# First Gerbrandy cabinet

The First Gerbrandy cabinet, also called the Second London cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch government-in-exile from 3 September 1940 until 27 July 1941. The War cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU), the social-democratic Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the social-liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VBD) and the conservative-liberal Liberal State Party (LSP) after the resignation of the previous Cabinet De Geer II. The national unity government (War cabinet) was the second of four war cabinets of the government-in-exile in London during World War II.

## Formation

On 26 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina dismissed the Second De Geer cabinet after she lost confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer to govern after the German Invasion on 10 May 1940. Subsequently on 28 August 1940 Queen Wilhelmina appointed Minister of Justice Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (ARP) as Formateur to form a new cabinet. On 3 September 1940 the formation of the war cabinet was completed and Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was installed as Prime Minister. All ministers of the previous Second De Geer cabinet (excluding Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer) where retained, with Minister of Colonial Affairs Charles Welter (RKSP) taking over as Minister of Finance from Dirk Jan de Geer.

## Term

The cabinet fell on 12 June 1941 after a conflict between Queen Wilhelmina and Minister of Defence Adriaan Dijxhoorn, leading to the dismissal of the minister. Immediately also the other ministers resigned and the cabinet continued for five weeks as a demissionary cabinet until the ministries were redistributed and the Second Gerbrandy cabinet was installed on 27 July 1941.

### Changes

On 1 May 1941 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Aat van Rhijn (CHU) was appointed as a Member of the Court of Audits. Because there was little work in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries while the government-in-exile was in London the portfolio was combined with the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Shipping Max Steenberghe (RKSP).

## Cabinet Members

| Ministers | Ministers | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | Dr. Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (1885–1961) | Prime Minister | | 3 September 1940 – 25 June 1945 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | Dr. Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (1885–1961) | Minister | Justice | 10 August 1939 – 21 February 1942 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947) | Minister | General Affairs | 3 September 1940 – 23 February 1945 | Christian Historical Union |
| | Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947) | Minister | Interior | 24 June 1937 – 31 May 1944 | Christian Historical Union |
| | Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | 10 August 1939 – 1 March 1946 | Independent Classical Liberal |
| | Charles Welter (1880–1972) | Minister | Finance | 3 September 1940 – 27 July 1941 | Roman Catholic State Party |
| | Charles Welter (1880–1972) | Minister | Colonial Affairs | 10 August 1939 – 17 November 1941 | Roman Catholic State Party |
| | Max Steenberghe (1899–1972) | Minister | Commerce, Industry and Shipping | 10 May 1940 – 17 November 1941 | Roman Catholic State Party |
| | Major general Adriaan Dijxhoorn (1889–1953) | Minister | Defence | 10 August 1939 – 12 June 1941 | Independent Conservative Liberal |
| | Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947) | Minister | Defence | 12 June 1941 – 15 September 1942 | Christian Historical Union |
| | Dr. Jan van den Tempel (1877–1955) | Minister | Social Affairs | 10 August 1939 – 23 February 1945 | Social Democratic Workers' Party |
| | Gerrit Bolkestein (1871–1956) | Minister | Education, Arts and Sciences | 10 August 1939 – 25 June 1945 | Free-thinking Democratic League |
| | Willem Albarda (1877–1957) | Minister | Water Management | 10 August 1939 – 23 February 1945 | Social Democratic Workers' Party |
| | Dr. Aat van Rhijn (1892–1986) | Minister | Agriculture and Fisheries | 10 May 1940 – 1 May 1941 | Christian Historical Union |
| | Max Steenberghe (1899–1972) | Minister | Agriculture and Fisheries | 1 May 1941 – 17 November 1941 | Roman Catholic State Party |
| Source: (in Dutch) Parlement & Politiek ||||||||
    $^{Resigned}$
    $^{Retainedfromthepreviouscabinet}$
    $^{Continuedinthenextcabinet}$
    $^{AppointedasPresidentoftheCourtofAudit}$