Molly Geertsema facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Molly Geertsema
Molly Geertsema in 1985
Member of the Senate
In office 13 September 1983 – 23 June 1987
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland
In office 1 December 1973 – 1 November 1983
Monarch	Juliana (1973–1980) Beatrix (1980–1983)
Preceded by	Hugo Bloemers
Succeeded by	Matty de Bruijne
Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs
In office 1 January 1973 – 11 May 1973
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Pierre Lardinois
Succeeded by	Gaius de Gaay Fortman
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 Serving with Roelof Nelissen
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Johan Witteveen Joop Bakker
Succeeded by	Dries van Agt
Minister of the Interior
In office 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Henk Beernink
Succeeded by	Gaius de Gaay Fortman
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office 1 October 1969 – 1 July 1971
Deputy	Roelof Zegering Hadders
Preceded by	Edzo Toxopeus
Succeeded by	Hans Wiegel
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 1 October 1969 – 6 July 1971
Preceded by	Edzo Toxopeus
Succeeded by	Hans Wiegel
In office 24 July 1963 – 12 March 1966
Preceded by	Edzo Toxopeus
Succeeded by	Edzo Toxopeus
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Mayor of Wassenaar
In office 1 February 1961 – 10 April 1971
Preceded by	Sweder van Wijnbergen
Succeeded by	Karel Staab
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 28 May 1973 – 9 November 1973
In office 7 February 1973 – 5 May 1973
In office 20 March 1959 – 6 July 1971
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Mayor of Warffum
In office 1 January 1953 – 1 January 1957
Preceded by	Tekke Nabring
Succeeded by	Simon de Waard
Personal details
Born	Willem Jacob Geertsema II (1918-10-18)18 October 1918 Utrecht, Netherlands
Died	27 June 1991(1991-06-27) (aged 72) Wassenaar, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1948)
Other political affiliations	Freedom Party (1947–1948)
Spouse	Adolfine Schoonenberg ​ ​ (m. 1947; his death 1991)​
Relations	Johan Herman Geertsema (great-grand father) Willem Jacob Geertsema I (grand father)
Children	Johan Herman Geertsema (1949–2000) Hero Omko Geertsema (1952–1952) Omko Oesebrand Geertsema (1953–2012) Alexander Cornelis Geertsema (born 1955)
Alma mater	Leiden University (Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Jurist · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Legal educator · Author · Lobbyist · Activist

Willem Jacob "Molly" Geertsema II (born October 18, 1918 – died June 27, 1991) was an important Dutch politician and a legal expert. He was a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Early Life and Education

Molly Geertsema went to a high school called a Gymnasium in The Hague from 1930 to 1937. After that, he studied Law at Leiden University starting in 1937. He earned his first law degree in 1939.

Studying During World War II

In May 1940, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands. The Dutch government had to leave the country. During the German occupation, Geertsema tried to continue his studies. However, in November 1940, the German authorities closed Leiden University.

After the university closed, Geertsema worked as a civil servant for the town of Oegstgeest from December 1940 to December 1944. When World War II ended, he returned to Leiden University. He finished his law studies and earned a master's degree in July 1947.

Early Career and Local Government

From August 1947 to December 1952, Geertsema worked as a teacher of law in Leiden. He also served on the local council of Leiden from April 1950 to January 1953.

In December 1952, he was chosen to be the Mayor of Warffum. He started this job on January 1, 1953. In December 1956, he was appointed as a top director for public organizations at the Ministry of the Interior. He left his mayor job on January 1, 1957, to start this new role.

National Political Career

Molly Geertsema became a Member of the House of Representatives after the 1959 election. He started this role on March 20, 1959. In this job, he was a leading member of his party. He led important committees, like the one for the Interior. He also spoke for his party on topics like justice, education, and local government.

Serving as Mayor and Parliament Member

In January 1961, Geertsema was also chosen to be the Mayor of Wassenaar. For a while, he held both jobs at the same time. He started as mayor on February 1, 1961.

After the 1963 election, the leader of his party, Edzo Toxopeus, decided to stay as a minister. So, the party asked Geertsema to become the leader of their group in the House of Representatives. He accepted and started this role on July 24, 1963.

The government changed in 1965. Toxopeus returned to parliament and became the party leader again in March 1966. Geertsema continued to be a leading member of the House of Representatives. He kept chairing committees and speaking on important topics.

Prince Bernhard, Queen's Commissioner Molly Geertsema and Mayor of Wageningen Jan van Ketwich Verschuur during a World War II memorial in Wageningen on May 5, 1980.

Becoming Party Leader and Minister

In September 1969, Edzo Toxopeus announced he was stepping down as party leader. He suggested Geertsema as his replacement. Geertsema accepted and became the leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and their leader in parliament on October 1, 1969.

For the 1971 election, Geertsema was the main candidate for his party. The party lost one seat but still had 16 seats. In June 1971, Geertsema surprisingly announced he was leaving his leadership roles.

The new government, called the First Biesheuvel cabinet, was formed in July 1971. Geertsema was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. He started these jobs on July 6, 1971.

This government lasted only one year. It fell apart in July 1972 because of disagreements about the budget. Geertsema continued in his roles in a temporary government. In January 1973, he also became the Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs.

After the 1972 election, Geertsema briefly returned as a Member of the House of Representatives in February 1973. However, in Dutch politics, you usually can't be a minister and a parliament member at the same time. So, he resigned from parliament in May 1973. When a new government was formed in May 1973, Geertsema left his ministerial roles. He then returned to the House of Representatives on May 28, 1973.

Queen's Commissioner and Other Roles

In November 1973, Geertsema was chosen to be the next Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland. This is like a governor for a province. He resigned from the House of Representatives on November 9, 1973, and started his new role on December 1, 1973. He served as Queen's Commissioner until November 1, 1983.

During this time, Geertsema also became involved in many other organizations. He served on the boards of large companies like Heineken and DSM. He also worked with non-profit groups and government councils. He was a strong supporter and activist for LGBT rights and Social justice.

Senate and Retirement

After the 1983 election for the Senate, Geertsema was elected as a Member of the Senate. He started this job on September 13, 1983. In the Senate, he was a leading member and chaired committees for the Interior and Kingdom Relations. He also spoke for his party on these topics.

In January 1987, Geertsema announced he would retire from national politics. He decided not to run for the Senate again in the 1987 election. He continued to serve until the end of his term on June 23, 1987.

Geertsema retired after 28 years in national politics. However, he remained active in other areas, continuing to serve on various boards. He was also a writer, publishing many books and articles about politics and LGBT rights since 1972.

Molly Geertsema was known for being a skilled manager and someone who deeply understood public policy. He continued to share his thoughts on political matters until he passed away at the age of 72.

Decorations

Molly Geertsema received several important awards and honors for his service:

Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II	Belgium	16 August 1972
	Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	8 June 1973	Elevated from Knight (10 December 1970)
	Commander of the Legion of Honour	France	1 October 1973
	Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	10 November 1983	Elevated from Officer (10 June 1978)
Awards
Ribbon bar	Awards	Organization	Date	Comment
	Honorary Member	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	14 March 1975