In memoriam: Professor Cees Fasseur
It is with great sadness that Leiden University has learned of the death of Professor Cees Fasseur (11 December 1938–13 March 2016).
Cees Fasseur studied history and law in Leiden, after which he pursued a career as a legislative lawyer at the Ministry of Justice, although this did not mean that he lost touch with history. In 1975 he received his doctorate in Leiden under the supervision of Ivo Schöffer with a dissertation on the Cultivation System, an agricultural policy in the Dutch East Indies in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1977 he was appointed as Professor of History of European Expansion. From 1986 to 2001 he was Professor of History of Southeast Asia.
Cees Fasseur was a passionate historian and legal specialist with a balanced opinion; he was also a dedicated administrator, including in the capacity of dean of the Leiden Faculty of Arts. He will be remembered by many as an inspiring teacher and as an author of interesting books that attracted a wide audience. He was able to combine erudition with humour and a sense of perspective, making him a prominent figure in the field of history in Leiden. Leiden University will remember Cees Fasseur with great admiration and gratitude.
Carel Stolker, Rector Magnificus of the Board of Governors
Wim van den Doel, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities
Luuk de Ligt, Director of the Institute for History