De hand van Romme. C.P.M. Romme als staatkundig hoofdredacteur van De Volkskrant (1945-1952)

Abstract

Romme's hand: The politician C.P.M. Romme as editor-in-chief of the 'De Volkskrant' (1945-1952)

Between 1945 and 1953, C.P.M. Romme held two posts simultaneously; he was both the political leader of the Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP) and editor-in-chief of the newspaper 'De Volkskrant'. Many assumptions have been made about this joint position, mostly by theorists and researchers into the subject of 'pillarization'. However, Romme's actual influence on the content of the 'Volkskrant' has not yet been properly researched. This article explores the role that Romme the politician played during his editorship of the 'Volkskrant'. It aims to show how Romme used the newspaper to attain his political goals; especially with regard to maintaining Catholic political unity and social solidarity. He wrote leading articles to influence public opinion, acted in a censorial capacity and invited journalists and political supporters to contribute articles that supported his own views. In 1952, the owner of the newspaper, the 'Katholieke Arbeidersbeweging' (The Trade Union for Catholics), forced Romme to resign. Ironically, it was a conflict about maintaining Catholic political unity - Romme's main political goal – that ultimately led to his resignation.