Sim Visser

Sim Visser after being sworn in as Minister of Defense (September 7, 1959)

Simon "Sim" Hendrik Visser (born January 3, 1908 in Eierland , Texel , province of North Holland , † April 13, 1983 in Den Helder , province of North Holland) was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD), who from 1959 to 1963 was Minister of Defense in the cabinet of Prime Minister Jan de Quay .

His term of office was marked by criticism regarding his administration. This led to tensions in Dutch New Guinea , which was placed under the administration of the United Nations under high international pressure in October 1962 and then transferred to Indonesia in May 1963 . Misunderstandings also arose with the USA after he denied the Papuans the right to self-determination in relation to US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy . The faction of the VVD in the First Chamber of the States General led by Harm van Riel therefore recently withdrew their trust in him. He was later mayor of Den Helder from 1967 to 1973 .

Life

Studies, association functionary and ministerial official

Visser began after the visit of the Higher Civil schools in Arnhem and Utrecht in 1927 a degree in Tropical Agriculture at the Reich College of Agriculture Wageningen (Rijks Landbouw-Hoogeschool) , which he completed on 15 February 1,933th He then studied agricultural science there for a short time in 1933 , but did not graduate. In 1933 he became vice-secretary of the employers' association VNW (Verbond van Nederlandsche Werkgevers) and held this position until January 1, 1940. Before the start of the Second World War , he was mobilized as a sergeant of the artillery in 1939 and did his military service until the German occupation in 1940 . On January 1, 1940, he was first economic secretary and then from January 1, 1942 to July 1, 1945 head of the works office of the main industry group of the VNW employers' association.

After the end of the war, between July 2, 1945 and February 1, 1946, Visser took on the role of secretary to the board of the chemical and pharmaceutical company NV Koninklijke Nederlandsche Gisten Spiritusfabriek in Delft . He then moved to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply and was there from February 1, 1946 to November 1, 1947 the acting government commissioner for foreign agricultural affairs. On November 1, 1947, he returned to the employers' association and was initially general secretary of the main industry group and then between January 1, 1949 and September 4, 1959, general secretary of the VNW. In 1952 he became a member of the Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD) and was a member until 1977.

For his services, Visser was appointed officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau on April 29, 1955 .

Defense Minister and Mayor

Defense Secretary Visser (right) on a farewell visit by General Alfred Dudley Ward , Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine (November 30, 1959)

After Sidney van den Bergh was forced to resign on August 1, 1959 as defense minister after a relationship has been known to not divorced woman Visser of Prime Minister Jan de Quay on September 4, 1959 was the new defense minister (Minister van Defensie) appointed . Previously, Prime Minister de Quay had temporarily held this ministerial office himself. He held the post of Minister of Defense until July 24, 1963.

His term of office was marked by criticism regarding his administration. This led to tensions in Dutch New Guinea, which was placed under the administration of the United Nations under high international pressure in October 1962 and then transferred to Indonesia in May 1963. Misunderstandings also arose with the USA after he denied the Papuans the right to self-determination in relation to US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The faction of the VVD in the First Chamber of the States General led by Harm van Riel therefore recently withdrew their trust in him after he had dismissed the ministerial official FH van der Putten.

After leaving the government, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dutch Lion on July 27, 1963 . After he did not hold any offices from July 24, 1963 to December 16, 1967, Visser succeeded GD Rehorst as Mayor of Den Helder on December 16, 1967. He held this office until January 1, 1973 and was then replaced by Albert Pieter Jan van Bruggen. During this time he was appointed Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau on February 19, 1968 .

His marriage to Margaretha Catharina Kruijtbosch on July 23, 1934 resulted in three sons and two daughters.

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