Theo Bot

His Excellency Theo Bot
Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences
In office 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965
Prime Minister	Victor Marijnen
Preceded by	Jo Cals
Succeeded by	Isaäc Arend Diepenhorst
Minister without portfolio for development aid
In office 14 April 1965 – 22 November 1966
Prime Minister	Jo Cals
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Theo Bot
In office 22 November 1966 – 5 April 1967
Prime Minister	Jelle Zijlstra
Preceded by	Theo Bot
Succeeded by	Berend Jan Udink
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 2 July 1963 – 24 July 1963
State Secretary of the Interior, for Netherlands New Guinea
In office 23 November 1959 – 24 July 1963
Prime Minister	Jan de Quay
Preceded by	Norbert Schmelzer
Succeeded by	Theo Westerhout
Personal details
Born	(1911-07-20)July 20, 1911 Dordrecht, Netherlands
Died	September 24, 1984(1984-09-24) (aged 73) The Hague, Netherlands
Political party	Catholic People's Party
Spouse	Elisabeth W. van Hal
Children	7 children
Alma mater	Utrecht University (Master of Laws)
Occupation	Civil servant Politician Ambassador

Theodorus Hendrikus "Theo" Bot (29 July 1911 – 24 September 1984) was a Dutch politician of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) party. He served as Minister of Education, Culture and Science from 24 July 1963 until 14 April 1965 in the Marijnen cabinet.

Early life

Bot was born on 29 July 1911 in Dordrecht, as one of three sons of Maria Theresia Frederica Creemers and Lourens Bot, a German language teacher. From 1923 to 1930 he went to the "Gemeentelijk Gymnasium" high school in Apeldoorn, and studied Indonesian law at Utrecht University from 1930 to September 1936. He also followed an education at the "School voor Reserve-Officieren der Bereden-Artillerie" (English: School for Reserve-Officers of the Horse-Artillery) in Ede.

Civil service

From 1936 to 1942 Bot was sent out for the civil service to the Dutch East Indies and would serve with the east-Asian service in Batavia, Purwakarta and Soekaboemi. During World War II he was in active service from 1940 to 8 March 1942 in the rank of reserve-first lieutenant of the horse-artillery. Afterwards he was a Japanese warprisoner at camps in Java, Birma and Thailand, until 30 September 1945, and worked on the Burma Railway. After the war he returned to the Netherlands in 1946, where he functioned in several functions related to the Dutch East Indies.

Politics

Bot served as State Secretary of the Interior, in charge of matters concerning Netherlands New Guinea, from 23 November 1959 until 24 July 1963 in the De Quay cabinet. He was shortly a member of the House of Representatives from 2 July until 24 July 1963 when he became Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Marijnen cabinet. He finally served as Minister without portfolio in charge of matters concerning development aid, from 14 April 1965 until 5 April 1967, in the Cals and Zijlstra cabinets.

After his membership of the cabinet he was appointed Dutch ambassador in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in September 1967, serving from 17 January 1968 until July 1973. Consequently he became ambassador in Vienna, Austria, and permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency from July 1973 until 1 August 1976.

Other functions

• Chairman "Academie Leken Missie Actie" (English: Academy Non-religious Mission Action), 1959
• Honorary national advisor for development aid, since 1976
• Chairman National Committee in preparation of the UN-conference on Science and Technology for Development
• Chairman Dutch delegation at the board of UNICEF
• Chairman Foundation National Committee international year of the child 1979

Private life

In 1936 he married Elisabeth W. van Hal. They had seven children. He is the father of Ben Bot, who would become minister of foreign affairs.

Decorations

• Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (29 April 1957)
• Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau (17 April 1967)
• War Memorial Cross