▁from ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁ ▁Kol the k ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁West er bro ek , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Harm ▁Kol the k ▁Sr ., ▁factory ▁worker , ▁and ▁T all ig je ▁van ▁E er den . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twenty , ▁he ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁social ism ▁after ▁his ▁later ▁wife ' s ▁brother ▁was ▁arrested ▁and ▁ab used ▁by ▁h uss ars ▁at ▁a ▁worker ' s ▁revol t ▁in ▁S app eme er ; ▁the ▁brother - in - law ▁succ um bed ▁to ▁his ▁inj uries . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁he ▁became ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁NAS , ▁which ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁was ▁cop ing ▁with ▁financial ▁troubles . ▁Under ▁Kol the k ' s ▁leadership , ▁the ▁problems ▁were ▁overcome ▁and ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁NAS ▁triple d . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁Kol the k ▁worked ▁in ▁France ▁as ▁war ▁correspond ent ▁for ▁De ▁Te leg ra af . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁Kol the k ▁was ▁elected ▁party ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁NAS ' s ▁political ▁arm , ▁the ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁( SP ). ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁Parliament ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁on ▁the ▁SP ' s ▁bill . ▁He ▁joined ▁forces ▁with ▁Wil ly ▁Kru yt ▁of ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Christian ▁Social ists , ▁but ▁the ▁co operation ▁did ▁not ▁last . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2