W. Hugenholtz

Willem "Wim" Hugenholtz (11 May 1902 – 8 April 1969) was a Dutch lawyer and animal welfare activist. He founded and served as president of the World Federation for the Protection of Animals, established in 1950. He also worked on proposals for animal protection legislation in the Netherlands and internationally.

Biography

Early life Willem Hugenholtz was born in Axel, Netherlands, on 11 May 1902. His father, (1859–1922), was a minister, He was the youngest brother of Gerhard W. K. Hugenholtz (1889–1969). From the age of 14, he wrote articles on animal protection for magazines including the Haagse Post.

Legal career In 1928, Hugenholtz established himself as a lawyer and attorney in Leiden.

Animal welfare activism

In 1950, Hugenholtz initiated the first world congress for animal protection, held in Scheveningen. The congress was attended by Queen Juliana, ambassadors, and 250 representatives from 40 countries. At the congress, he founded the World Federation for the Protection of Animals and served as its president for eight years. According to the Hugenholtz family website, the federation came to include thousands of animal protection organisations worldwide. He married Maria Catharina de Kruiff (1931–2018) on 27 December 1960.

Publications Hugenholtz published works on law, including: Hoofdlijnen van het Nederlands Burgerlijk Procesrecht ("Main Lines of Dutch Civil Procedural Law") Over Reconventie ("On Counterclaim") Over Reële Executie ("About Real Execution") Naar Nieuw Burgerlijk Procesrecht? ("Towards New Civil Procedure Law?") De wet op de dierenbescherming ("The Animal Protection Act"; Leiden, 1961)