FDC - Marguerite Mongenast-Servais

Description

Courageous and unwavering

Marguerite Mongenast-Servais, born on 25 June 1882 in Weilerbach (Luxembourg), came from a politically active family – her grandfather was the former Minister of State Emmanuel Servais. After spending her school years in Luxembourg and Paris, she married the mining engineer Paul Mongenast in 1902 and became involved in various social and political movements, some of which were very progressive.

She was a leading voice in the women’s rights movement in Luxembourg, campaigned for women’s suffrage and served as secretary of the Socialist Party from 1918 to 1921. As a member of Action républicaine, she fought for the abolition of the monarchy in Luxembourg. She was also involved in numerous social projects for the benefit of children and young people, including holiday camps and the championing of the Girl Guides movement. In addition to her political activism, she wrote articles and poems under the pseudonym “Ysiem” (an anagram of her nickname “Meisy”) in which she advocated for equality and social justice.

Marguerite Mongenast-Servais died in 1925, but her commitment to women’s rights and social reform remains an important part of Luxembourg’s history.

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