Editing Hans Janmaat

{{Short description|Dutch politician (1934–2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix   = 
|name               = Hans Janmaat
|image              = Dhr. Hans Janmaat (Centrumpartij), Bestanddeelnr 932-6890.jpg
|imagesize          = 250px
|caption            = Hans Janmaat in 1983
|office             = [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Leader of the Centre Democrats]]
|term_start         = 7 November 1984
|term_end           = 18 April 2002
|predecessor        = ''Office established''
|successor          = ''Office discontinued''
|office1            = [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Chairman of the Centre Democrats]]
|term_start1        = 7 November 1984
|term_end1          = 18 April 2002
|predecessor1       = ''Office established''
|successor1         = ''Office discontinued''
|office2            = [[Parliamentary leader]] in the <br/> [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
|term_start2        = 14 September 1989 
|term_end2          = 19 May 1998
|predecessor2       = ''Office established''
|successor2         = ''Office discontinued''
|parliamentarygroup2= [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centre Democrats]]
|term_start3        = 15 October 1984
|term_end3          = 3 June 1986
|parliamentarygroup3= [[Independent politician|Independent]]
|term_start4        = 16 September 1982
|term_end4          = 15 October 1984
|predecessor4       = ''Office established''
|successor4         = ''Office discontinued''
|parliamentarygroup4= [[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Centre Party]]
|office5            = [[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Leader of the Centre Party]]
|term_start5        = 16 September 1982
|term_end5          = 15 October 1984
|predecessor5       = Henry Brookman
|successor5         = Nico Konst
|office6            = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]]
|term_start6        = 14 September 1989 
|term_end6          = 19 May 1998
|term_start7        = 16 September 1982 
|term_end7          = 3 June 1986
|parliamentarygroup7= [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centre Democrats]] <br/> (1989–1998) <br/> [[Independent politician|Independent]] <br/> (1984–1986) <br/> [[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Centre Party]] <br/> (1982–1984)
|birthname          = Johannes Gerardus Hendrikus Janmaat 
|birth_date         = {{Birth date|df=y|1934|11|03}}
|birth_place        = [[Nes aan de Amstel]], Netherlands
|death_date         = {{Death date and age|df=y|2002|06|09|1934|11|03}}
|death_place        = [[The Hague]], Netherlands
|death_cause        = Heart failure
|nationality        = Dutch
|party              = [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centre Democrats]] (1984–2002) 
|otherparty         = [[Independent politician|Independent]] <br/> (1984) <br/> [[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Centre Party]] <br/> (1981–1984) <br/> [[Democratic Socialists '70]] <br/> (1979–1980) <br/> [[Catholic People's Party]] <br/> (1972–1979)
|spouse             = {{plainlist}}
* {{marriage|Josepha Hock|21 March 1966|9 February 1979|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|[[Wil Schuurman]]<br>|21 June 1996<!--|9 June 2002|reason=his death-->}}
{{endplainlist}}
|residence          = 
|alma_mater         = [[University of Amsterdam]] <br/> ([[Bachelor of Social Science]], [[Master of Social Science]])
|occupation         = Politician · businessman · teacher
|signature          =
|website            =
}}

'''Johannes Gerardus Hendrikus "Hans" Janmaat''' (3 November 1934 – 9 June 2002) was a Dutch businessman and politician of the [[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Centre Party]] (CP) who later founded the [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centre Democrats]] (CD).

Although he was widely known, he was never a major force in the Dutch political landscape,<ref name="ing">{{cite web | url= http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/BWN/lemmata/bwn6/janmaat | author= Instituut voor Nederlandse Geschiedenis | title = Janmaat, Hans | access-date=9 June 2010}}</ref> partly because of a ''[[Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire]]'' imposed by Prime Minister [[Ruud Lubbers]]'s [[Third Lubbers cabinet|third cabinet]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
Johannes Gerardus Hendrikus Janmaat was born on 3 November 1934 in [[Nes aan de Amstel]] in [[North Holland]], as the oldest of nine children in a traditional [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] family.<ref name="ing"/> His father was a salesman and insurance broker. When Janmaat was 4 years old, the family moved to [[Gouda, South Holland|Gouda]], where it would endure the [[Netherlands in World War II|war years]] in relative peace.<ref name="ing"/>
After graduating in 1954, Janmaat started a study in [[aeronautical engineering]], but had to drop out two years later after his father could no longer afford the tuition fees.<ref name="ing"/> Having to give up his studies to work was the first of many setbacks he would often refer to later in life.<ref name="ing"/>

