De Grootste Nederlander ('The Greatest Dutchman') was a public poll held in 2004 by the broadcasting company KRO of the Publieke Omroep. The series has the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons TV format. During the series, it included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further opportunities to vote after each programme. The recently assassinated politician Pim Fortuyn was announced as the winner in a live television broadcast on 15 November 2004, two weeks after Theo van Gogh was murdered. This was controversial, and was said to be an "embarrassing" choice by several journalists and historians. Later it became revealed that William of Orange had received the most votes in total, but only the votes that were tallied before the end of the live programme counted (the number of calls was so large that not all could be counted before the end of the show). And thus Fortuyn remained the official number one according to the rules, as announced originally. Top 10 From 11–50 Aletta Jacobs (1854–1929) (Feminist) Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695) (Scientist) Annie M.G. Schmidt (1911–1995) (Writer) Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (1909–2004) (Monarch) Johan Rudolf Thorbecke (1798–1872) (Politician, social reformer) Majoor Bosshardt (1913–2007) (Prominent member of the Dutch Salvation Army) Anton Philips (1874–1951) (Businessman) Freddy Heineken (1923–2002) (Businessman) Hannie Schaft (1920–1945) (World War II resistance fighter) Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (1880–1962) (Monarch) Baruch de Spinoza (1632–1677) (Philosopher) Toon Hermans (1916–2000) (Comedian, poet) Prince Claus (1926–2002) (Prince of the Netherlands) Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1547–1619) (Politician, executed) Marco van Basten (1964–) (Football player) Piet Pieterszoon Hein (1577–1629) (Admiral, national hero) Joop den Uyl (1919–1987) (Politician) Jan Adriaenszoon Leeghwater (1575–1650) (mill builder and hydraulic engineer) Fanny Blankers-Koen (1918–2004) (Athlete) Van Kooten en De Bie (Comedians) Hugo de Groot (1583–1645) (Philosopher) Johan de Witt (1625–1672) (Politician, murdered) Anthony Fokker (1890–1939) (Aviation pioneer) Multatuli (1820–1887) (Writer) Prince Bernhard (1911–2004) (Prince of the Netherlands) Wim Kok (1938–2018) (Politician) M. C. Escher (1898–1972) (Graphical artist) Marco Borsato (1966–) (Singer) Eric Hazelhoff Roelfzema (1917–2007) (World War II resistance fighter) DJ Tiësto (1969–) (DJ) Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (1938–) (Monarch) Titus Brandsma (1881–1942) (Priest, World War II resistance activist, murdered) Cornelis Lely (1854–1929) (Scientist) Hans Teeuwen (1967–) (Comedian) Joseph Luns (1911–2002) (Politician) Leontien van Moorsel (1970–) (Athlete) Willem Kolff (1911–2009) (inventor of hemodialysis) Godfried Bomans (1913–1991) (Writer) Hendrik Lorentz (1853–1928) (Scientist) Abel Tasman (1603–1659) (Explorer) From 51–100 Joop van den Ende (1942–) (Businessman) André van