Wim Bos Verschuur

Wim Bos Verschuur (23 May 1904 – 4 January 1985), born Bernard Willem Hendrik Verschuur, was a Surinamese politician, activist, artist, and writer. On 30 July 1943, he was arrested and interned for opposing governor Johannes Kielstra; this caused a major scandal in Surinam politics and led to a larger wave of repression against opposition figures.

Biography Verschuur was born on 23 May 1904 in Paramaribo, across the street from the Palace of the Governor, as Bernard Willem Hendrik Verschuur. After finishing the MULO, Verschuur went to the Netherlands for an art teacher's degree. In 1933, Verschuur returned to Suriname, and became an art teacher.

Verschuur became a chairman of the Surinaamse Arbeiders Federatie (Surinamese Workers Federation). In 1936, he wrote the play Woeker about the greed of the banks and credit unions. Verschuur was also politically active for home-rule in Suriname.

In 1942 he was elected to the Estates of Suriname. Governor Johannes Kielstra had used World War II to increase his power, and had received a mandate to circumvent the Estates. On 23 July 1943, Seven members of the Estates resigned in protest thereby denying the quorum, and blocking any legislation to be passed. The magazine of the Moravian Church was shut down for speaking out against Kielstra, and the church was threatened with a denial of all subsidies. Finally, on 28 December 1943, the Dutch government-in-exile discharged Kielstra. Verschuur was released on 27 October 1944.

Verschuur died on 4 January 1985 at the age of 80.