Willem Drees

Willem Drees Sr. (Dutch pronunciation ; 5 July 1886 – 14 May 1988) was a Dutch statesman and historian who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 7 August 1948 to 22 December 1958. He was the first Leader of the Labour Party (PvdA), assuming the position from 9 February 1946 until the end of his premiership.Born in Amsterdam, Drees worked as an accountant and bank teller for the Twentsche Bank from 1904 until 1906 and as a stenographer for the States General of the Netherlands from 1907 until 1919. Drees became a member of the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) in 1904 and was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1933, he served in the House of Representatives from 9 May 1933 until 25 June 1945. Drees was selected as Parliamentary leader of the Social Democratic Workers' Party in the House of Representatives on 5 September 1939 following the appointed of Willem Albarda as Minister of Water Management in the Cabinet De Geer II. After Willem Albarda and the rest of the cabinet fled to London following the German invasion, Drees succeeded him as Leader of the Social Democratic Workers' Party on 14 May 1940. In October 1940 Drees was taken hostage in Buchenwald concentration camp for resisting orders given by German occupiers but was freed one year later. Following the end of World War II, Queen Wilhelmina ordered the formation of a Cabinet of National unity to serve as a caretaker government to reorganize the state and make preparations for the election of 1946, Drees was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs, the Cabinet Schermerhorn–Drees took office on 25 June 1945. On 9 February 1946 the Labour Party was formed with Drees selected as the first Leader of the Labour Party. For the election of 1946 Drees served as one of the Lijsttrekkers (top candidates). The Labour Party made small win, gaining 6 seats and became the second largest party and now had 29 seats in the House of Representativ