Jan Terlouw


Jan Cornelis Terlouw is a retired Dutch politician and diplomat of the Democrats 66 party and physicist and author.
Terlouw applied at the Utrecht University in June 1948 majoring in Physics and Mathematics and obtaining an Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Mathematics degree's in July 1952 before graduating with an Master of Physics and Master of Mathematics degree's in July 1956. Terlouw was conscripted in the Royal Netherlands Army serving as a Private first class from August 1956 until August 1958. Terlouw worked as a nuclear physics researcher at the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter in Amsterdam from November 1958 until 11 May 1971. Terlouw later returned to the Utrecht University for a postgraduate education where worked as a researcher and got a doctorate as an Doctor of Science in Nuclear physics on 1 July 1964. Terlouw also worked as a researcher for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts from February 1960 until April 1962 and for the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden from August 1965 until December 1966. Terlouw served on the Municipal Council of Utrecht from April 1970 until May 1971. Terlouw was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1971, taking office on 11 May 1971. After the Leader of the Democrats 66 and Parliamentary leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives Hans van Mierlo announced he was stepping down as Leader and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives taking responsibility for the defeat in the election of 1972 and approached Terlouw as his successor, Terlouw accepted and became the Leader and Parliamentary leader on 1 September 1973. For the election of 1977 Terlouw served as Lijsttrekker of the Democrats 66. The Democrats 66 made a small win, gaining 2 seat and now had 8 seats in the House of Representatives. For the election of 1981 Terlouw again served as Lijsttrekker. The Democrats 66 made a large win, gaining 9 seats and now had 17 seats in the House of Representatives. The following cabinet formation of 1981 resulted in a coalition agreement between the Democrats 66, the Christian Democratic Appeal and Labour Party which formed the Cabinet Van Agt II with Terlouw appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, taking office on 11 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with Terlouw continuing as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, taking office on 29 May 1982. In July 1982 Terlouw announced that he wouldn't run as Lijsttrekker for the election of 1982 but that he would stand for the election of 1982. Terlouw was approached by the Chairman of the Democrats 66 Jan van Berkom to reconsider his candidacy, Terlouw initially refused but after consultation he accepted and became Lijsttrekker for the election. The Democrats 66 suffered a big loss, losing 11 seats and now had 6 seats in the House of Representatives. Terlouw took responsibility for the defeat and sequentially announced he was stepping down as Leader on 8 September 1982 and didn't take his seat in the House of Representatives. The Cabinet Van Agt III was replaced by the Cabinet Lubbers I following the cabinet formation of 1982 on 4 November 1982.
Terlouw semi-retired from active politics, in December 1982 he was nominated as Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum in Paris, France, taking office on 30 January 1983. In October 1991 Terlouw was nominated as the next Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland, he resigned as Secretary-General the same day he was installed as Queen's Commissioner, serving from 1 November 1991 until 1 December 1996. Terlouw also became active in the public sector and occupied numerous seats as a nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards. Terlouw also served as a distinguished professor of Urbanization at the University of Amsterdam holding the :nl:Wibautleerstoel|Wibaut Chair from 1 January 1997 until 1 January 2000. Terlouw was elected as a Member of the Senate after the Senate election of 1999, taking office on 8 June 1999 serving as a frontbencher chairing several :nl:Eerste Kamercommissie|parliamentary committees. In January 2003 Terlouw announced his retirement from national politics and that he wouldn't stand for the Senate election of 2003 and continued to serve until the end of the parliamentary term on 10 June 2003.
Terlouw retired after spending 32 years in national politics but remained active in the public sector and continued to occupied numerous seats as a nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards and served on several :nl:Staatscommissie|state commissions and served as an diplomat and lobbyist for several economic delegations on behalf of the government and as an advocate and activist for Conservation, Sustainable development, Animal welfare and European integration. Terlouw also served as a distinguished professor of Literature at the Tilburg University holding the :nl:Leonardoleerstoel|Leonardo Chair from 1 September 2003 until 1 September 2004. Terlouw is also a prolific author, having written more than thirty books since 1970 about Politics, Science, Children's literature, Young adult fiction and Poetry. His 1972 World War II book Winter in Wartime was adopted as a screenplay and released as a feature film in 2008.
Terlouw is known for his abilities as a negotiator and consensus builder. Terlouw continues to comment on political affairs as of and holds the distinction as the first member of the Democrats 66 party to serve as Queen's Commissioner.

Background

Early life and education

Terlouw was born in Kamperveen, Overijssel and grew up in the Veluwe. He was the eldest son a family of five, having two younger brothers and two sisters.
After high school, Terlouw studied at Utrecht University, where he obtained an MSc degree in mathematics and physics, and a PhD degree in nuclear physics.
during a debate in the House of Representatives on 8 June 1982.

Career

After graduating from Utrecht University, he worked as a physics researcher in the Netherlands, the United States, and Sweden.
After working for thirteen years, he became a politician, joining the Dutch House of Representatives as a member of the Democraten 66 political party in 1970

Personal life

Terlouw was married to Alexandra van Hulst until her death on 23 August 2017. Terlouw is a father of four and grandfather of twelve.

Publications

Terlouw wrote 24 children's books, most notably Winter in Wartime and How to Become King, both of which won the Gouden Griffel and have been made into motion pictures directed by Martin Koolhoven.
Terlouw's books have been illustrated by various illustrators, including Dick van der Maat, Martijn van der Linden and Fiel van der Veen.

Awards