Mathilde Mange was a validated German supercentenarian who died in 2019 at the age of 113. Between 2019 and 2022, she held the title of the oldest woman to have ever lived in Germany. She remains the oldest person to have ever died in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Mathilde Mange was born on a farm in Würrich, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on 10 August 1906. She was a sister to 7 siblings. She was also a wife and a mother to 2 children.
Widowed in 1943 during WWII, Mange raised her two children alone. Fleeing wartime bombings, they returned to her hometown, where she built a new house with family support. The family later moved to Sprockhövel. Despite her age, Mange remained active: biking until she was 85, redesigning her living room at 90, and reading biographies and historical books in her 90s. After giving up gardening at age 100, she enjoyed watching sports on TV.
On her 113th birthday.
(Source: Westdeutsche Zeitung)
Living with her daughter and son-in-law until 108, Mange moved to a nursing home at 111. Despite her age, she stayed informed about current events through TV. Offering no secret to her long life, she simply advised: “Don’t go too far, don’t do any mischief, that’s what I would recommend.” At 112, she could still walk with a walker. By 113, she had five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mange passed away in the nursing home in the district of Volmarstein in Wetter (Ruhr), North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on the evening of 28 October 2019, at the age of 113 years, 79 days.
On 23 June 2018, following the passing of 112-year-old Therese Fenners, she became the oldest living woman in Germany.
On 8 August 2019, at the age of 112 years, 363 days, she surpassed the final age of Maria Laqua (1889–2002), becoming the oldest woman to have ever lived in Germany (and potentially the oldest person ever overall, as Gustav Gerneth‘s age claim has not been validated).
Upon her passing, Katharina Hagemeyer succeeded her as the oldest living person in Germany.
Mange held the record as Germany’s oldest woman ever until 30 January 2022, when Josefine Ollmann surpassed her final age.
LongeviQuest congratulates Mathilde Mange’s family on her posthumous recognition.
For more information, please view Mrs. Mange’s Directory Profile here.
