Dirk Fock
Dirk Fock | |
|---|---|
 Fock in 1921 | |
| Parliamentary leaderin theSenate | |
| In office 1932–1935 | |
| Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies | |
| In office 24 March 1921 – 6 September 1926 | |
| Preceded by | J.P. van Limburg Stirum |
| Succeeded by | Andries de Graeff |
| Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 25 January 1917 – 8 October 1920 | |
| Preceded by | Hendrik Borgesius |
| Succeeded by | Dionysius Koolen |
| Governor-General of Suriname | |
| In office 10 August 1908 – 30 June 1911 | |
| Preceded by | Pieter Crull(a.i.) |
| Succeeded by | Louis Couquerque |
| Minister of Colonial Affairs | |
| In office 17 August 1905 – 12 February 1908 | |
| Prime Minister | Theo de Meester |
| Preceded by | Alexander Idenburg |
| Succeeded by | Theo Heemskerk(a.i.) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dirk Fock 19 June 1858 Wijk bij Duurstede,Netherlands |
| Died | 17 October 1941(aged 83) The Hague,Netherlands |
| Political party | LSP(from 1921) LU(1885–1921) |
| Spouses | Wilhelmina Doffegnies
(m.1881;died1913)Alida Diemont
(m.1926;died1931) |
| Occupation | Politician, diplomat and lawyer |
Dirk Fock(19 June 1858 – 17 October 1941) was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the defunctLiberal State Party(LSP) now merged into thePeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy(VVD). He served asGovernor of Suriname(1908–1911),Speaker of the House of Representatives(1917–1921) andGovernor-General of the Dutch East Indies(1921–1926).[1]
Biography[edit]
Fock was born on 19 June 1858 inWijk bij Duurstedeas child of Maria Anna Uittenhooven (1830-1909) and Cornelis Fock (1828-1910), from the known Fock-dynasty.[1]After attendingGymnasium Haganum,Fock studied law atLeiden Universityfrom 1875 to 1880.[2]After graduating, Fock went to theDutch East Indies(now: Indonesia) were he worked as a lawyer and prosecutor inBataviauntil 1898.[3]He did marry there in 1881 to Wilhelmina Doffegnies, who gave birth to five children, among them the later renowned music director Dirk Fock (or Dick Foch), father of American actressNina Foch.
In 1899, the family returned to the Netherlands and Fock started practising law in Rotterdam.[3]On 17 September 1901, he was first elected to theStates General of the Netherlandsfor theLiberal State Party.[1]On 17 August 1905, he was appointedMinister of Colonial Affairsin theDe Meestercabinet. During his tenure, he enhanced and extended education in the colonies,[3]and served until 12 February 1908.[1]
On 10 Augustus 1908, Fock was appointedGovernor-General of Suriname.[1]During his tenure, he tried to stimulate the economy by developing the banana industry. There was increased immigration ofindenturedworkers from British India and Java. Plans to further develop the healthcare and educational system were blocked by the States General.[4]He served until 1 July 1911.[1]
In 1913 his wife died. In the same year Fock was re-elected to the States General, and became theSpeaker of the House of Representativesin 1917. In 1916 Fock married for the second time with Alida Diemont.
On 3 April 1919, he temporarily resigned from the States General, after Governorvan Limburg Stirumof the Dutch East Indies pleaded for radical changes in the colony which was at odds with Fock's view of a gentle evolution.[3]On 14 October 1920, he permanently resigned.[1]
On 24 March 1921, Fock was appointedGovernor-General of the Dutch East Indiessucceeding his former adversary van Limburg Stirum.[1]He arrived in the colony during a severe financial crisis, and the books were finally balanced in 1925. In 1923, he passed article 161bis of the Criminal Law, which criminalised incitements ofstrikes.In 1925, he passed theWet op de Staatsinrichting(Constitutional Act) which allowed the Dutch East Indies to pass internal legislation without the approval of the States General.[3]He served until 6 September 1926.[1]
On 17 September 1929, Fock was elected to theSenate,and became Parliamentary leader on 20 September 1932. He retired on 17 September 1935.[1]In 1930, he was a member of the Dutch delegation to theLeague of Nationsand in 1931, he was in charge of creating the Dutch pavilion of theParis Colonial Exposition.[5]
Fock died on 17 October 1941 in The Hague, at the age of 83.[5]
Honours[edit]
NetherlandsKnight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Netherlands Lion.[5]
FranceKnight Grand Cross of theLegion of Honour.[5]
BelgiumKnight Grass Cross of theOrder of the Crown.[5]
References[edit]
- ^abcdefghij(in Dutch)Mr.dr. D. (Dirk) Fock,Parlement & Politiek.Retrieved on 17 January 2015.
- ^"Mr.dr. D. (Dirk) Fock".Nederlandse Grondwet.Retrieved3 February2011.
- ^abcdeF. van Anrooij (2013)."Fock, Dirk (1858-1941)".Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland(in Dutch).Retrieved18 January2022.
- ^"Uit de Pers".De West: nieuwsblad uit en voor Suriname(in Dutch). 20 October 1911.Retrieved18 January2022.
- ^abcde"Mr. Dr. D. Fock".Het Vaderland(in Dutch). 18 October 1941.Retrieved18 January2022.
External links[edit]
Media related toDirk Fockat Wikimedia Commons
| Company appointed (1610–1800) |
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| Government appointed (1800–1948) |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
- 1858 births
- 1941 deaths
- Dutch expatriates in Indonesia
- Dutch jurists
- Governors of Suriname
- Governors-General of the Dutch East Indies
- Leiden University alumni
- Liberal State Party politicians
- Liberal Union (Netherlands) politicians
- Ministers of Colonial Affairs of the Netherlands
- Ministers of State (Netherlands)
- Members of the Senate (Netherlands)
- Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)
- Members of the Provincial Council of South Holland
- Speakers of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)
- Recipients of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
- People from Wijk bij Duurstede
- Politicians from The Hague
- 20th-century Dutch civil servants
- 20th-century Dutch diplomats
- 20th-century Dutch East Indies people
- 20th-century Dutch lawyers
- 20th-century Dutch politicians
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour