Theo Heemskerk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Theo Heemskerk
Heemskerk in 1927
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 12 February 1908 – 29 August 1913
Monarch	Wilhelmina
Preceded by	Theo de Meester
Succeeded by	Pieter Cort van der Linden
Member of the Council of State
In office 1 October 1913 – 9 September 1918
Vice President	Joan Röell (1913–1914) Wilhelmus van Leeuwen (1914–1918)
Minister of Justice
In office 9 September 1918 – 4 September 1925
Prime Minister	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Preceded by	Bastiaan Ort
Succeeded by	Jan Schokking
In office 18 January 1913 – 29 August 1913
Prime Minister	Theo Heemskerk
Preceded by	Robert Regout
Succeeded by	Bastiaan Ort
In office 11 May 1910 – 7 June 1910 Ad interim
Prime Minister	Theo Heemskerk
Preceded by	Anton Nelissen
Succeeded by	Robert Regout
Minister of the Interior
In office 12 February 1908 – 29 August 1913
Prime Minister	Theo Heemskerk
Preceded by	Pieter Rink
Succeeded by	Pieter Cort van der Linden
Minister of Colonial Affairs
In office 12 February 1908 – 20 May 1908 Ad interim
Prime Minister	Theo Heemskerk
Preceded by	Dirk Fock
Succeeded by	Alexander Idenburg
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 16 September 1925 – 17 September 1929
Preceded by	Victor Henri Rutgers
Succeeded by	Hendrikus Colijn
In office 22 September 1903 – 12 February 1908
Preceded by	Jan van Alphen
Succeeded by	Abraham Kuyper
Parliamentary group	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 15 September 1925 – 12 June 1932
In office 25 July 1922 – 18 September 1922
In office 7 September 1901 – 12 February 1908
In office 19 June 1894 – 21 September 1897
In office 25 April 1893 – 20 March 1894
In office 1 May 1888 – 15 September 1891
Parliamentary group	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Personal details
Born	Theodorus Heemskerk (1852-07-20)20 July 1852 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died	12 June 1932(1932-06-12) (aged 79) Utrecht, Netherlands
Political party	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Spouses	Maria Hartsen ​ ​ (m. 1881; died 1886)​ Lydia von Zaremba ​ (m. 1891)​
Children	2 daughters and 1 son (first marriage) 2 sons and 2 daughters (second marriage)
Parent	Jan Heemskerk (1818–1897) (father)
Alma mater	Polytechnic School (Bachelor of Engineering) Leiden University (Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Jurist · Lawyer

Theodorus "Theo" Heemskerk (born July 20, 1852 – died June 12, 1932) was an important Dutch politician. He belonged to the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP). Heemskerk served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from February 12, 1908, to August 29, 1913.

Theo Heemskerk's father, Jan Heemskerk, was also a Prime Minister of the Netherlands. This made them one of the few father-son pairs to hold this high office. During Theo Heemskerk's time in politics, he helped update the country's laws for helping people in need.

What Does a Prime Minister Do?

A Prime Minister is the head of the government in many countries. They lead the cabinet, which is a group of top ministers. These ministers are in charge of different parts of the government. The Prime Minister helps make big decisions for the country.

Theo Heemskerk was the leader of the Dutch government for over five years. He worked with Queen Wilhelmina during his time as Prime Minister.

Key Achievements as Prime Minister

During his time as Prime Minister, Theo Heemskerk focused on improving laws. One of his main goals was to modernize the "poor law." This law was about how the government helped people who were struggling financially.

Modernizing this law meant making sure people in need received better support. It was an important step in helping the country's citizens.

Other Important Roles

Besides being Prime Minister, Theo Heemskerk held many other important jobs. He was a Minister of Justice, which means he was in charge of the country's legal system. He also served as the Minister of the Interior. This role involves managing things like public safety and local governments.

After his time as Prime Minister, he became a Member of the Council of State. This council advises the government on laws and important decisions. He also continued to be a Member of the House of Representatives, which is part of the Dutch parliament.

Special Honors and Awards

Theo Heemskerk received several important honors for his service to the Netherlands. These awards show how much his country valued his work.

• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau: This is a very high honor given to people who have done great things for the Netherlands. He received this on October 10, 1913.
• Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion: This is another significant Dutch award for special achievements. He was given this on August 27, 1926.
• Minister of State: On August 27, 1926, he was also given the special title of "Minister of State." This is a title of honor for former ministers who have served the country with distinction. It comes with the special way of addressing someone as "His Excellency."

Images for kids

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  Ribbon for the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau

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  Ribbon for the Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion