On this page we will show biographies of famous Flemings.
They will include heroes, martyrs, freedom fighters, artists and sportsmen, ie. people who have meant something to Flanders or who still do, this will include the people who have helped to put Flanders on the world map or still do so.
In due time this page will be divided in categories and will be fitted with alphabetic search facilities.

Flemish nationalist, Dr.in Germanic languages,Politician, Martyr. Born in Beveren Waas(E. Fl.) in 1878 Leading member of the Flemish nationalist Front party. Sentenced to death in 1919 (is changed to life imprisonment of which he does 10 years). He is elected MP in 1928, but he cannot take up his post due to the loss of his civil rights. He goes on fighting for Flanders and on 12/04/1946 he is led to the execution pole in Etterbeek (Brussels), stumbling on crutches and very ill. Looking at the clear blue sky he says "What a beautiful day to die for Flanders". He has to be tied to the execution pole as he does not possess the strength to stand up straight by himself. He refuses a blindfold and before the firing squad fire their shots he shouts "Dietsland Houzee".(Dietsland=The Dutch speaking areas in the Low lands, Houzee = Keep going)

Karel Dillen was born in Antwerp in a humble labourer's family on 16/10/1925. Although having strong nationalistic feelings from a young age (Some Flemish nationalist teachers at the Royal Atheneum of Antwerp, where he in finished his secondary studies in 1943, had left their mark on him) he was not a member of any organisation during the war. This is why he never had to suffer from the repression, contrary to some of his former school mates. His career started in 1947, when he joined the St. Arnoutsvendel (St. Arnold's Flag), Wim De Roy's Flemish nationalist youth organisation. There he was primarily in charge of ideological education. He also took part in the redaction of 'Opstanding'(Revival), the unofficial speaking channel of the 'Vlaamse concentratie' (Flemish Concentration) and he regularly published articles. At the end of 1949, beginning of 1950 Dillen was, together with Herman Senaeve en Toon Van Overstraeten, co-foundert of a radical Greater-Dutch yout group: the Jong Nederlandse Gemeenschap (JNG) (Young Dutch Community). The JNG did actions on the IJzerbedevaart (Pilgrimage of the Yser) and the Vlaams Nationaal Zangfeest (Flemish National Singing festival), which, according to them, were too much a monopoly of the CVP (The Christian Democrat Party as they were then called, now CD&V). The JNG started the magazine 'Dietsland Europa' (Dietsland=The union of Dutch speaking areas)in May 1956. Dillen became editor in chief. The magazine stayed his main speaking channel until the 70s. In the beginning of the sixties Dillen wasvthe predident of Were di, an elitairist-radical, Greater-Dutch, anti capitalist, anti communist en anti Belgian group. In 1968 this group merged with Dietsland Europa. In 1975 Dillen resigned from Were di. From 1975 he became the first editor in chief of the newly founded Ter Waarheid (For the truth) which was published until 1979. It became a magazine with the same thoughts as Were di. From 1965, he became an important worker for the Antwerp satirically weekly paper 't Pallieterke. For the elections of 1954, the Christelijke Vlaamse Volksunie (Christian Flemish people's Union) was founded, and after that ceased the later 'Volksunie' was founded. Karel Dillen was not involved in any of them, although he did sympathise with the Volksunie. He would not become a member until 1957 and on July 1st he became president of the newly founded Volksunie Jongeren (VUJO) (Volksunie Youth division). In the 60s the Volksunie celebrated one electoral victory after the other. This lead to a longing for pragmatism. On top of that the party became more and more progressive. Dillen radically opposed this and resigned in 1971. Among his opponents within the party there were Hugo Schiltz, Nelly Maes, André de Beul en Maurits Coppieters. His main followers were Leo Wouters, Hector Goemans, Rudi van der Paal, Bob Maes, Walter Peeters en Mia Dujardin (most of them from the Were di tradition). On October 1st 1977, while he was 'politically homeless', Dillen founded the Vlaams Nationale Partij (VNP) (Flemish National Party), because he strongly disagreed with the fact that the Volksunie co-signed the 'Egmont treaty' (A bill of state reformation, which proved a major disadvantage for Flanders) on May 24th, 1977. The VNP became the Vlaams Blok (Flemish Block), where Karel Dillen was the only one to be elected. He is succeeded by Gerolf Annemans in 1987 and is elected as senator in the same year. In 1989 he becomes an MEP. On June 8th, 1996, Karel Dillen is succeeded by Frank Vanhecke as president of the Vlaams Blok, and when that changes into Vlaams Belang (Flemish interest) he is the first to get his new membership card and he keeps his function of honorary president. On June 18th, 2003 he resigned from the European Parliament on ground of health reasons. On April 27th, 2007 he died in 's Gravenwezel at his daughter Marijke's home. Karel Dillen especially was a radical en straightforward politician, who never denied his principles. He was also a well informed man and he wrote several publications of his own. Although the media constantly depicted him as a grumpy man, he had a great sense of humour. He wrote or translated the following works: Books : Antwerpen ... Groenplaats 9. (1959) Wim Maes. (1970) Wij, marginalen. (1987) Europese gedichten : bijeengebracht en ingeleid. (1991) Vlaanderen in Straatsburg. Deel 1. (1991) Vlaanderen in Straatsburg. Deel 2. (1992) Vlaams Blok, partij van en voor de toekomst. (1992) Voor U geschreven. 21 brieven aan een jonge Europeaan. (1993) Mijn Schilt ende betrouwen Sijt ghy, o Godt mijn Heer. (2001) Translations : Neurenberg, het beloofde land. - M. Bardèche (1951) Apartheid. Een uitdaging - een oplossing ? - J.E. Holloway (1966) <Top>

