Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck

Dutch nobleman and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1918 to 1925 and again from 1929 to 1933. He was a member of the Roman Catholic RKSP.

As Prime Minister he had to deal with the aftermath of World War I. Although The Netherlands remained neutral during the conflict, Ruijs de Beerenbrouck nevertheless faced several problems, especially the return of German troops through the province of Limburg and the exile of the German emperor Wilhelm II.

During his third cabinet Ruijs de Beerenbrouck had to deal with the worldwide Great Depression of 1929 and the early 1930s, which had crippling effects on the Dutch economy, effects which lasted longer than they did in most European countries. The depression lead to large unemployment and poverty, as well as increasing social unrest. Ruijs de Beerenbrouck was forced to cut down government expenses and to devaluate the national currency, the Guilder, but these measures only worsened the effects of the economic crisis.

On 15 April 1902, Ruijs de Beerenbrouck married Maria van der Heyden (19 August 1877 – 17 January 1948). Ruijs de Beerenbrouck died on 17 April 1936 in Utrecht.