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Olivier Mortgat

Born 7 Mar 1956

3 facts1 source

Living person. The family sees only the name, dates and photo; everything else stays private unless they choose to share it.

Facts and their sources

  • Born7 Mar 1956Taken as verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 7 Mar 1956

    Born

Family

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During his lifetime

He has lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1950s · Olivier is born

In the news1956

First nuclear chain reaction achieved in Belgium

Belgium successfully achieved its first controlled nuclear chain reaction at the BR 1 research reactor in Mol.

What people wore

Women's fashion and daily wear evolution

Women in the 1950s often wore wide skirts supported by stiff petticoats to create a floral-like silhouette, while housewives commonly wore practical cotton aprons with pockets for daily tasks. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, trends shifted toward narrower, more geometric styles influenced by designers like Courrèges.

Daily life

Weekly bathing and public shower houses

Bathing was a weekly ritual, often taking place on Saturdays in an oval tub that narrowed at the feet, with the same water frequently used for the entire family. In some communities, public shower houses existed, such as one in Zaventem where a shower cost 1.50 BEF.

In the news1958

Brussels hosts World Fair Expo 58

The World Fair in Brussels, Expo 58, modernized the country and introduced citizens to a new era of global possibilities.

Music

Traditional Social Dances and Community Events

Common social dances in Belgium during this period included the polka, wals (waltz), schottische, and the linear branle. These dances were staples at local village celebrations and community events.

In Europe1948–1952

The Marshall Plan

American aid of some $13 billion rebuilt the ruined economies of Western Europe.

Getting around

Car travel changes perception of distance

By the 1950s, affluent citizens began shifting their perception of distance, measuring travel not by kilometers, but by the duration of the journey in their private cars.