Willem Drees was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1933, taking office on 9 May 1933 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Social Affairs.
16 Facts About Willem Drees
2.
Shortly after the German Invasion Party Leader Albarda announced he was stepping down and Willem Drees was anonymously selected as his successor as Leader on 14 May 1940.
3.
In February 1946 Willem Drees was one of the co-founders of the Labour Party and became its first Leader.
4.
The Cabinet Willem Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 and shortly thereafter Willem Drees announced his retirement and would step down as Leader and would not serve another term as Prime Minister.
5.
Willem Drees left office following the installation of the caretaker Cabinet Beel II on 22 December 1958.
6.
Willem Drees retired from active politics at 72 but continued to be active as a valued historian and prolific author and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government.
7.
Willem Drees was known for his abilities as a skillful team leader and effective manager.
8.
Willem Drees was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 22 December 1958 and continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death in May 1988 at the age of 101.
9.
For 22 years between 1919 and 1941 Willem Drees held a seat on the Provincial Council of South Holland and for 19 years between 1927 and 1946 one on the Social Democratic Workers' Party executive.
10.
Willem Drees strongly disagreed with New Left tendencies in the membership and strategies of the Labour Party.
11.
Willem Drees eventually gave up membership of a party he had served for close to 67 years.
12.
Willem Drees was an Esperantist and addressed the 1954 World Congress of Esperanto, which was held in Haarlem.
13.
Willem Drees himself left the Labour Party in 1971 leaving them without their icon, but he never joined the Democratic Socialists 1970.
14.
Willem Drees died on 14 May 1988 in The Hague, two months before his 102nd birthday.
15.
From 22 August 1986, when former Turkish President Celal Bayar died, until his own death Willem Drees was the world's oldest living former head of government.
16.
Miniature medal bar of Willem Drees, showing all of his foreign and domestic decorations, as well as the grade.