Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart


Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the Labour Party and journalist. He served as first United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1 January 1951 until 8 July 1956.

Biography

Early life

Van Heuven Goedhart was born on 19 March 1901 in Bussum, North Holland. His father, Gijsbert Willem Goedhart, was a Protestant vicar. His mother was Francina Dingena Helena van Heuven. Van Heuven Goedhart was initially called Goedhart, but in 1933 he received permission to add his mother's maiden name to his surname. Van Heuven Goedhart studied Law at Leiden University and graduated in 1926. The year before, he had already become a reporter for newspaper De Telegraaf. On 1 January 1930, at the age of 28, he was promoted to editor in chief. He was fired on 1 June 1933 because he refused to publish an article that called the newly elected German leader Adolf Hitler "a great statesman". He became editor in chief of regional newspaper Utrechts Nieuwsblad, where he would stay in office until the German invasion of the Netherlands.

Politics

During the World War II, Van Heuven Goedhart worked as a reporter and editor in chief for the illegal resistance newspaper Het Parool. In 1944 he fled to London, where he was appointed Minister of Justice in the government in exile.
After the World War II, Van Heuven Goedhart returned to Het Parool, where he once again become editor in chief. In 1947, he also became Senator for the Labour Party. In 1951, he gave up both occupations to become the first High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations. Under Van Heuven Goedhart, the UNHCR was awarded the 1954 Nobel Peace Prize.
Van Heuven Goedhart was also the first chairman of the "state committee for the coordination of government information", the predecessor of the Netherlands Government Information Service.

Personal

Van Heuven Goedhart married Francis Becht in 1924. The marriage was dissolved in 1931. In 1932, Van Heuven Goedhart married Norwegian Erna Hauan. Van Heuven Goedhart had two children from his second marriage, Karin Sophie and Bergliot Halldis. Van Heuven Goedhart died in Geneva on 8 July 1956, while being United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

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