Jan ter Laan


Jan ter Laan was a Dutch politician and long-term member of the House of Representatives for the Social Democratic Workers' Party. He was also a member of the council of Rotterdam and a member of Provincial Council of South Holland.

Short biography

Laan was a younger brother of Kornelis ter Laan. The financial resources of his parents were not sufficient, especially after his brother, to give him a good education. After primary school he went to work on his father's farm. Later in life he received private lessons from his brother in Arnhem. Jan succeeded then in the practice of taxes. He was active in the Union of Trade Unions in the Netherlands and became a member of the SDAP.
Between 1913 and 1939 he was a member of the municipal council in Rotterdam. In 1929 he was elected alderman of that city, but was not successful. After two years he resigned. In 1913 he was elected a member of the Lower House. He remained an MP until September 1941, with a break during his alderman between November 1929 and October 1931. In the room he was mainly concerned with civil affairs. Between 1916 and 1939 he was a member of the Provincial Council of South Holland.
He married to Hendrieka te Niet. Together they had four daughters. He died at almost 84 years old.