Mathilde Joséphina Schroyens (28 December 1912 – 27 February 1996) was a Belgian politician associated with the Belgian Socialist Party and subsequently the Parti Socialiste. She was mayor of

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

from 1977 to 1982. The daughter of Fons Schroyens, she was born in Mortsel. At the age of fifteen, she began studying to be a

preschool A preschool (sometimes spelled as pre school or pre-school), also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, play school, is an school, educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they ...

teacher. From 1932 to 1940, she taught at a Jewish school in Antwerp. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she returned to further study at the École ouvrière supérieure in

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

to become a

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

. In 1949, she was elected to the Belgium Chamber of Representatives, becoming the first Dutch-speaking socialist woman in the chamber, representing

province until she failed in her bid for reelection in 1971. She served on the municipal council for Antwerp from 1952 to 1982. She was elected mayor in 1977. After she left the council, she worked as a social worker. In 1945, she married Etienne Groesser; he died in 1977. She died in Antwerp at the age of 83.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schroyens, Mathilde 1912 births 1996 deaths People from Mortsel Mayors of Antwerp, Belgium Members of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Women members of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)