Hans Nord, Secretary General of the European Parliament © European Union 2012 – European Parliament
Biography
Hans Robert Nord was born in the Hague, 11 October 1919. He received a masters in Law from Leiden University in 1941, obtaining a doctorate in Jurisprudence in 1945. After that, he began working as a lawyer and public prosecutor in The Hague before becoming a legal advisor to the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association. Nord was a member of the Executive Board of the Movement of European Federalists (BEF) from its foundation in 1947 and would later become its president. He became a secretary of the European Conference in The Hague in 1948 and then Chairman of the Dutch European Movement (1958-1963).
Nord was appointed Secretary-General of the European Parliament in 1961. In that position he managed the accession of the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland and, together with Cees Berkhouwer, prepared for the direct elections. In 1979 he decided to run for election to the European Parliament himself and in 1984 campaigned with the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. He was an MEP from 1979 to 1989 and was Vice-President of the European Parliament from 1984-1987. From 1987 to 1989, Nord was a Quaestor of the European Parliament.
Hans Nord (L) and President Emilio Colombo (R) © European Communities 1977 – European Parliament
In 1984 Hans Nord became leader of the Dutch People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the second European elections. Upon his departure in 1989 he was appointed an honorary member.
He is also the author of several publications of various works on state-law, international and international political issues, including ‘The State community and the Problem of the International Government’, 'International and Supra-National Cooperation', 'In Search of a Political Framework for a United Europe', 'Nato' and 'Europa, a parliamentary democracy?'.
Nord passed away on 16 July 1996 in The Hague.
Administrative and political posts held
1943-1946: Lawyer and public prosecutor in the Hague
1946-1962: Legal advisor to the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association
1957-1962: President of the Dutch Atlantic Commission and Vice-President of the Atlantic Treaty Association in London
1961-1979: Secretary-General of the European Parliament
1979-1989: Member of the European Parliament (Liberal and Democratic Group)
What's in the Archives
This Fond contains 57 files organised into the following categories:
- General organisation and management of administrative bodies
- Management of staff
- Budget and finances
- Building and security resources
- Organisation of legislative work
- Relations with political groups, delegations and members
- Relations with other European or national institutions, Community bodies, international organisations and associations
- Political events
- Cultural and social activities
- Private archives of Hans Nord
