F. W. de Klerk
Frederik Willem de Klerk (18 March – 11 November ) was a South Africanpolitician.[1] He was the president of South Africa from to In , he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace with Nelson Mandela.[2] They were given the prize for peacefully ending apartheid and setting up a new government in South Africa. From to he was vice president of South Africa. In , he retired from politics. In , he left the New National Party, when it became known that it wanted to unite with the African National Congress to form a single party.
De Klerk studied to be an attorney. He finished his studies in As a student, he joined the National Party. After obtaining his degree, he was their legal counsel, until From his first marriage with Marike Willemse he has three children. Since , he has been married to Elita Georgiades.
Biography
FW de Klerk was born in Johannesburg in He is the son of Johannes de Klerk () and Hendrina Cornelia de Klerk (), who died just four months before the death of his former daughter Marike Willemse and his brother to Wimpie de Klerk (). His family, whose name comes from the French surname "Le Clerc," "Le Clercq" or "de Clercq" is of Huguenot origin.
F. W. de Klerk facts for kids
In this article, the family name is de Klerk, not Klerk.
Quick facts for kids His Excellency F. W. de Klerk OMG DMS | ||||||||||||||||||
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de Klerk in | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7th State President of South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 August – 10 May | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | P. W. Botha | |||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Nelson Mandela(as President) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1st Deputy President of South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||
| In office 10 May – 30 June Serving with Thabo Mbeki | ||||||||||||||||||
| President | Nelson Mandela | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Alwyn Schlebusch(as Vice State President) | |||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Thabo Mbeki (solely) | |||||||||||||||||
| 13th Leader of the Opposition | ||||||||||||||||||
| In office – | ||||||||||||||||||
| President | Nelson Mandela | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Constand Viljoen | |||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Marthinus van Schalkwyk | |||||||||||||||||
| 7th President of the National Party | ||||||||||||||||||
| In office 15 August – 8 September | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | P. W. Botha | |||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Marthinus van Schalkwyk (Leader, New National Party) | |||||||||||||||||
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