Antje van de Statie and Marie-Katrien
The Hart van Limburg region is full of stories about strong women. We know the powerful princesses of Thorn, but there are also 'ordinary' women whose entrepreneurship and personality left a lasting legacy. These are the stories of Antje van de Statie from Weert and Marie-Katrien from Nederweert, two iconic figures who were well ahead of their time.
Antje van de Statie
Anyone in Weert who mentions the nickname "Pie Town" is actually referring to Maria Hendrix (1878–1936). This remarkable woman was better known as Antje van de Statie and sold her famous pies at Weert station from 1897 to 1926. With her long skirts and hair in a bun, she was a striking figure.
Warm and generous
Antje was known for her warm heart and generosity. She beamed as she walked the platforms when the trains arrived. Her customers simply threw their money into her apron. If someone didn’t have the right change, she would say: “That’s all right, sir. You look honest.” She handed out free pies to children from the institute for the deaf in Sint Michielsgestel. Later, when she ran the station restaurant, she became famous for her generous meals. Her hospitality went far beyond business. She organised Saint Nicholas celebrations for her family and railway staff, making her workplace feel like one big family.
Famous and beloved
Antje’s popularity reached far beyond Weert. She was, in fact, a true influencer before the term existed. She received postcards from Vienna and even the Dutch East Indies, addressed to “Pie Antje” or “Antje van de Statie.” Her statue in Weert is a lasting tribute to the woman who unknowingly gave the city its nickname and who won the hearts of many with her humanity.
Marie-Katrien
Before there was anything like PostNL, there was Marie-Katrien in Nederweert. Her real name was Maria Catharina van de Boogaert-Tegelaers (1866–1945), a strong and emancipated entrepreneur well ahead of her time.
First female courier
In 1883, still young, she took over her father’s delivery business. For over sixty years, she delivered parcels between Nederweert, Weert and nearby villages. She started on foot, with a wheelbarrow or dog cart, but later she was able to buy a pony named Frits. Customers would place a newspaper in their window to indicate they had a parcel to send. Marie-Katrien delivered groceries and orders, mainly for shopkeepers and craftsmen in the Kerkstraat, then known as "de Straot."
Emancipation in motion
Marie-Katrien was a woman of action and independence, a pioneer of what we now call emancipation. She worked until old age and covered an estimated distance of 400,000 kilometres, ten times the circumference of the Earth. In her honour, a bronze statue stands in Nederweert, symbolising strength, movement, determination and independence.
