# Willem Witteveen

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Dutch politician (1952–2014)

Willem Witteveen Witteveen in January 2014 Member of the Senate In office 15 January 2013 – 17 July 2014 In office 8 June 1999 – 12 June 2007 Personal details Born Willem Johannes Witteveen (1952-05-05)5 May 1952 Rotterdam, Netherlands Died 17 July 2014(2014-07-17) (aged 62) Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, near Hrabove, Ukraine Cause of death Aircraft shootdown Party Labour Party (1994–2014) Spouse Lidwien Heerkens ​ ​ (m. 1978; died 2014)​ Children Marit (died 2014) Freek Parents Johan Witteveen Liesbeth de Vries Feijens Alma mater Leiden University Occupation Politician, professor, author

**Willem Johannes Witteveen** (Dutch pronunciation: [\[ˈʋɪləm joˈɦɑnəs ˈʋɪtəˌveːn\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Dutch); 5 May 1952 – 17 July 2014) was a Dutch legal scholar, politician, and author. He was a law professor at [Tilburg University](/source/Tilburg_University) (1990–2014) and a [Member of the Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)) for the [Labour Party](/source/Labour_Party_(Netherlands)) (1999–2007; 2013–2014). He was also the author of several books about law and politics. Witteveen was killed on 17 July 2014 when the flight he was travelling on, [Malaysia Airlines Flight 17](/source/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17), was shot down over eastern [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine).

## Early life and education

Willem Johannes Witteveen was born on 5 May 1952 in [Rotterdam](/source/Rotterdam) in the Netherlands.[1]

He was the son of liberal politician [Johan Witteveen](/source/Johan_Witteveen) and Liesbeth de Vries Feijens. He was also the great-grandson of social-democratic politician [Floor Wibaut](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Floor_Wibaut&action=edit&redlink=1).[2][3] He had three brothers and a sister.[1]

He went to a public primary [Montessori school](/source/Montessori_education) in Rotterdam and to the public secondary school [Rijnlands Lyceum](/source/Rijnlands_Lyceum_Wassenaar) (1964–1970) in [Wassenaar](/source/Wassenaar). He studied Dutch law at [Leiden University](/source/Leiden_University) (1970–1978) in [Leiden](/source/Leiden).[1]

## Career

From 1979 to 1989, he worked as researcher of [constitutional law](/source/Constitutional_law) at Leiden University. In 1988, he received his PhD *[cum laude](/source/Cum_laude)* with the dissertation *De retoriek in het recht* (The rhetorics of law). From 1990 to his death, he was a law professor at [Tilburg University](/source/Tilburg_University).[1] His fields of expertise were *[trias politica](/source/Separation_of_powers)*, legislation, [rhetoric](/source/Rhetoric), [legal theory](/source/Legal_theory), and [political theory](/source/Political_theory).[4]

Witteveen was a member of the [Labour Party](/source/Labour_Party_(Netherlands)) since 1994. He was chairman of the [party platform](/source/Party_platform) committee of the Labour Party in 1998–99. He was a member of the [Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)) from 1999 to 2007, where he was chairman of the committee for [Internal Affairs](/source/Ministry_of_the_Interior_and_Kingdom_Relations) and the [High Councils of State](/source/High_Council_of_State_(Netherlands)). In the [2007](/source/2007_Dutch_Senate_election) and [2011 Senate elections](/source/2011_Dutch_Senate_election), he was at an unelectable position on the candidate list.[1]

From 2007 to his death, he was founding dean of the [College of Liberal Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Liberal_Arts) at Tilburg University.[1][5] From 2013 to his death, he was again a senator.[1] He was appointed after Pauline Meurs left the Senate.[6]

Witteveen had finished the manuscript of his book *De wet als kunstwerk* (The law as work of art) shortly before his death.[7] The book was posthumously released in November 2014.[8]

## Death

Witteveen was killed on 17 July 2014 at the age of 62, along with his wife Lidwien Heerkens and their daughter Marit Witteveen.[3][5] They were passengers on [Malaysia Airlines Flight 17](/source/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17) from [Schiphol](/source/Amsterdam_Airport_Schiphol) in the Netherlands to [Kuala Lumpur](/source/Kuala_Lumpur_International_Airport) in Malaysia, when the airplane was shot down near [Hrabove](/source/Hrabove%2C_Donetsk_Oblast) in Ukraine's contested eastern [Donetsk region](/source/Donetsk_Oblast).[9][10][11]

## Personal life

Like his father, Witteveen was a [Universal Sufist](/source/Universal_Sufism).[2][12] In 1978, he married Lidwien Heerkens; the couple had two children, a daughter Marit and a son Freek. The family lived in [Breda](/source/Breda) in [North Brabant](/source/North_Brabant).[1][5][13] His son Freek later became a quantum computing researcher at *[Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica](/source/Centrum_Wiskunde_%26_Informatica)*.[14][15]

## Legacy

A street in Breda, the Willem Witteveenhof, has been named after Witteveen in 2020.[16][17] Witteveen lived in the adjacent street, the Burgemeester Passtoorsstraat, at the time of his passing.

