Maria Elisabeth Bes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Elisabeth Bes
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Bes, c. 1925
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| Born |
Maria Elisabeth Stellwag-Bes
January 14, 1882 |
| Died | August 7, 1938 (aged 56) The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands
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| Resting place | Jaffa Cemetery, Delft, South Holland, Netherlands |
Maria Elisabeth (Marie) Stellwag-Bes was a pioneering Dutch chemical engineer and politician. She was born on January 14, 1882, and passed away on August 7, 1938. Marie is famous for being the first woman in the Netherlands to earn an engineering degree. She also became one of the first three women to serve on the city council in Delft. She was a member of the Vrijzinnig Democratische Bond, a political party.
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Marie Bes's Early Life and Schooling
Marie Bes was born in Tilburg in 1882. Her father, Klaas Bes, was a mathematics teacher. Marie's mother was Johanna Bes.
In 1894, Marie finished primary school. She then became the first girl in Tilburg to attend secondary school. Special permission was needed from the government for her to do this.
Studying Engineering in Delft
In 1899, Marie successfully completed her final school exams. The next year, she started studying at the Polytechnic School in Delft. She was the very first female student there, studying in the Technology department.
On July 27, 1904, Marie graduated with a degree in chemical engineering. This made her the first female engineer to graduate in the Netherlands.
Marie's Work at the University
After graduating, Marie became an assistant in physics at her old college. In 1905, the school became the Technische Hoogeschool Delft. This new name showed that the school offered high-quality academic education.
In 1910, Marie became an assistant for theoretical and applied physics. By 1919, she was a permanent staff member. Marie left her job in 1926 due to health problems.
Marie Bes's Political Journey
In the 1910s, Marie Bes started to get involved in politics. She joined the Vrijzinnig Democratische Bond (VDB). This was a progressive political party in the Netherlands.
Marie helped start the national Vrijzinnig Democratische Vrouwenclub. This was a women's club linked to the VDB. She worked with other important women, like Aletta Jacobs, who fought for women's right to vote. Marie was also on the main board of this club.
Running for National Elections
In 1918, Marie ran for election in the national Tweede Kamerverkiezingen. These elections happened on May 21. It was the first election after big changes in how people voted. All men could now vote, and votes were counted using a system called proportional representation.
Women could run for election, but they could not vote themselves yet. Women in the Netherlands gained the right to vote in 1919. Marie was not elected in 1918.
Serving on the Delft City Council
The next year, in 1919, Marie became the leader for the VDB in the Delft city elections. She received about two-thirds of the votes for her party. Marie served on the Delft city council until March 1920. She was one of the first three women to become a city councillor in Delft.
Marriage and Later Life
On July 15, 1920, Marie married Theodoor Gotlieb Stellwag. He was a pastor for the Evangelical Lutheran church. The couple lived in the church's house in Delft.
After her marriage, Marie became active in the Lutheran Church in Delft. She worked as a teacher in the Sunday school there.
After her husband passed away in 1935, Marie moved to The Hague. She died there on August 7, 1938, at 56 years old. Marie Bes was buried in the Jaffa cemetery in Delft on August 10, 1938.
Remembering Marie Bes
In 1988, a street in Delft was named the Marie Besstraat. This was done to honor her.
In 2017, Marie Bes was added to the Alumni Walk of Fame at TU Delft. This honor celebrated the university's 175th anniversary. It recognized her as the first woman to graduate as an engineer from the university.
