Cals, Jo (1914-1971)

Cals, Jo

POLITICIAN (THE NETHERLANDS)

BORN 18 Jul 1914, Roermond, Limburg - DIED 30 Dec 1971, Den Haag, Zuid-Holland
BIRTH NAME Cals, Joseph Maria Laurens Theo
GRAVE LOCATION Den Haag, Zuid-Holland: St. Petrus Banden begraafplaats, Kerkhoflaan 10

Jo Cals studied to be a priest at the Philosophicum in Rolduc, but he broke of these studies and studied law in Nijmegen instead. After Germany invaded the Netherlands, he gave an in flammatory speech at the student society which led to his imprisonment for several weeks.
In 1941 he married his fellow student Truus van der Heijden. They had six children. After his graduation he worked as a lawyer and an attorney in Nijmegen.

In 1941 he was involved in de Nederlandsche Unie. After it was dissolved he became involved in the resistance. He provided shelter to people in hiding. In 1944 he went into hiding himself after he heard that he was on a German list. Several other people on the list were executed soon afterwards.

From 1945 to 1948 he was the leader of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) in the city council of Nijmegen. He was a member of the Dutch Parliament from 1948 to 1950. From 1950 he served in the cabinets of prime ministers Drees, Beel and De Quay. As Minister of Education he was responsible for a major reform of secondary education in 1963.

After the fall of Victor Marijnen he became Prime Minister on 14 April 1965. In 22 November 1966 his cabinet fell in ehat is known as the Night of Schmelzer. In 1966 he received the title of Minister of State. From 1967 he worked on the revision of the Dutch Constitution. In 1971 he died in Den Haag at the age of 57.

Images

The grave of Joseph Cals at the St. Petrus Banden Begraafplaats, Den Haag.
Picture by Androom (03 Aug 2007)