Irma Laplasse was born on 9/2/1904 in Schore as Irma Swertvaegher. In 1924 she married Henri Laplasse, together they ran a farm in Oostduinkerke. Due to the political climate of those times Henri Laplasse became a member of the Vlaamsch Nationaal verbond (VNV)(Flemish National Alliance). Their children Fred en Angèle were also members of organisations of that time (Fabriekswacht (Factory Watch) en Dietsche Meisjesscharen (Diets Girls' Organisation) respectively), while mother Irma was not a member of any organisation whatsoever. According to the accusations Irma Laplasse would be responsible for the death of seven resistance fighters. They were killed when German soldiers tried to rescue her son, who was captured by members of the 'Witte Brigade' (White Squad, a resistance movement). As a result of the Belgian creativity during the repression Irma Laplasse was sentenced to death for betrayal and denouncement by the Court Martial in Bruges on 21/12/1944. On 10/2/1945 the Court Martial of Ghent confirmed the death sentence and Irma Laplasse was executed in Bruges on 30/5/1945. Like almost all victims of the repression, Irma Laplasse was the victim of an unjustified sentence. The publishing of her jail diary in 1947 and the new edition in 1970, this time with a study by historian Karel van Isacker added to it, achieved that the justness of her trial was once again seriously questioned. After years of political pressure Irma Laplasse's trial was revised. On 14/2/1996 Irma Laplasse was sentenced to life imprisonment for betrayal and denouncement. Had there been an acquittal, this would have lead to the fact that more repression trials would have had to be revised. It would also have forced the authorities to admit that the repression was wrong and unjust. There was also the fear that this would have opened the gates for granting pardon to the victims of the repression. Irma Laplasse was yet another example of someone who was murdered by the Belgian state for committing the crime of being a Fleming. <Top>

