Kees Staf
Kees Staf in 1950
Member of the Senate
In office
9 June 1959 – 20 September 1960
Parliamentary groupChristian Historical Union
Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food Supplies
In office
22 December 1958 – 19 May 1959
Prime MinisterLouis Beel
Preceded byAnne Vondeling
Succeeded byVictor Marijnen
as Minister of Agriculture
and Fisheries
In office
1 January 1958 – 13 January 1958
Ad interim
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded bySicco Mansholt
Succeeded byAnne Vondeling
Minister of Defence
In office
13 October 1956 – 19 May 1959
Prime MinisterWillem Drees (1956–1958)
Louis Beel (1956–1958)
Preceded byHimself
as Minister of War and the Navy
Succeeded bySidney J. van den Bergh
Minister of Colonial Affairs
In office
18 July 1956 – 16 February 1957
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byWillem Kernkamp
Succeeded byGerard Helders
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
3 July 1956 – 3 October 1956
In office
15 July 1952 – 2 September 1952
Parliamentary groupChristian Historical Union
Minister of War and the Navy
In office
15 March 1951 – 13 October 1956
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Preceded byHans s'Jacob
Succeeded byHimself
as Minister of Defence
Personal details
Born
Cornelis Staf

(1905-04-23)23 April 1905
Ede, Netherlands
Died10 September 1973(1973-09-10) (aged 68)
Arnhem, Netherlands
Political partyChristian Historical Union (from 1946)
Spouse
Bartha Moll
​
(m. 1931)​
Children2 daughters
Alma materNational Agricultural and Forestry College
(Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Master of Science in Engineering)
Technische Hochschule Breslau
(Master of Engineering)
OccupationPolitician · Civil servant · Agronomist · Agricultural engineer · Civil engineer · Economist · Researcher · Businessman · Corporate director · Nonprofit director
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands East Indies Army
Years of service1928–1929 (Conscription)
1929–1935 (Reserve)
Rank Sergeant
UnitCorps of Engineers
Battles/warsInterbellum

Cornelis "Kees" Staf (23 April 1905 – 10 September 1973) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Christian Historical Union (CHU) party now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and businessman.[1]

Staf worked as student researcher at the National Agricultural and Forestry College from June 1926 until July 1928. Staf served in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army as a Sergeant in the Corps of Engineers stationed in Sawah Besar from December 1928 until December 1929. Staf worked for the land reclamation Dutch Heidemaatschappij Company from December 1929 until January 1941 and served as CEO and Chairman of the board of directors from November 1939 until May 1941 and he also worked as a civil servant for the province of Gelderland from August 1939 until May 1940.

On 24 January 1951 the Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik fell and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1951 when it was replaced by the Cabinet Drees I with Staf appointed as Minister of War and the Navy, taking office on 15 March 1951. Staf was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1952, taking office on 15 July 1952. After the cabinet formation of 1952 Staf continued as Minister of War and the Navy in the Cabinet Drees II, taking office on 2 September 1952. After the election of 1956 Staf returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 3 July 1956. Staf was appointed as Minister of Colonial Affairs following the death of Willem Kernkamp and dual served in both positions, taking office on 18 July 1956. After the cabinet formation of 1956 Staf continued in the post as the newly renamed Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Drees III, taking office on 13 October 1956. On 16 February 1957 Staf resigned as Minister of Colonial Affairs following the appointment of Gerard Helders but continued as Minister of Defence. Staf served as acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies following the appointment of Sicco Mansholt as the first European Commissioner from the Netherlands, serving from 1 January 1958 until 13 January 1958. The Cabinet Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Beel II with Staf continuing as Minister of Defence and also took over as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies, taking office on 22 December 1958. In January 1959 Staf announced that he would not stand for the election of 1959. Following the cabinet formation of 1959 Staf per his own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Beel II was replaced by the Cabinet De Quay on 19 May 1959.

Staf remained in active politics, he became a Member of the Senate after the death of Gualthérus Kolff, taking office on 9 June 1959. In August 1960 Staf announced that he would not stand for the Senate election of 1960 and continued to serve as a backbencher until the end of the parliamentary term on 20 September 1960.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon barHonourCountryDateComment
Grand Officer of the Order of the House of Orange Netherlands 11 July 1954
Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II Belgium 8 March 1957
Commander of the Order of Merit Portugal 17 November 1957
Grand Officer of the Order of the Oak Crown Luxembourg 28 April 1958
Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 9 June 1959
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour France 6 September 1963
Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 30 April 1966

References

  1. ↑ "Staf, Cornelis (1905-1973)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2019.

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