Edmond Machtens
Edmond Machtens (born May 24, 1902 in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean / Sint-Jans-Molenbeek ; † December 5, 1978 ) was a Belgian politician of the Socialist Party and for almost forty years mayor of the municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean / Sint- Jans-Molenbeek in the Brussels-Capital Region .
Life
His father was a journeyman baker and moved to Molenbeek from Mechelen . Edmond Machtens worked after school as an insurance inspector at the national social insurance company La Prévoyance sociale . On the side, he continued to attend evening school.
Political career
For the first time Edmond Machtens moved in 1932 as a successor in the local council. In Molenbeek, the Liberals had consistently provided the mayor since 1879 , but after the elections of October 16, 1938, he was the first socialist to be elected mayor, a predominance that lasted until 2013. Shortly after he took office on 1 February 1939. Belgium was the German Reich occupied , and he participated actively in the Belgian resistance . He also saved Jews and was honored as Righteous Among the Nations for this.
After the war, he enjoyed high recognition among the population and across all parties because of this commitment in the resistance, so that the municipal council unanimously named a technical girls' school after him in 1947.
In the post-war period, Machtens developed Molenbeek further. Before that, the community was still largely rural, especially in its western areas, but experienced massive urbanization in the 1950s. Among other things, he sponsored the renovation of the Château de Karreveld / Karreveldkasteel on the occasion of the Brussels World Exhibition in 1958 , the construction of numerous schools, the construction of sports fields and the expansion of the stadium for the local football club Daring Molenbeek . The club was merged into Racing White Darling Molenbeek in 1973 , the stadium received a new grandstand, was inaugurated with a guest appearance against Real Madrid and was named after it. He also built the first Olympic indoor swimming pool in Brussels, which is still the only swimming pool with a freely accessible 50-meter lane today.
In 1946 he was elected to the Senate , the upper house of the Belgian Federal Parliament , for the Socialists , and was a member of it until 1977. In 1973 he received the honorary title of Minister of State .
He died in office on December 5, 1978.
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Machtens, Edmond |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Belgian politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 24, 1902 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Molenbeek-Saint-Jean / Sint-Jans-Molenbeek |
| DATE OF DEATH | 5th December 1978 |