In 1966 he married [[Belgians|Belgian]] Evi Hock, having met her while working in Germany.<ref name="ing"/> In 1979, they divorced. In 1996, Janmaat married [[Wil Schuurman]]. No children were born in either marriage.<ref name="ing"/>

In the early 1960s, Janmaat ran a furniture factory with two of his brothers, but it burned down in 1966. He used the insurance payout to study [[politicology]] at the [[University of Amsterdam]].<ref name="ing"/> Fellow-students found him ambitious, provocative and witty.<ref name="ing"/> In 1969, he participated in the occupation of the ''Maagdenhuis'', the university's administrative center, as part of a student protest.<ref name="ing"/> He completed his studies in 1972.

===Politics===
After graduating, Janmaat held part-time positions as a teacher of [[civics]]. He also ran a one-man consultancy for small businesses.

In 1972, he joined the [[Catholic People's Party]] (KVP).<ref name="ing"/> He also worked in several commissions for the [[Democratic Socialists '70]] (DS'70) party. Despite his efforts, he was not considered suitable for a front line position because of his capriciousness and tendency to go against the grain.<ref name="ing"/>

In the 1970s, he became more interested in the emerging issue of [[Immigration policy|immigration]] as large numbers of [[foreign worker]]s came to the Netherlands. His increasingly radical stance lead to a break with the KVP as well as DS'70.<ref name="ing"/>

[[File:Janmaat (Centrumpartij) loopt langs de demonstranten, Bestanddeelnr 932-3282.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Hans Janmaat on the [[Binnenhof]] with protesters on 16 September 1982.]]
[[File:Tweede Kamer Hans Janmaat aan het woord, Bestanddeelnr 932-9715.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Hans Janmaat in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] on 17 May 1984.]]

In 1980, he read an article in [[Vrij Nederland]] which drew his attention to the recently founded extreme-right [[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Centre Party]] (CP). After several interviews, he joined the party as its seventh member.<ref name="ing"/> Starting as a publicity worker, he would rapidly rise to be the party's top and was its ''[[lijsttrekker]]'' (top candidate) for the [[1982 Dutch general election|1982 elections]]. The party won a single seat in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]], which went to Janmaat.<ref name="ing"/> Other political parties largely ignored and [[Ostracism|ostracized]] him.<ref name="ing"/>

===Centre Democrats===
After disagreements and a power struggle with other members of the Centrum Party, he was expelled from the CP in October 1984. However, he retained his seat in parliament, in accordance with Dutch law. Janmaat officially launched his own party, the [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centre Democrats]] (CD) in November 1984.<ref name="ing"/> Politically, the party did not differ greatly from the CP, except that it was strongly centered around Janmaat, to prevent another power struggle.<ref name="ing"/>

Several attempts were made to reconcile the differences between CP and CD. One such meeting in a hotel in [[Kedichem]] was disrupted by left-wing activists, who set fire to the building. Janmaat narrowly escaped with his life, CD secretary (and later wife of Janmaat) [[Wil Schuurman]] lost a leg because of injuries sustained jumping out of a window to escape the fire.<ref name="ing"/>

In the [[1986 Dutch general election|1986 election]], Janmaat lost his seat in parliament, however he regained his single seat in [[1989 Dutch general election|1989]].

His biggest political success would be in the [[1994 Dutch general election|1994 elections]], when he gained three seats.<ref name="ing"/> Major political parties changed their response to Janmaat and his views: rather than actively ignoring him they also started openly addressing the issue of immigration.<ref name="ing"/><ref name="weggevaagd"/> In the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 election]] the CD lost all three of its seats. Janmaat had become increasingly paranoid and said that computers used for voting had been tampered with.<ref name="weggevaagd">{{cite web | url= http://www.volkskrant.nl/archief_gratis/article753636.ece/Weggevaagd | work = De Volkskrant | title= Weggevaagd | access-date=  9 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="Trouw">{{cite web| url= http://www.trouw.nl/archief/article1314246.ece/Politiek___Met_excuses_aan_Janmaat.html | work= Trouw | title= Met excuses aan Janmaat | access-date=  9 June 2010}}</ref>

In 1999, Janmaat was in the process of starting another party, the ''Conservative Democrats'',<ref name="ing"/> however it did not get off the ground and did not participate in the [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 election]].

His failing health forced him to withdraw from politics, however the changing political climate did prompt him to challenge his conviction for discrimination at the [[European Court of Justice]]. Janmaat's death in 2002 halted the case.

