Willem Hubert Nolens facts for kids
Willem Hubert Nolens, also known as Wiel, was born in Venlo, Netherlands, on September 7, 1860. He passed away in The Hague on August 27, 1931. Nolens was a very important person in Dutch history. He was both a Roman Catholic priest and a powerful politician. He worked hard to make life better for many people in the Netherlands.
Contents
Willem Nolens: Early Life and Studies
Willem Hubert Nolens grew up in a family where his father, Martin Nolens, worked as a tanner (someone who prepares animal hides). His mother was Hermina Hubertina Linskens.
Willem studied many subjects. From 1874 to 1880, he learned about philosophy at a school called Bisschoppelijk College in Rolduc. After that, he studied theology (the study of religion) at the Roermond Seminary from 1880 to 1884. He then went to Utrecht University to study law from 1887 to 1890.
In 1887, Willem became a Roman Catholic priest. He also taught subjects like economics and moral philosophy back at Rolduc. In 1896, he was chosen to be a member of the Dutch House of Representatives, which is like the country's parliament. He joined a group of other Catholic politicians, led by another priest named Herman Schaepman.
His Political Journey and Leadership
After Herman Schaepman passed away in 1903, Willem Nolens and other Catholic politicians started a new group in 1904. It was called the General League of Roman Catholic Caucuses. Nolens believed in democracy and wanted to improve the lives of working-class people. He supported better social security, which helps people when they are sick or can't work. Because of his ideas, he sometimes disagreed with other, more traditional Catholic politicians.
In 1910, Nolens became the leader of the General League in parliament. He kept this important job until he died in 1931. In 1918, he was asked to help form a new government. This usually means becoming the Prime Minister. However, because he was a priest, Nolens could not take the job of Prime Minister. Instead, he helped choose Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck to be the first Catholic Prime Minister in Dutch history. Ruijs de Beerenbrouck then led the government that Nolens had helped create.
In 1926, the General League became more organized and changed its name to the Roman Catholic State Party. Towards the end of the 1920s, some younger Catholic thinkers started to criticize Nolens. They felt he was too soft on certain issues, like the idea of freedom of religion in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).
Why Willem Nolens Was Important
Willem Nolens was a very important politician in the Netherlands during the 1920s and 1930s. The Roman Catholic State Party was the biggest party in the Dutch parliament at that time.
He was very popular, especially among the miners in his home region of Limburg. This was because he strongly supported social reforms that made their working and living conditions much better.
When he died, many people showed their respect. The night before his funeral, the street lighting in Venlo was covered as a sign of mourning. The next day, ten thousand people attended his funeral, showing how much he was admired.
Images for kids
-
Willem Nolens (photo by Franz Ziegler)
-
Statue of Willem Nolens in the Nolenspark
-
Bus stop Monseigneur Nolensplein in Venlo and Nolenspark behind
