F. W. de Klerk

His Excellency Frederik Willem de Klerk
7th State President of South Africa
In office 20 September 1989 – 9 May 1994
Preceded by	Pieter Willem Botha
Succeeded by	Nelson Mandela As President of South Africa
1st Deputy President of South Africa
In office 10 May 1994 – 30 June 1996 Serving with Thabo Mbeki
President	Nelson Mandela
Preceded by	Office Established
Succeeded by	Thabo Mbeki (solely)
Personal details
Born	18 March 1936 (1936-03-18) Johannesburg, Transvaal, Union of South Africa
Nationality	South African
Political party	National Party New National Party
Spouse(s)	Marike Willemse (1959–1998) Elita Georgiades (1998–present)
Children	Jan de Klerk Willem de Klerk Susan de Klerk
Alma mater	Potchefstroom University
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Attorney

Frederik Willem de Klerk is a South African politician. De Klerk was born in Johannesburg, on 18 March 1936. He was the president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994. In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace with Nelson Mandela. They were given the prize for peacefully ending apartheid and setting up a new democratic South Africa. From 1994 to 1996 he was vice president of South Africa. In 1997, he retired from politics. In 2004, 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 1958. As a student, he joined the National Party. After obtaining his degree, he was their legal counsel, until 1972. From his first marriage with Marile Willemse he has three children. Since 1998, he has been married to Elita Georgiades.