LUNS, JOSEPH MARIE ANTOINE HUBERT

(1911–2002)

Politician. After studying law Luns served in the diplomatic corps. In 1949, he was part of the Dutch representation in the United Nations (UN)in New York. He became a cabinet minister in 1952. From 1956 to 1971, Luns functioned as minister of foreign affairs. During this period, the Netherlands was compelled to give up its last formal colo nial possession, New Guinea, to Indonesia. In 1967, he was the second Dutchman—after Hendrik Brugmans—to receive the Karls preis (the International Charlemagne Prize of the German city of Aix-la-Chapelle). Luns was secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from 1972 until his retirement in 1985. During this period, he promoted strong measures to strengthen NATO’s defense capabilities.