===Political views===
Janmaat wanted to represent the indigenous Dutch workers and middle class. His views were based mostly on economic and materialistic arguments rather than an underlying ideology.<ref name="ing"/> Disappointing economic growth, unemployment and government cutbacks could not be addressed while large numbers of immigrants were flowing into the country.<ref name="ing"/> Janmaat was against a [[Multiculturalism|multicultural society]]: he argued that immigrants should either assimilate into Dutch culture, or return to their country of birth.<ref name="ing"/>
His best known slogans were "Holland is not a country of immigration," "full=full" and "we will abolish the multicultural society, as soon as we get the chance and power"; he was convicted for the last two statements. According to Jan van de Beek, Hans Janmaat often used economic arguments in his tirades against immigrants.<ref>Jan van de Beek as cited by Michel Hoebink [http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/dutch-too-pc-about-cost-immigration "Dutch too PC about the cost of immigration,"] ''Radio Netherlands Worldwide (NRW)'' (2 April 2010)</ref>

He was often accused of committing acts of [[hate speech]], and received fines and a conditional [[felony]] prison sentence for incitement to hatred and discrimination against foreigners.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.volkskrant.nl/archief_gratis/article715909.ece/Rechter_veroordeelt_Janmaat_en_Freling_tot_vier_weken_cel| work= De Volkskrant | title= Rechter veroordeelt Janmaat en Freling tot vier weken cel | access-date=  9 June 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nrc.nl/international/opinion/article2268138.ece/call_wilders_by_his_name_a_racist "Call Wilders what he is: a racist,"] nrc.nl (8 October 2009)</ref><ref>Folkert Jensma, [http://www.nrc.nl/international/Features/article1886350.ece/Freedom_of_expression_or_freedom_to_insult "Freedom of expression or freedom to insult?,"] nrc.nl (27 March 2008)</ref><ref name="vpro"/>

He often made controversial remarks about immigrants and other politicians. He argued that [[Ernst Hirsch Ballin]] should not be allowed to hold a high office because of his Jewish heritage<ref name="vpro">{{cite web| url= http://tegenlicht.vpro.nl/nieuws/2006/februari/extreemrechts-in-nederland.html | author= VPRO | title= Extreemrechts in Nederland | access-date = 9 June 2010 | author-link= VPRO}}</ref> and said he was not saddened by the sudden death of political opponent [[Ien Dales]].<ref name="vpro"/>

===Legacy===
Other parties erected a [[Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire]] around Janmaat, ignoring him while he spoke in parliament.<ref name="ing"/> A [[taboo]] on discussing negative aspects of immigration existed in the Dutch political climate in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.vkblog.nl/bericht/257704/Moet_Janmaat_worden_gerehabiliteerd%3F | work= De Volkskrant | title= Moet Janmaat worden gerehabiliteerd? | access-date=  9 June 2010}}</ref>

[[Meindert Fennema]], Emeritus Professor of Political Theory of Ethnic Relations at the University of Amsterdam, argued in 2006 that Janmaat was convicted for statements that are now commonplace<ref name="Trouw"/> due to changes in the political climate (caused in part by the [[September 11 attacks]], and the assassinations of [[Pim Fortuyn]] and [[Theo van Gogh (film director)|Theo van Gogh]]).<ref name="vpro"/>

As the first public spokesperson who tried to put the topic of immigration on the Dutch political agenda, Janmaat has been mentioned as a forerunner of Pim Fortuyn, [[Geert Wilders]] and [[Thierry Baudet]] and their parties [[Leefbaar Nederland]], [[Partij voor de Vrijheid]] and [[Forum voor Democratie]], which booked greater electoral successes in the following decades.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

;Official
* {{in lang|nl}} [https://www.parlement.com/id/vg09llncs2zz/j_g_h_hans_janmaat Drs. J.G.H. (Hans) Janmaat] Parlement & Politiek

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Janmaat, Hans}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch businesspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Centre Democrats (Netherlands) politicians]]
[[Category:Centre Party (Netherlands) politicians]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriates in Germany]]
[[Category:Dutch anti-communists]]
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[[Category:Dutch Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Dutch politicians convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:Dutch political party founders]]
[[Category:Leaders of political parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Independent politicians in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Party chairs of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:People convicted of racial hatred offences]]
[[Category:People convicted of speech crimes]]
[[Category:People from Amstelveen]]
[[Category:People from Gouda, South Holland]]
[[Category:Politicians from The Hague]]
[[Category:University of Amsterdam alumni]]