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 President	Willem Scholten
Minister of Health and Environment
In office 11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Leendert Ginjaar
Succeeded by	Elco 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 Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Hans de Boer
Succeeded by	Elco Brinkman as Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture
In office 19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Harry van Doorn
Succeeded by	André 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 group	Christian Democratic Appeal (1980–1983) Catholic People's Party (1971–1980)
Personal details
Born	Mathilde Hubertine Maria Francisca Berendsen 18 February 1925 Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died	22 October 2019 (aged 94) The Hague, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Other political affiliations	Catholic People's Party (until 1980)
Spouse(s)	Mathieu Gardeniers ​ ​ (m. 1950; died 2004)​
Children	3 sons
Residence	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Occupation	Politician · 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 bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	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

1. https://www.nd.nl/nieuws/politiek/in-memoriam-til-gardeniers-94-geen-medelijden-met.3637392.lynkx
2. "Oud-minister Job de Ruiter (CDA) overleden" (in Dutch). NOS. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.

External links

Official

• (in Dutch) M.H.M.F. (Til) Gardeniers-Berendsen Parlement & Politiek