Mathieu Mayer, honorary president of the board of Grands Magasins a l’Innovation, Belgium’s greatest department store, and prominent Jewish philanthropist, was honored by King Badouin and many other Belgians today on reaching his hundredth birthday. The King awarded him the coveted title of Commander of L’Ordre de Leopold.
Mr. Mayer, who was born in Alsace 100 years ago, is one of the most colorful personalities in Belgian and French business circles. For many years, he was counsellor here for the French Ministry of External Trade, and has received many high decorations from the French as well as the Belgian Government. An influential member of the Jewish community here, he is also one of the country’s most generous contributors to Jewish causes. He is hale and still goes to his office every day.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.