Til Gardeniers-Berendsen

Mathilde Hubertine Maria Francisca "Til" Gardeniers-Berendsen (18 February 1925 – 22 October 2019)[1] was a Dutch politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party (KVP) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and nonprofit director.[2]

Til Gardeniers-Berendsen
Til Gardeniers-Berendsen in 1982
Member of the Council of State
In office
1 March 1983  1 March 1995
Vice PresidentWillem Scholten
Minister of Health and Environment
In office
11 September 1981  4 November 1982
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byLeendert Ginjaar
Succeeded byElco Brinkman
as Minister of Welfare,
Health and Culture
Minister of Culture,
Recreation and Social Work
In office
11 October 1982  4 November 1982
Ad interim
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byHans de Boer
Succeeded byElco Brinkman
as Minister of Welfare,
Health and Culture
In office
19 December 1977  11 September 1981
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byHarry van Doorn
Succeeded byAndré van der Louw
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
21 September 1982  23 February 1983
In office
10 June 1981  9 September 1981
In office
11 May 1971  19 December 1977
Parliamentary groupChristian Democratic Appeal
(1980–1983)
Catholic People's Party
(1971–1980)
Personal details
Born
Mathilde Hubertine Maria Francisca Berendsen

(1925-02-18)18 February 1925
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died22 October 2019(2019-10-22) (aged 94)
The Hague, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Political partyChristian Democratic Appeal
(from 1980)
Other political
affiliations
Catholic People's Party
(until 1980)
Spouse(s)
Mathieu Gardeniers
(m. 1950; died 2004)
Children3 sons
ResidenceRotterdam, Netherlands
OccupationPolitician · Civil servant · Secretary · Nonprofit director

Biography

On 14 May 1940 Gardeniers-Berendsen witnessed the Luftwaffe bombing of Rotterdam during the German invasion and joined the Dutch resistance against the German occupiers in 1940. Following the end of World War II Gardeniers-Berendsen worked as a secretary in Rotterdam from August 1945 until May 1971.

Gardeniers-Berendsen was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1971, taking office on 11 May 1971. After the election of 1977 Gardeniers-Berendsen was appointed as Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work in the Cabinet Van Agt–Wiegel, taking office on 19 December 1977. After the election of 1981 Gardeniers-Berendsen returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 10 June 1981. Following the cabinet formation of 1981 Gardeniers-Berendsen was appointment as Minister of Health and Environment in the Cabinet Van Agt II, taking office on 11 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with Gardeniers-Berendsen continuing as Minister of Health and Environment, taking office on 29 May 1982. After the election of 1982 Gardeniers-Berendsen again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 21 September 1982. Gardeniers-Berendsen served again as acting Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work during a medical leave of absence of Hans de Boer dual serving in both positions from 11 October 1982. Following the cabinet formation of 1982 Gardeniers-Berendsen was not given a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Van Agt III was replaced by the Cabinet Lubbers I on 4 November 1982 and she continued to serve as a frontbencher.

In February 1983 Gardeniers-Berendsen was nominated as a Member of the Council of State, she resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 23 February 1983 and was installed as a Member of the Council of State, serving from 1 March 1983 until 1 March 1995. She was the second oldest living former cabinet member after former State Secretary Els Veder-Smit and the oldest living former cabinet minister since the death of Johan Witteveen on 23 April 2019.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon barHonourCountryDateComment
Commander of the Order of Leopold II Belgium 28 September 1980
Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 9 December 1982
Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Holy See 15 July 1990
Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 1 March 1995

References

Official
Political offices
Preceded by
Harry van Doorn
Minister of Culture,
Recreation and Social Work

1977–1981
1982
Ad interim
Succeeded by
André van der Louw
Preceded by
Hans de Boer
Succeeded by
Elco Brinkman
as Minister of Welfare,
Health and Culture
Preceded by
Leendert Ginjaar
Minister of Health and Environment
1981–1982
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