Pauline Becker-Blasius, Luxembourg’s Oldest Known Resident, Turns 107

Pauline Becker-Blasius, the oldest known living resident of Luxembourg, celebrated her 107th birthday in Stadtbredimus on 9 January.

Becker-Blasius was born in the village of Bech-Kleinmacher in south-eastern Luxembourg, on 9 January 1919. She was the youngest of five children. Pauline first attended school in Bech-Kleinmacher. Later, she went to evening school in Remich, where she learned to sew. Even then, however, she dreamed of becoming a market woman—like her mother. She initially worked as a nanny in Luxembourg City and later as a cook in a hotel in Vianden, a change motivated by the higher salary. She remained there until her father fell ill, forcing her to return home. He died shortly afterward.

Although she had helped at the market since childhood, she now had to assist her mother regularly at the weekly markets. During the Second World War, she met her future husband, Alphonse Becker, from Greiweldingen, in Remich. They were married there on 5 September 1942. Four years after their marriage, they took over her mother’s fruit and grocery business. From 1946 to 1982, Pauline and her husband worked as market vendors. They had at least one daughter, Angèle.

1. Jan van Ierland (Bloemendaal, North Holland) (b. 5 May 1914), 110 y.o. Doyen of the Netherlands
2. Johannes Theunisse (Dordrecht, South Holland) (b. 24 September 1916), 108 y.o.
3. Anonymous (Den Haag, South Holland) (b. 2 April 1918 in Suriname), 106 y.o.
4. Jan Boerema (Marum, Groningen) (b. 12 January 1919), 106 y.o.
5. Fredericus Matheus Brockhus (Zandvoort, North Holland) (b. 18 April 1919), 105 y.o.
6. Theodorus Gerardus Loermans (Geffen, North Brabant) (b. 8 July 1919), 105 y.o.
7. Franciscus Johannes Godefridus van Rheenen (Amsterdam, North Holland) (b. 12 July 1919), 105 y.o.
8. Roel Groenhoff (Soest, Utrecht) (b. 17 September 1919), 105 y.o.
9. Theodorus Gerardus Henricus Maria van Es (Rotterdam, South Holland) (b. 15 November 1919), 105 y.o.
10. Johannes Damis Donker (Gouda, South Holland) (b. 20 November 1919), 105 y.o.

https://www.nl.wikisage.org/wiki/Gebruiker:Simer/Oudste_Nederlanders

1. Henricus Petrus Jacobus Broekx (Bree, Limburg) (b. 6 August 1914), 107 y.o. Doyen of Belgium
2. Albertus Van Raemdonck (Sint-Niklaas, East-Flanders) (b. 6 July 1916), 105 y.o. 
3. Benedictus Bellens (Geel, Antwerp) (b. 18 November 1916), 105 y.o.
4. Alfons Leempoels (Rotselaar, Flemish Brabant) (b. 1 January 1917), 105 y.o. 
5. Robert Appart (Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia) (b. 24 March 1917), 105 y.o.
6. Jozef Kets (Berlaar, Antwerp) (b. 22 April 1917), 105 y.o.
7. Alfons Pauwels (Tessenderlo, Limburg) (b. 8 May 1917), 105 y.o. 
8. Alfons Declerck (Oostende, West-Flanders) (b. 27 May 1917), 105 y.o. 
9. Albert X. (Gent, East-Flanders) (b. 6 July 1917), 104 y.o.
10. Henricus Hillaert (Gent, East-Flanders) (b. 16 August 1917), 104 y.o.

1. Ebeltje Boekema-Hut (31 August 1911), Leek, Groningen (110)

2. Marina van der Es-Siewers (4 March 1913), Wieringerwaard, North Holland (109)

3. Elisabeth Sijbrandi-Bleijerveld (8 May 1913), Ermelo, Gelderland (108)

4. Geertje ter Agter-van Zoeren (11 September 1913), Elburg, Gelderland (108)

5. Helena Santing-Krikken (30 March 1914) Brunssum, Limburg (108, birthday confirmed)

6. Johanna (Annie) Teesink-van de Worp (21 April 1914) Enschede, Overijssel (107)

7. Kniertje Spaans-den Heijer (10 May 1914) The Hague, South Holland (107)

8. Elizabeth (Lies) Bastiaanse-de Boer (4 June 1914) Oost-Souburg, Zeeland (107)

9. Janna Vos-Vermeer (28 August 1914) Puttershoek, South Holland (107)

10. Annie (An) Lengers-Gerritsen (8 November 1914) Den Helder, North Holland (107)

P S: this is about the European Netherlands, not the Kingdom of the Netherlands (which is why people like Maria Luisa Benjamin are excluded).

1. Marcelle Levaz (Remicourt, Liège) (b. 18 March 1911), 111 y.o.
2. Magdalena Janssens (Zandhoven, Antwerp) (b. 16 March 1912), 110 y.o.
3. Roberte Lowette (Holsbeek, Flemish Brabant) (b. 9 July 1912), 109 y.o.
4. Marie Carte (Ixelles, Bruxelles) (b. 5 July 1913), 108 y.o. 
5. Leonie Peetroons (Beersel, Flemish Brabant) (b. 20 September 1913), 108 y.o. 
6. Denise Lacaille (Maarkedal, East Flanders) (b. 13 November 1913), 108 y.o.
7. Maria Dejonghe (Evere, Bruxelles) (b. 17 November 1913), 108 y.o.
8. Elza Roels (Destelbergen, East Flanders) (b. 1 December 1913), 108 y.o. 
9. Julia Meulemeester (Oostkamp, West Flanders) (b. 25 December 1913), 108 y.o. 
10. Anonymous (Namur) (b. 11 May 1914), 107 y.o.