Karel Poma facts for kids

Karel Emiel Hubert, Baron Poma (born March 14, 1920 – died December 27, 2014) was an important Belgian politician. He was part of the liberal party called the PVV.

Karel Poma's father, Carolus Poma, was a fire brigade lieutenant. He also served as a council member and mayor of Wilrijk. Karel Poma was married to Juliana Walgraeve. They had two children, a son named Peter and a daughter named Kathleen.

Early Life and Learning

Karel Poma went to high school in Antwerp. He studied Latin-Sciences and finished in 1938. Later, he went to the University of Ghent in Ghent, Belgium. In 1943, he earned a degree in Sciences. He continued his studies and got a PhD in science from the same university in 1946. He also became a bacteriologist after studying at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in 1946.

During World War II, Karel Poma bravely joined the resistance movement. This group worked against the Nazi occupation of Belgium. After the war, he was honored for his courage and actions.

Working Life

Karel Poma started his career in 1945 at the Antwerp Water Works (AWW). He became the head of their laboratory. He worked there until 1971. After that, he decided to focus completely on his political work.

From 1979 to 1990, he also taught part-time at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He taught about environmental hygiene to engineers and healthcare professionals.

Political Journey

Karel Poma was a key figure in Belgian politics for many years. From 1965 to 1985, he was a member of the Belgian Federal Parliament. He represented the liberal party, the PVV.

He held different important roles:

• From 1965 to 1971, and again from 1981 to 1985, he was a senator. A senator is like a lawmaker who helps create new rules for the country.
• From 1971 to 1981, he was a member of parliament. This role also involves making laws and representing people.
• From 1977 to 1981, he was a leader for his party in the Culture Council.
• From 1980 to 1981, he led his party in the Flemish Council.

Karel Poma was also part of the government's executive team twice:

• From 1974 to 1977, he was a Secretary of State for the Environment. This means he was in charge of protecting nature and the environment.
• From 1981 to 1985, he was a vice-chairman of the Flemish Executive. He was also a minister for culture, media, sport, youth, and research. This was a very important job, overseeing many different areas.

He also served in local government. From 1976 to 1982, he was a member of the village council in Wilrijk. After Wilrijk became part of Antwerp in 1982, he was a member of the city council of Antwerp from 1982 to 1988. He also served as president of the Liberaal Vlaams Verbond (LVV) in 1968 and from 1973 to 1974.

Special Recognitions

Karel Poma received several important honors for his service:

• He was made a knight by King Albert II.
• On July 8, 2005, he was given the special title of baron by a royal decree.
•  Belgium: On December 7, 2009, he was named a Minister of State.
•  Belgium: He received the Grand Cross in the Order of Leopold II.
•  Belgium: He was made a Grand Officer in the Order of Leopold.
•  Greece: He also received the Grand Officer title in the Order of the Phoenix from Greece.

Sources

• Karel Poma