1849

FIRST JEWISH CABINET MINISTER IN THE NETHERLANDS

Mr. M.H. Godefroi (1813–1882) was a great legal scholar, who was most influential in the development of the Dutch state institutes. He was the first Jewish member of the Tweede Kamer (viz. the Dutch House of Commons or the House of Representatives), a post for which he was re-elected five times. Politically Liberal he also became the first Jewish cabinet minister in The Netherlands, at first against the wishes of King Willem III. He shepherded the ‘Wet op de Raad van State’ through both chambers of parliament and was very influential in the development of our body of penal law.