Fré Meis
{{Short description|Dutch communist politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Fré Meis
| image = File:Fr-meis.png
| alt =
| caption = Meis during a 1969 strike in Oude Pekela
| office1 = House of Representatives
| term_start1 = 11 May 1971
| term_end1 = 8 June 1977
| office2 = Provincial Council of Groningen
| term_start2 = 6 June 1962
| term_end2 = 1 November 1978
| office3 = Municipal Council of the city of Groningen
| term_start3 = 22 June 1949
| term_end3 = 28 May 1958
| term_start4 = 31 October 1960
| term_end4 = 1 November 1978
| birth_name = Frederik Meis
| birth_date = {{birth date|1921|11|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Oude Pekela, Groningen, Netherlands
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1992|12|15|1921|11|17}}
| death_place = Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = trade unionist and politician
| party = Communist Party (1945–1990)
GroenLinks (1990–1992)
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse =
}}
Frederik "Fré" Meis (17 November 1921 – 15 December 1992) was a Dutch communist politician and trade unionist. He served in the House of Representatives for the Communist Party from 1971 until 1977, the Municipal Council of the city of Groningen from 1949 until 1958 and 1960 until 1978, and in the Provincial Council of Groningen from 1962 until 1978. Meis received national attention as the leader of the 1969 strikes in Oude Pekela, and the 1970 strike in the Port of Rotterdam.
Biography
Meis was born on 17 November 1921 in Oude Pekela, Netherlands in a communist family. After finishing elementary school, he worked on a farm and later for a brickworks. In 1943, during World War II, he became a forced labourer in Delfzijl, and later was ordered to build bunkers on the German island of Borkum.{{cite web|url=http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/bwn1880-2000/lemmata/bwn5/meis |title=Meis, Frederik (1921-1992) |author=Gerrit Voerman |author-link=:nl:Gerrit Voerman |year=2013 |website=Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands |access-date=24 February 2022 |language=nl}}
After the liberation of the Netherlands, Meis joined the Communist Party of the Netherlands (CPN) and helped distribute De Waarheid, the party newspaper. In July 1946, he was a candidate for the Provincial Council of Groningen, but did not get elected.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Meis+winschoten&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=2%7C20e_eeuw%7C1940-1949%7C1946%7C&page=5&coll=ddd&identifier=MMKB08:000167057:mpeg21:p020&resultsidentifier=MMKB08:000167057:mpeg21:a0010&rowid=10 |title=Aanwijzigen van de candidaten |website=Nederlandsche staatscourant |date=11 July 1946 |access-date=24 February 2022 |language=nl}} In the same month, he was a candidate in the municipal council of Winschoten, and was elected.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Meis+winschoten&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=2%7C20e_eeuw%7C1940-1949%7C1946%7C&page=10&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010884932:mpeg21:a0031&resultsidentifier=ddd:010884932:mpeg21:a0031&rowid=9 |title=Winschoten |website=Nieuwsblad van het Noorden |date=27 July 1946 |language=nl |access-date=24 February 2022}}
In 1948, Meis was fired, and had difficulty finding employment as a known communist. He moved to the city of Groningen. On 22 June 1949, he was elected to the municipal council of the Groningen and served until 28 May 1958.{{cite web|url=https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/GR19490622/609515 |title=Gemeenteraad 22 juni 1949 |website=Verkiezings Uitslagen |language=nl |access-date=24 February 2022 |quote=Page contains no names, but is used for the exact date}}{{cite web|url=https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/GR19580528 |title=Gemeenteraad 28 mei 1958 |website=Verkiezings Uitslagen |language=nl |access-date=24 February 2022 |quote=Page contains no names, but is used for the exact date}} He was re-elected on 31 October 1960 and served until 1 November 1978.{{cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vg09llf2yjxw/f_fre_meis |title=F. (Fré) Meis |website=Dutch Parliament |access-date=24 February 2022|language=nl}} On 6 June 1962, he was elected to the Provincial Council of Groningen.
