Johan van Hulst (28 January 1911 – 22 March 2018) was a Dutch educator, academic and politician whose public life spanned much of the 20th century. Best known for a long parliamentary career and for courageous actions during the German occupation of the Netherlands, van Hulst combined school leadership, scholarship and political service. He lived to the age of 107, becoming one of the country's longest-lived public figures.

Career in education and politics

Trained as a teacher and later an academic, van Hulst worked for many years in teacher training and educational administration before entering national politics. He was elected to the Dutch Senate on 3 July 1956 and served continuously until 10 June 1981. Within the Senate he led the Christian Historical Union's parliamentary group from 10 December 1968 until 8 June 1977. During his time in office he focused on education policy, social issues and the concerns of smaller Christian parties. The Christian Historical Union later merged into the broader Christian Democratic Appeal, a consolidation that reshaped the centre‑right political landscape in the Netherlands.

Wartime rescue efforts

During World War II van Hulst was director of a teacher training college in Amsterdam located close to the Hollandsche Schouwburg, a site where Jews were once gathered for deportation. Using his position and contacts he helped arrange the removal and concealment of children who had been separated from their parents, coordinating with resistance networks and other civilians. Contemporary accounts credit him and his colleagues with saving hundreds of children from deportation. For these actions he received recognition later in life from various institutions honouring those who resisted persecution.

Other pursuits and legacy

Outside of politics and education van Hulst maintained interests in cultural and intellectual pursuits, including chess and writing on pedagogy. His life is often cited as an example of moral responsibility in wartime combined with steady public service in peacetime. He retired from the Senate in 1981 and remained a respected elder statesman until his death in Amsterdam on 22 March 2018.

Notable facts

  • Born 28 January 1911; died 22 March 2018 (aged 107).
  • Senator from 3 July 1956 to 10 June 1981; CHU parliamentary leader 1968–1977.
  • Active in WWII rescue efforts that helped evacuate children from deportation.
  • Remembered for combining academic work, practical school leadership and sustained political involvement.