The Third Gerbrandy cabinet, also called the Fourth London cabinet, was the Dutch government-in-exile from 23 February 1945 until 25 June 1945. The cabinet was formed by the political parties Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and the Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) following the resignation of the Second Gerbrandy cabinet on 27 January 1945. The national unity government (war cabinet) was the last of four war cabinets of the government-in-exile in London during World War II.
Formation On 27 January 1945 the Second Gerbrandy cabinet fell after Minister of the Interior Jaap Burger (SDAP) was asked to resign by Prime Minister Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (ARP) after holding a radio speech, differentiating between "wrongful" Dutch civilians (foute Nederlanders) and Dutch civilians who made a mistake (Nederlanders die een fout hebben gemaakt). However, because Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy did not discuss this with the rest of the cabinet, all Social Democratic Workers' Party ministers resigned in response. The demissionary cabinet continued until the installation of the Third Gerbrandy cabinet on 23 February 1945.
Term Although the cabinet was officially seated in London, Minister of the Interior Louis Beel (RKSP) was already present in the earlier liberated southern part of the Netherlands in Oisterwijk, where he introduced a temporary arrangement for municipal and provincial governments after the war. Emergency municipal councils were to be appointed by a separate electoral colleges. An important part of the administrative tasks in the liberated part of the Netherlands is executed under the authority of the Military Command by the Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces General Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld and Major general Henk Kruls.
Composition TitleMinisterTerm of office Image NamePartyStartEnd President of the Council of Ministers Minister of General Warfare of the Kingdom 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Foreign Affairs 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister without Portfolio (Foreign Affairs) Indep. Lib. 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Justice (ad interim) 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of the Interior 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Finance 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of War (ad interim) Indep. Lib. 23 February 1945 4 April 1945 4 April 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of the Navy Minister of Shipping and Fisheries Indep. Lib. 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Water Management (ad interim) 23 February 1945 4 April 1945 Indep. Lib. 4 April 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Social Affairs 23 February 1945 25 June 1945 Minister of Overseas Territories 23 February 1945 25 June 1945
Military authority Military Authority Term of office Branch of Service General / Lieutenant-Admiral His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1911–2004) Commander-in-chief of the Netherlands Armed Forces 3 September 1944 – 13 September 1945 Army Navy generaal–majoor mr. H.J. (Henk) Kruls (1885–1952) Military Authority Chief of Staff of the Netherlands Armed Forces 3 September 1944 – 1 January 1946 Army (Artillery)
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