Til Gardeniers-Berendsen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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 (1925-02-18)18 February 1925 Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died	22 October 2019(2019-10-22) (aged 94) The Hague, Netherlands
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Other political affiliations	Catholic People's Party (until 1980)
Spouse	Mathieu Gardeniers ​ ​ (m. 1950; his death 2004)​
Children	3 sons
Residences	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Secretary · Nonprofit director

Mathilde Hubertine Maria Francisca "Til" Gardeniers-Berendsen (born February 18, 1925 – died October 22, 2019) was an important Dutch politician. She was a member of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party. She also worked as a director for a nonprofit organization.

Early Life and Resistance

Til Gardeniers-Berendsen was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. On May 14, 1940, she saw the German bombing of Rotterdam during World War II. This event was part of the Battle of the Netherlands, when Germany invaded her country.

After this, she joined the Dutch resistance in 1940. This group worked against the German forces occupying the Netherlands. After World War II ended, she worked as a secretary in Rotterdam. She held this job from August 1945 until May 1971.

Political Career

Til Gardeniers-Berendsen started her political journey in 1971. She was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives. This means she helped make laws for the country. She took office on May 11, 1971.

Becoming a Minister

In 1977, she became a Minister. She was appointed as the Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work. She started this role on December 19, 1977. As a minister, she was in charge of important areas like culture, fun activities, and social support for people.

After the 1981 election, she returned to the House of Representatives. Soon after, she was appointed as the Minister of Health and Environment. She took on this role on September 11, 1981. This job meant she worked on public health and protecting the environment.

Later Roles

In 1983, Til Gardeniers-Berendsen was chosen for a new role. She became a Member of the Council of State. This is a very important advisory body in the Netherlands. She left her role in the House of Representatives on February 23, 1983. She then served on the Council of State from March 1, 1983, until March 1, 1995.

Honors and Awards

Til Gardeniers-Berendsen received several special awards for her service. These honors show how much her work was valued.

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