Johannes Willem Bergansius

Johannes Willem Bergansius (1906)

Johannes Willem Bergansius (born August 14, 1836 in Delft , † July 22, 1913 in 's-Gravenhage ) was a Dutch lieutenant general and politician who was a minister, member of the Council of State ( Raad van State ) and minister of state .

Life

Military training and promotion to staff officer

After attending school, Bergansius began training as an officer at the Royal Military Academy ( Koninklijke Militaire Academie ) in Breda in 1852 and became a lieutenant in the 3rd  fortress artillery regiment on July 1, 1856 after completing his training . After being promoted to lieutenant in 1858, he stayed there for the time being, but shortly afterwards switched to the 1st fortress artillery regiment. Then he was briefly lecturer in chemistry in 1860 at the pyrotechnic school in Delft, where he was then from June 1860 to 1868 head of the pyrotechnic workshop belonging to this school .

After he had been promoted to captain of the artillery there in April 1867 , he worked between 1868 and April 1876 as an official in the artillery office in the War Ministry . In April 1876 he returned to the 1st fortress artillery regiment, where he was company commander of the 8th  military until 1880 .

On January 20, 1880 he was promoted to major in the artillery, whereupon he was commander of the 4th  division of the fortress artillery in Zwolle .

After his subsequent promotion to lieutenant colonel on April 19, 1884, he became director of the artillery shooting school in Zwolle and, after promotion to colonel in 1887, director of the artillery facilities in Delft.

Minister and Lieutenant General

On April 21, 1888 Bergansius was first Minister of War in the cabinet of Prime Minister Æneas Mackay and held this office until August 21, 1891. During this time, on April 24, 1890, he was promoted to major general of the artillery.

After leaving the cabinet, he became the commander of the post in Amsterdam in August 1891 and as such was commander of the army in North Holland and northern South Holland until May 1892. This was followed by a position as commander of the fortress artillery between May 1892 and February 1894, before he became inspector of the artillery in February 1894. In this function he was promoted to lieutenant general of the artillery in February 1896 . After the death of his wife Henrica Ludovica Maria van Berckel, he was released from his post as inspector of artillery on November 1, 1898 at his own request and retired .

Because of his services to the Dutch defense policy, he was appointed commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau on August 31, 1898 .

On August 1, 1901, he was reappointed to a government by Prime Minister Abraham Kuyper as Minister of War and was a member of the Kuyper cabinet until August 16, 1905. During this time he was also acting colonial minister twice , on the one hand from February 15 to April 30, 1902 during the illness of Colonial Minister Titus van Asch van Wijck and on the other hand from September 10 to 25, 1902 after the Death of Minister van Asch van Wijck. He was also acting Minister of the Navy from December 12, 1902 to March 16, 1903 after the death of Gerhardus Kruys .

For his many years of military and political services, he was awarded the honorary title of Minister of State on March 20, 1903 at the personal instruction of Queen Wilhelmina for his achievements during the railway strike of 1903. In addition, after leaving the government on August 28, 1905, he was appointed a member of the Council of State ( Raad van State ) and was a member of this constitutional body to advise the Dutch government until his resignation for health reasons on June 20, 1908.

Bergansius was also awarded foreign medals and received, among other things, the Knight's Cross of the Red Eagle Order , the Knight's Cross Second Class of the Order of the Rising Sun , the Knight's Cross First Class of the Order of the Oak Crown and the Dannebrogden .

Web links

• Biography in Parlement & Politiek
• Netherlands Ministries (rulers.org)