## Bibliography

Witteveen wrote several non-fiction books about law and politics:

- (1988) *De retoriek in het recht* (The rhetorics of law)[18]

- (1992) *Het theater van de politiek* (The theater of politics)[19]

- (1996) *De geordende wereld van het recht* (The structured world of the law)[20]

- (2000) *De denkbeeldige staat* (The imaginary state)[21]

- (2002) *De sociale rechtsstaat voorbij* (Past the welfare state) with Bart van Klink[22]

- (2010) *Het wetgevend oordeel* (The legislative judgement)[23]

- (2014) *De wet als kunstwerk* (The law as work of art)[8]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-parlement_1-7) (in Dutch) [Prof.Dr. W.J. (Willem) Witteveen](http://www.parlement.com/id/vg09llkqvuz5/w_j_willem_witteveen) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140721031723/http://www.parlement.com/id/vg09llkqvuz5/w_j_willem_witteveen) 21 July 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *Parlement & Politiek*, 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-father_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-father_2-1) (in Dutch) [Dr. H.J. (Johan) Witteveen](http://www.parlement.com/id/vg09lld3f4za/h_j_johan_witteveen) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141017104515/http://www.parlement.com/id/vg09lld3f4za/h_j_johan_witteveen) 17 October 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *Parlement & Politiek*. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nunl_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nunl_3-1) (in Dutch) "[Eerste Kamerlid Willem Witteveen omgekomen bij vliegramp](http://www.nu.nl/politiek/3831529/eerste-kamerlid-willem-witteveen-omgekomen-bij-vliegramp.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140720071137/http://www.nu.nl/politiek/3831529/eerste-kamerlid-willem-witteveen-omgekomen-bij-vliegramp.html) 20 July 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)", *[NU.nl](/source/NU.nl)*, 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [W.J. (Willem) Witteveen](https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/webwijs/show/?uid=w.j.witteveen) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140812223633/https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/webwijs/show/?uid=w.j.witteveen#) 12 August 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), [Tilburg University](/source/Tilburg_University). Retrieved on 20 July 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tilburg_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tilburg_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-tilburg_5-2) [Professor Witteveen, his wife and student daughter, killed in plane crash](http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/news-and-events/news/Professor-Witteveen-his-wife-and-student-daughter-killed-in-plane-crash-Ukraine) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140719204750/http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/news-and-events/news/Professor-Witteveen-his-wife-and-student-daughter-killed-in-plane-crash-Ukraine/#) 19 July 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), [Tilburg University](/source/Tilburg_University), 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** (in Dutch) [Benoeming W.J. Witteveen tot lid van de Eerste Kamer](https://www.kiesraad.nl/nieuws/benoeming-wj-witteveen-tot-lid-van-de-eerste-kamer) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140728042455/https://www.kiesraad.nl/nieuws/benoeming-wj-witteveen-tot-lid-van-de-eerste-kamer#) 28 July 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Electoral Council, 2013. Retrieved on 21 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** (in Dutch) [Willem Witteveen omgekomen](http://www.boomfilosofie.nl/actueel/nieuws/nieuwsartikel/59/Willem-Witteveen-omgekomen) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140726144117/http://www.boomfilosofie.nl/actueel/nieuws/nieuwsartikel/59/Willem-Witteveen-omgekomen) 26 July 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Uitgeverij Boom. Retrieved on 21 July 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-boomfilosofie_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-boomfilosofie_8-1) (in Dutch) [De wet als kunstwerk](http://boomfilosofie.nl/product/1251/De-wet-als-kunstwerk) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160323072302/https://www.boomfilosofie.nl/product/1251/De-wet-als-kunstwerk) 23 March 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Uitgeverij Boom. Retrieved on 15 December October 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** (in Dutch) "[Senator Willem Witteveen omgekomen bij crash](http://www.ouderenjournaal.nl/home/2014/07/18/senator-willem-witteveen-omgekomen-bij-crash/) [Deprecated link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Archive.today_guidance) archived 26 July 2014 at [archive.today](/source/Archive.today)", *Ouderenjournaal*, 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** "[MH17 crash: Passengers on Malaysia Airlines plane in Ukraine](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-28360827) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20171231041658/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-28360827) 31 December 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)", *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*, 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Sabrina Tavernise, Eric Schmitt, and Rick Gladstone, "[Jetliner Explodes Over Ukraine; Struck by Missile, Officials Say](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/world/europe/malaysian-airlines-plane-ukraine.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170308214910/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/world/europe/malaysian-airlines-plane-ukraine.html) 8 March 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)", *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, 2014. Retrieved on 21 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** (in Dutch) [Prof.dr. W.J. Witteveen (PvdA)](http://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/prof_dr_w_j_witteveen_pvda) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140723161123/http://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/prof_dr_w_j_witteveen_pvda) 23 July 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), [Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)), 2014. Retrieved on 18 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** "[Victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/19/world/europe/malaysia-airlines-plane-victims.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20171214072019/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/19/world/europe/malaysia-airlines-plane-victims.html) 14 December 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)", *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, 2014. Retrieved on 20 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-j571_14-0)** Hoofs, Maartje (22 August 2023). ["Freek Witteveen: 'Good to see that my father is still appreciated at the university'"](https://universonline.nl/nieuws/2023/08/22/freek-witteveen-good-to-see-that-my-father-is-still-appreciated-at-the-university/). *Univers magazine* (in Dutch).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-c918_15-0)** ["Freek Witteveen: a journey from QuSoft, and back again – Qusoft"](https://qusoft.org/2025/09/01/freek-witteveen-a-journey-from-qusoft-and-back-again/). *Qusoft – Research center for Quantum software & technology*. 1 September 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [\[1\]](https://www.bredavandaag.nl/algemeen/algemeen/309326/breda-vernoemd-woonhof-naar-mh17-slachtoffer-willem-witteveen)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [\[2\]](https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/3168533/mh17-slachtoffer-willem-witteveen-naamgever-van-nieuwe-woonhof-in-breda)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** (in Dutch) [De retoriek in het recht: over retorica en interpretatie, staatsrecht en democratie](http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.046891153.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401065044/http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.046891153.html) 1 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bibliotheek.nl. Retrieved on 23 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** (in Dutch) [Het theater van de politiek : publieke retorica en de paspoortaffaire](http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.093272545.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401080646/http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.093272545.html) 1 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bibliotheek.nl. Retrieved on 23 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** (in Dutch) [De geordende wereld van het recht: een inleiding](http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.149783671.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401024847/http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.149783671.html) 1 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bibliotheek.nl. Retrieved on 23 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** (in Dutch) [De denkbeeldige staat: voorstellingen van democratische vernieuwing](http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.189720158.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401061558/http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.189720158.html) 1 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bibliotheek.nl. Retrieved on 23 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** (in Dutch) [De sociale rechtsstaat voorbij: twee ontwerpen voor het huis van de rechtsstaat](http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.242262201.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401055402/http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.242262201.html) 1 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bibliotheek.nl. Retrieved on 23 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** (in Dutch) [Het wetgevend oordeel: studies over wetgeving en communicatie](http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.327247312.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401030952/http://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.327247312.html) 1 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bibliotheek.nl. Retrieved on 23 July 2014.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Willem Witteveen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Willem_Witteveen).

