Schelto Patijn Explained

Schelto Patijn
Office:Mayor of Amsterdam
Term Start:1 June 1994
Term End:1 January 2001
Predecessor:Frank de Grave (Acting)
Successor:Guusje ter Horst (Ad interim)
Office1:Queen's Commissioner
of South Holland
Term Start1:16 June 1984
Term End1:1 June 1994
Monarch1:Beatrix
Predecessor1:Maarten Vrolijk
Successor1:Joan Leemhuis-Stout
Office2:Member of the European Parliament
Term Start2:3 July 1973
Term End2:16 July 1979
Parliamentarygroup2:Socialist Group
Constituency2:Netherlands
Office3:Member of the House of Representatives
Term Start3:28 May 1973
Term End3:16 June 1984
Parliamentarygroup3:Labour Party
Birthname:Schelto Patijn
Birth Date:1936 8, df=y
Birth Place:The Hague, Netherlands
Death Place:Amsterdam, Netherlands
Death Cause:Kidney cancer
Nationality:Dutch
Party:Labour Party
Father:Connie Patijn (1908–2007)
Children:3 children (including Mariëtte Patijn)
Relatives:Jack Patijn
(brother)
Michiel Patijn
(brother)
Alma Mater:Utrecht University
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, Doctor of Philosophy)
Occupation:Politician · Civil servant · Jurist · Researcher · Nonprofit director
Allegiance: Netherlands
Branch:Royal Marechaussee
Serviceyears:1959–1962 (Conscription)
Rank: Lieutenant

Schelto Patijn [ˈsxɛɫtoː pɑˈtɛin] (13 August 1936 – 15 July 2007) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and jurist. After serving as an elected member of the Dutch and subsequently European Parliament, he served as Queen's Commissioner in the Province of South Holland from 16 June 1984 until 1 June 1994 when he stepped down to become Mayor of Amsterdam, he served from 1 June 1994 until 1 January 2001.[1]

Biography

Early life

Patijn was the second son of Conny Patijn, a Member of the House of Representatives, from 1956 until 1967, and Sara van Citters. He was a descendant of Michiel de Ruyter, he was named after the father of his mother, politician Schelto van Citters.

Patijn went to school at the liberal Vrijzinnig-Christelijk Lyceum in The Hague from 1948 to 1954. After that he studied law at the Utrecht University and became a member of the Utrechtsch Students Corps. Patijn graduated in 1959. He fulfilled his military duty in which he rose to the rank of reserve-first lieutenant of the royal military police. In 1961–1962 he followed a post-academic study in Washington D.C. Hereafter he was a policy employee at the European Integration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, up to 1967 when he changed to the Europe institute of the University of Leiden. Initially he worked there as a scientific employee, but in 1971, he became director of the institute.

Patijn received a doctorate degree in September 1973 from the Utrecht University on: 'the European Parliament, the fight for its powers'.

Politics

In 1973, his political career also started. Patijn was a Member of the House of Representatives from 28 May 1973 until 16 June 1984 and from 3 July 1973 until 16 July 1979 a Member of the European Parliament. In Brussels he worked as rapporteur on direct elections.

In the House of Representatives he was an advocate for the right to vote in the European Parliament (originally consisting of appointed members). From December 1978 to August 1979 Patijn was President of a special commission to examine who had knowledge of the war past of Willem Aantjes, how they had come to this knowledge and if someone had been using it. Patijn voted in 1980 for a Dutch boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow. Early 1982 he was candidate Mayor of Rotterdam, but minister Ed van Thijn preferred the 42-year-old Bram Peper. At the constitutional revision of 1983 Patijn played an important role.

On 16 June 1984 Patijn became commissioner of the queen in the province South Holland. In that function he signed a decision of the Provincial Council of South Holland on 30 August 1988, that later lead to a financial scandal (in 1999).

By 1 June 1994 Patijn became Mayor of Amsterdam. He succeeded Ed van Thijn, who in January of that year had left to succeed the deceased Ien Dales as minister of home affairs in the Cabinet Lubbers III. Patijn was a remarkable choice, because a tradition appeared to be emerging to appoint a Jewish mayor in the municipality of Amsterdam. He was to be the commissioner of the queen of the still to be formed town province of Amsterdam. When however the town province was voted down by referendum, one mayor job only remained for Patijn; actually a degradation for a commissioner of the queen.

As Mayor, Patijn initially wanted to halve the number of coffee shops in the capital. He got within some years a pet name (Uncle shrill) and a fan club. Nevertheless he was much criticised for restricting the free market on Queen's Day.

Patijn was succeeded on 1 January 2001 by Job Cohen. After stepping down as mayor he continued live in Amsterdam, even though it was his intention to return to The Hague.[2]

Trivia

In February 2001 Patijn was asked to be vice-chairman of the Labour Party, but he withdrew for health reasons. In 2004, Patijn was the President of a Labour Party-project group which wrote a report regarding integration and immigration.

Patijn married Elisabeth Stroink on 12 July 1961. The couple had three children. After a long spell with health problems, Schelto Patijn died in the summer of 2007. He was 70. After a private commemoration in the Westerkerk, Patijn was buried in the Amsterdam cemetery Zorgvlied.

His father outlived him by a few months, until his own death on 7 September 2007 at the age of 98.[3]

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
Knight of the Order of the Netherlands LionNetherlands1987
Commander of the Order of Orange-NassauNetherlands1994

External links

Official

Notes and References

  1. News: Schelto Patijn (70) overleden . van den Eerenbeemt . Marc . July 16, 2007 . . nl . July 23, 2018.
  2. Web site: Schelto Patijn overleden . July 15, 2007 . . nl . July 23, 2018.
  3. Web site: PvdA-politicus Schelto Patijn op 70-jarige leeftijd overleden . July 16, 2007 . Parlement & Politiek . nl . July 23, 2018.