Strike leader
File:Staking Oude Pekela 1969.jpg
On 22 September 1969, the employees of the cardboard factory Union in Oude Pekela called a Monday wildcat strike and demanded the same wages as their colleagues in the west of the country. Meis went to Oude Pekela to organise the strike. The strike spread to more factories in the region, and from 27 October onwards, 23,000 employees were on strike each Monday. The press referred to the strikes as "Red Mondays".{{cite news|url=https://www.deverhalenvangroningen.nl/alle-verhalen/rode-maandagen-in-oude-pekela |title='Rode maandagen' in Oude Pekela |website=De verhalen van Groningen |author=Cees Stolk |access-date=24 February 2022|language=nl}}
On 15 December 1969, 30 women at cigar factory Champ Clark in Nieuwe Pekela called the first women's strike of the Netherlands for the same wages as their male colleagues. Champ Clark threatened to fire the women, however the women went to Meis who brought in the union.{{cite web|url=https://regiodealoostgroningen.nl/verhalen/fre-meis-de-sigarenmeisjes-van-champ-clark-en-andere-oost-groninger-pioniers-in-de-strijd-tegen-sociale-ongelijkheid/ |title=Fré Meis, de sigarenmeisjes van Champ Clark en andere Oost-Groninger pioniers in de strijd tegen sociale ongelijkheid |website=Regio Deal Oost Groningen |access-date=24 February 2022 |language=nl}} The strikes were successful. Regional differences in pay were no longer considered acceptable, and women and men were to receive equal pay.{{cite web|url=https://anderetijden.nl/aflevering/144/De-sigarenmeisjes-van-Pekela |title=De sigarenmeisjes van Pekela |date=10 March 2013 |author=Hendrina Praamsma |website=Andere Tijden |access-date=24 February 2022|language=nl}}
At the {{ill|1970 Dutch provincial elections|nl|Provinciale Statenverkiezingen 1970}} in Groningen the Communist Party scored an electoral victory with 14% of the votes.{{cite web|url=https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/PS19700318/663329 |title=Provinciale Staten 18 maart 1970 |website=Verkiezingsuitslagen|access-date=24 February 2022|language=nl|quote=The communists had become the biggest party in Oude Pekela, Nieuwe Pekela, Beerta and Finsterwolde}} The newspapers called it the "Meis-effect". Meis was promoted to the executive committee of the CPN. In August 1970, a strike was called in the Port of Rotterdam. The CPN dispatched Meis to Rotterdam, who quickly became the leader of the strike, and ensured that all demands were met.{{cite web|url=https://www.marxists.org/nederlands/wiering/1972/1972ontwikkeling.htm |title=Stakingen |author=Theo Wiering| year=1972 |website=Marxists.org |access-date=24 February 2022|language=nl}}
Later life
File:Monument Fre Meis in Oude Pekela.jpg
On 11 May 1971, Meis was elected to the House of Representatives, and served until 8 June 1977. On 1 November 1978, Meis retired from the municipal and provincial councils due to health problems.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Fr%C3%A9+Meis&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010682408:mpeg21:a0047&resultsidentifier=ddd:010682408:mpeg21:a0047&rowid=6 |title=Fré Meis verlaat raad en staten om gezondsheidsredenen |website=Nederlands dagblad |date=19 October 1978 |language=nl |access-date=24 February 2022 }} In 1987, he published his autobiography "40 jaar actie" (40 years action).{{cite web|url=http://data.bibliotheken.nl/doc/nbt/p042962056 |title=40 jaar actie / Fré Meis |website=Dutch National Library |access-date=24 February 2022 |language=nl}}
Meis remained a communist after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 1990, the CPN abandoned its Marxist–Leninist roots and merged with GroenLinks. Meis reluctantly joined the new party. In 1992, he resigned from GroenLinks after fellow party member Herman Verbeek had made a remark about the old-Stalinists.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Fr%C3%A9+Meis&coll=ddd&page=2&identifier=KBPERS01:003098002:mpeg21:a00025&resultsidentifier=KBPERS01:003098002:mpeg21:a00025&rowid=8 |title=Fré Meis zonder partij |website=Algemeen Dagblad |date=3 January 1992 |access-date=24 February 2022|language=nl}} Meis had also been conducting weddings for the civil registry of Groningen since 1969. On the advice of his doctor, he retired, and conducted his last marriage on 14 December 1992.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Fr%C3%A9+Meis&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=1%7C20e_eeuw%7C1990-1999%7C&page=1&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:011020143:mpeg21:a0257&resultsidentifier=ddd:011020143:mpeg21:a0257&rowid=5 |title=Fré Meis voltrekt voor het laatst huwelijk |website=Nieuwsblad van het Noorden |date=15 December 1992 |language=nl}}
Meis died on 15 December 1992 in Groningen, at the age of 71.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Fr%C3%A9+Meis&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=1%7C20e_eeuw%7C1990-1999%7C&page=1&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:011020145:mpeg21:a0256&resultsidentifier=ddd:011020145:mpeg21:a0256&rowid=1 |title=Obituaries |website=Nieuwsblad van het Noorden |date=17 December 1992 |language=nl |access-date=24 February 2022}}
In 2002, a statue of Fré Meis by {{ill|Christine Chiffrun|nl}} was revealed in Oude Pekela.{{cite web|url=http://demensenvandestrokarton.nl/problemen-moeten-niet-worden-opgelost-over-de-ruggen-van-de-arbeiders/ |title=Problemen moeten niet worden opgelost over de ruggen van de arbeiders! |website=De Mensen van de Strokarton |access-date=24 February 2022 |language=nl}}
References
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Category:Communist Party of the Netherlands politicians
Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)
Category:Members of the Provincial Council of Groningen
Category:Municipal councillors of Groningen (city)