Overhandiging van het eerste exemplaar van 'In dienst van negen premiers' door Ingrid van Engelshoven, voorzitter van de Stichting Parlementaire Geschiedenis, aan scheidend voorzitter Thom de Graaf.
Overhandiging van het eerste exemplaar van 'In dienst van negen premiers' door Ingrid van Engelshoven, voorzitter van de Stichting Parlementaire Geschiedenis, aan scheidend voorzitter Thom de Graaf.

Diary of a former General Affairs top official published

News item

Mr A.J.M. (Buurt) van Nispen tot Pannerden Esq. worked for more than a quarter of a century during the years 1946-1972 as a civil servant at the Ministry of General Affairs (AZ). In the various positions he held there, from 1962 as secretary-general (SG), he experienced nine successive prime ministers at close quarters: Schermerhorn, Beel, Drees, De Quay, Marijnen, Cals, Zijlstra, De Jong and Biesheuvel.

Remarkably, Van Nispen kept a diary. What was even more remarkable was that he handed over part of his diaries from 1964-1972, at the encouragement of former Prime Minister De Jong, to the National Archives at the end of his life. Here, they remained closed for 50 years and on 1 January 2023, the diaries were allowed to be opened.

On Thursday 20 June 2024, these diaries, together with excerpts from earlier diaries (from before 1964), were published as a book. They were presented at a symposium organised to mark Thom de Graaf's retirement as Chairman of the Board of the Parliamentary History Foundation.

The symposium highlighted the importance of such scientifically edited ego documents for (political) historiography from various angles. Speakers included former civil servant Roel Bekker, who recently published a book on all SGs of the Ministry of General Affairs; CPG researcher Alexander van Kessel, one of the diary's deliverers; Frans van Nispen, the diarist's eldest son; Kajsa Ollongren, outgoing Minister of Defence and previously (2011) the first female SG of the Ministry of General Affairs and Jan Willem Brouwer, biographer of one of the nine prime ministers (Piet de Jong) for whom Van Nispen worked. Emerita Professor of Parliamentary History Carla van Baalen, also the diary's other contributor, served as chairperson for the day.

Demissionair minister van Defensie en eerste vrouwelijke SG van het ministerie van Algemene Zaken Kajsa Ollongren
Demissionair minister van Defensie en eerste vrouwelijke SG van het ministerie van Algemene Zaken Kajsa Ollongren.

Van Nispen's published diaries provide a fascinating insight into the 'kitchen' of the Dutch prime minister's department. The top civil servant was closely involved in all matters the prime ministers interfered with, such as Indonesia's independence struggle, the formations of new cabinets and various issues (finances, marriages) surrounding the royal family. Van Nispen wrote it all down in clear language and with pointed observations.

Following the publication, Volkskrant journalist Remco Meijer wrote the article ‘Topambtenaar had handen vol aan Koninklijk Huis: ‘tussen Koningin en Prins is het weer helemaal verkeerd’.

De inontvangstname door jhr. dr. Frans van Nispen tot Pannerden, zoon van jhr. mr. A.J.M. van Nispen tot Pannerden.
De inontvangstname door jhr. dr. Frans van Nispen tot Pannerden, zoon van jhr. mr. A.J.M. van Nispen tot Pannerden.

Alexander van Kessel and Carla van Baalen [deliverers], In dienst van negen premiers. The diaries of Mr A.J.M. van Nispen tot Pannerden Esq. 1946-1972 (Boom Amsterdam 2024) 581 pages, €39.90.

Contact information

Organizational unit
Centre for Parliamentary History
About person
Prof. C.C. van Baalen (Carla) , Dr A.C.M.W. van Kessel (Alexander)
Theme
History