- (in Dutch) [Willem Witteveen](http://www.academischeboekengids.nl/do.php?a=show_visitor_zoeken&b=zoekresultaten&visitor_search_author=Willem+Witteveen), articles in *[Academische Boekengids](/source/Amsterdam_University_Press)* (2000–2011)

- (in Dutch) [Willem Witteveen](https://web.archive.org/web/20140728185913/http://www.wbs.nl/platform/gebruikers/85/profiel), articles in *[Socialisme & Democratie](/source/Wiardi_Beckman_Stichting)* (2002–2010)

- (in Dutch) *[De sociale rechtsstaat voorbij](http://www.wrr.nl/publicaties/publicatie/article/de-sociale-rechtsstaat-voorbij/)* (2002), e-book at the [Scientific Council for Government Policy](/source/Scientific_Council_for_Government_Policy) website

v t e Members of the Senate of the Netherlands (2011–2015) Senate 7 June 2011 – 8 June 2015 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD: 16) Hermans Beckers Bröcker Broekers-Knol (president) ‹Bruijn› Dupuis Duthler F. de Graaf (president) De Grave Huijbregts-Schiedon Van Kappen Kneppers-Heynert Knip ‹Van Rey› Schaap Schouwenaar Swagerman Labour Party (PvdA: 14) Barth Beuving ‹Duivesteijn› Ter Horst ‹Koning› Koole Linthorst ‹Meurs› ‹Noten› Postema ‹Putters› Schrijver Sent Sylvester Vlietstra De Vries ‹Witteveen› ‹Van Zandbrink› Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA: 11) Brinkman Van Bijsterveld Essers Flierman Franken Hoekstra Van der Linden Lokin-Sassen Martens Terpstra De Vries-Leggedoor Party for Freedom (PVV: 10) ‹M. de Graaf› ‹De Graaff› Faber ‹Van Beek› Van Dijk Frijters-Klijnen ‹Klever› ‹Kok› ‹Kops› Popken Reynaers Sørensen Van Strien Socialist Party (SP: 8) Kox Elzinga ‹Gerkens› ‹Meijer› Quik-Schuijt Reuten Ruers Slagter-Roukema ‹Smaling› ‹Vliegenthart› Democrats 66 (D66: 5) Van Boxtel Backer Engels Th. de Graaf Scholten GroenLinks (GL: 5) Thissen De Boer Ganzevoort Strik Vos Christian Union (CU: 2) Kuiper Ester Reformed Political Party (SGP: 1) Holdijk 50PLUS (50+: 1) Nagel Party for the Animals (PvdD: 1) Koffeman Independent Senate Group (OSF: 1) De Lange Bold indicates the parliamentary leader (first mentioned); ‹Guillemets› indicate a member who did not serve the full term

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Willem Witteveen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_Witteveen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_Witteveen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.