| Johan van Hulst | |
 Van Hulst in 2015 | |
| Birth: | 28 January 1911 Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands |
| Death: | 22 March 2018 Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands |
| Age: | 107 years, 53 days |
| Country: |  NED
|
| Centenarian | |
Johan Willem van Hulst (28 January 1911 – 22 March 2018) was a Dutch centenarian, school director, university professor, author, politician and chess player. At the time of his death, he was the second-oldest known living man in the Netherlands, behind Eelke Bakker.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Johan van Hulst was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands on 28 January 1911. His parents were Gerrit van Hulst and Geertruida Hofman. He studied psychology and pedagogy at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
In the meantime he worked as a teacher and mentor in Oudewater, Utrecht and Purmerend.
Rescue of Jewish children[]
In 1943, with the help of the Dutch resistance and students of the nearby University of Amsterdam, he was instrumental in saving over 600 Jewish children from the nursery of the Hollandsche Schouwburg who were destined for deportation to Nazi concentration camps. For his humanitarian actions he received the Yad Vashem distinction Righteous Among the Nations from the State of Israel in 1973.
Political career[]
Van Hulst served as Senator of the Netherlands from July 1956 to June 1981. He was elected to be the parliamentary leader of the Christian Historical Union (CHU) in the Senate from December 1968 until June 1977, when the CHU merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He then became the first CDA Leader in the Senate. Van Hulst previously served as the party chair of the CHU from September 1969 until February 1972. He also was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Christian Democratic Group from October 1961 until September 1968.
He later was an emeritus professor of pedagogy at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a prolific author with more than a hundred publications. He was also a noted chess player.
Personal life[]
He married Anna Jannetta Donker in 1936. The couple had four children. He got widowed in 1998.
Van Hulst was an active chess player. In 2006, at the age of 95, he won the Corus Chess Tournament for former politicians. He won it again in 2010.
Shortly before his 107th birthday in 2018, Van Hulst gave an interview on Dutch television, talking about his experiences during the war.
Johan van Hulst died in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands on 22 March 2018 at the age of 107 years, 53 days.
Gallery[]
References[]
- Johan van Hulst (99 jaar) wint toernooi parlementariërs Schaaksite, 17 January 2010
- The endgame technique of a 99-year-old Chess Vibes, 3 March 2010 (Archived)
- Max Euwe werd 75 jaar geleden wereldkampioen schaken (Max Euwe was world champion chess 75 years ago) Man Bijt Hond, 15 December 2010 (dead link)
- 107-jarige redde honderden Joodse kinderen in de oorlog NOS.nl, 28 January 2018
- Johan van Hulst (107), redder van Joodse baby's, overleden NOS.nl, 26 March 2018
- The teacher who saved hundreds of Jewish children BBC, 30 March 2018
- Johan van Hulst, Who Helped Save 600 Children From the Nazis, Dies at 107 New York Times, 1 April 2018