Biography:Hein Vos

Short description: Dutch politician and economist (1903–1972)

Hendrik "Hein" Vos (5 July 1903 – 23 April 1972) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) and later the Labour Party (PvdA) and economist.

Vos attended a Gymnasium in Heerenveen from April 1917 until May 1921 and applied at the Delft Institute of Technology in June 1921 majoring in Electrical engineering and obtaining a Bachelor of Engineering degree in June 1923 before graduating with a Master of Engineering degree in July 1927. Vos worked as a civil servant for the municipality of Deventer from July 1927 until September 1928 and for the Patent Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs from September 1928 until July 1934. Vos served on the Municipal Council of Rijswijk from 1 September 1931 until 22 July 1934. Vos worked as a trade union leader for the Dutch Trade Unions association (NVV) from July 1934 until 8 June 1937 and as the director of the Social Democratic Workers' Party think tank from July 1934 until May 1940. Vos also served as editor-in-chief of the party newspaper Vrijheid, Arbeid en Brood from June 1935 until May 1940. Vos served on the Municipal Council of Amsterdam from 3 September 1935 until 5 September 1939.

Vos was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1937, taking office on 8 June 1937 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Economic Affairs. On 10 May 1940 Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation. During the German occupation Vos continued to serve as a Member of the House of Representatives in name only but in reality the de facto political influence of the House of Representatives was marginalized by the German occupation authority. Following the end of World War II Queen Wilhelmina ordered the formation of a Government of National unity to serve as a caretaker capacity until the new election with Vos appointed as Minister of Commerce and Industry in the Cabinet Schermerhorn–Drees, taking office on 25 June 1945. On 9 February 1946 the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) choose to merge to form the Labour Party (PvdA). After the election of 1946 Vos returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 4 June 1946. Following the cabinet formation of 1946 Vos was appointed as Minister of Transport in the Cabinet Beel I, taking office on 3 July 1946. Vos served as acting Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction from 15 November 1946 until 3 March 1947 following the resignation Johan Ringers. On 1 March 1947 the Minister of Transport was renamed as the Minister of Transport and Water Management. After the election of 1948 Vos again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 27 July 1948. Following the cabinet formation of 1948 Vos was not giving a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Beel I was replaced by the Cabinet Drees-Van Schaik on 7 August 1948 and he continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Economic Affairs and Small business.

In December 1948 Vos was named as chief executive officer (CEO) of the insurance company NV Centrale Algemene Levensverzekeringsmaatschappij, he resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 16 December 1948 and was installed as CEO on 1 January 1949. Vos remained in active in national politics, he served as Chairman of the Labour Party from 5 June 1953 until 23 February 1955. Vos was elected as a Member of the Senate after the Senate election of 1956, taking office on 6 November 1956 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Finances and Agriculture. After the Senate election of 1960 Vos was selected as Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the Senate, taking office on 15 November 1960. In February 1968 Vos was nominated as a Member of the Council of State, he resigned as Parliamentary leader and as a Member of the House of Representatives on 16 February 1968 and was installed as a Member of the Council of State, taking office on 21 February 1968.

Vos was known for his abilities as a manager and policy wonk. He holds the distinction as the first known LGBT Member of the House of Representatives and government Minister of the Netherlands, this fact was an open secret in Dutch politics at that time.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	31 August 1948
	Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	30 April 1964

External links

Official

• Ir. H. (Hein) Vos Parlement & Politiek
• Ir. H. Vos (PvdA) Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal

Party political offices
Preceded by	Chairman of the Labour Party 1953–1955 1960–1961 Ad interim	Succeeded by
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Preceded by	Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the Senate 1960–1968	Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by	Minister of Commerce and Industry 1945–1946	Succeeded by
Preceded by	Minister of Transport 1946–1947	Succeeded by
Preceded by	Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction Ad interim 1946–1947	Succeeded by
Preceded by	Minister of Transport and Water Management 1947–1948	Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by	Vice Chairman of the Mine Council 1948–1956	Succeeded by
Business positions
Preceded by	CEO and Chairman of the Centrale 1949–1968	Succeeded by
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by	Chairman of the Supervisory board of the International Institute of Social History 1950–1968	Succeeded by
Media offices
Preceded by	Chairman of the Supervisory board of Vrij Nederland 1948–1956	Succeeded by