alberta Antonia Roest. He attended the Roman Catholic secondary school Lyceum voor het Gooi in Hilversum.

Studying Law at Utrecht University

Van den Broek studied Dutch law at Utrecht University. He earned his master's degree in law in 1965. This education prepared him for his future career in law and politics.

Hans van den Broek's Political Career

Van den Broek started his career as a lawyer. He joined the Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP), which was a Catholic political party. From 1970 to 1974, he was a member of the municipal council of Rheden.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Between 1976 and 1981, he was a member of the House of Representatives. This is the lower house of the Dutch parliament. He represented the KVP and later the Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) party.

Serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs

Van den Broek became the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Netherlands. He served under Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers three times. In 1991, he helped negotiate the Brioni Agreement. This agreement helped end a short war in Slovenia.

Key Events as Foreign Minister

During his time as Foreign Minister, there were important events. In 1983, large protests happened in The Hague. People were against the plan to place nuclear-armed U.S. cruise missiles in the Netherlands. This plan was later cancelled due to arms reduction talks between the US and the Soviet Union.

Becoming a European Commissioner

On 6 January 1993, Van den Broek became a member of the European Commission. This is like the executive branch of the European Union. He was responsible for foreign relations, especially the expansion of the EU. He held this important position until March 1999.

Life After Politics

After retiring from European politics in 1999, Van den Broek remained active. He served on several boards for companies and non-profit organizations. He also worked as a diplomat and advocate.

Advocacy and Recognition

Van den Broek was a strong supporter of human rights and nuclear disarmament. He also promoted greater European integration. On 25 February 2005, he received the honorary title of Minister of State. He continued to share his views on political matters until 2010.

Family Life

Hans van den Broek was married to Josee van den Broek-van Schendel. They had two daughters. One of their daughters is Princess Marilène. She is married to Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven. Prince Maurits is the son of Princess Margriet, who is the younger sister of former Queen Beatrix.

Awards and Honours

Hans van den Broek received many awards and honours for his service.

National Honours

  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (1993)
  • Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (2005)

Foreign Honours

He also received honours from other countries, including:

Images for kids

Error: no page names specified (help).Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hans van den Broek para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Hans van den Broek Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.