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 from 1977 to 1982. The daughter of Fons Schroyens, she was born in

Mortsel Mortsel () is a city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality close to the city of Antwerp located in the Belgium, Belgian province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the city of Mortsel proper. In 2021, Mortsel ha ...

. At the age of fifteen, she began studying to be a

preschool A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary sch ...

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, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

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

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

to become a social worker. In 1949, she was elected to the Belgium Chamber of Representatives, becoming the first Dutch-speaking socialist woman in the chamber, representing Antwerp 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)