(Note: This person would also fit into the category 'Artists', but his share in the Flemish cause was even greater than his works produced). Albrecht Rodenbach was born on 27/10/1856 in a bourgeois family in Roeselare from a Walloon mother and a father who had emigrated from Germany. He was exposed to Flemish nationalist feelings by his father and his uncle. Rodenbach attended the small Catholic seminary in Roeselare where he was exposed to the ideas of the Flemish literature movement by Hugo Verriest and others. Rodenbach was also influenced at this time by Guido Gezelle. In the 1874-1875 school year, this led to a conflict between the Flemish students and the school's francophile director. At the annual songfest the students traditionally sang French songs, Rodenbach led the protest and the predominantly Dutch speaking students sang a protest song in Dutch. This protest led to similar protests all over the country. At the University of Leuven he met the poet Pol De Mont. Together, they founded the 'Algemene Vlaamse Studentenbond' (All Flemish Student Association) in 1876, seeking to promote a Flemish artistic revival and equal rights for Flemish students. Among their objectives were to have classes in Dutch and to have classes include Flemish culture. They called their student movement Blauwvoeterie after the blauwvoet (bluefooted gull) whose flight announces the coming storm. The rallying cry of the Blauwvoeterie was "Vliegt de blauwvoet, storm op zee!" (When the bluefoot flies, there is a storm at sea!). In 1876 Rodenbach published some essays under the pseudonym "Harold". His book Eerste Gedichten (First Poems) was published in 1878. The rest of his work, including his verse play "Gudrun", a dramatised epic of the Vikings, was not published until after his death. He was also the one who inspired Hendrik Conscience for his novel "Kerels van Vlaanderen". Rodenbach died of tuberculosis on 23/6/1880 in Roeselare, a mere 23 years old. <Top>

Dom Modest van Assche was born as Alfons van Assche in Erembodegem on 18/5/1891. He was a Flemish Benedictine Monk and abbot of the Saint-Petersabbey of Steenbrugge in Assebroek. In 1903 he entered the Saint-Petersabbey as a novice and took the convent name Dom Modestus. He took his solemn vows in 1910 and was ordained a priest in Bruges in 1913. When World War I broke out he went to England and became a teacher for Belgian refugees for a while. After that he was active as a paramedic and as chaplin in the Belgian army. After the war he went back to his abbey. During the inter-bellum he was active in the Liturgical, the Flemish and the Peace movements. He maintained good contacts with other Flemish nationalist clergymen and he was a friend of professor Frans Daels' of the IJzerbedevaartcomité (Committee of the Pilgrimage of the Yser). At the inauguration of the first IJzertoren (Tower of the Yser) in 1930 he addressed the crowd. This lead to dissatisfaction of the Church and he was forbidden ever to do speeches or sermons at the Ijzerbedevaart (Pilgrimage of the Yser) again. In 1932 he was elected abbot at the abbey of Steenbrugge. He chose as his motto In viam pacis, "On the road to peace". When in 1941 a train with Flemish soldiers, who returned from being POWs, crashed in Germany, the abbot travelled there and read Mass at the scene. Shortly after the end of the war he was captured and locked up in the prison in Bruges. He was accused of having denounced a resistance fighter who had hidden weapons and ammunition in the abbey, as well as betraying two monks who knew about this. After mediation by minister Herman Vos the abbot was released. A month later, however, he was detained again, as a result of a highly questionable testimony by an SD (Sicherheitsdienst, German Security Services) member, Gerhard Kling, a German SS-er who had been punished by his superiors for blackmail and extortion. As well as in Bruges, Dom Modest also stayed some months in the prison at Vorst near Brussels. The already heavily depressed abbot was mentally and physically mistreated and tortured there. In the end Dom Modest died on 30/10/1945 in the Sint-Janshospitaal (Saint John's Hospital) in Bruges due to what he went through during his capture. In 1961 a monument in his memory was erected in Erembodegem, his place of birth. Also a street was named after him. <Top>

Priest, teacher, poet, writer. Born in Ardooie (W. Fl.) 30/4/1874. Passes his Flemish Nationalism on to his pupils, as a parish priest he supports the soldiers of the radical front movement. Supports the Eastern front soldiers , obtains honorary doctorates at the universities of Jena and Cologne, and wins the Rembrandt prize at the university of Hamburg. In 1944 he takes refuge in Germany and he is sentenced to death in his absence on 11/12/1946 by the Court Martial of Bruges (read : the Belgian state). He dies on 8/11/1949 in Solbad Hall (Austria). In 1973 a VMO (Vlaamse Militanten Orde-Flemish Militant Organisation)commando exhumes his remains during "Operation Breviary" and they bury him with honour where he belongs : In Flemish soil. <Top>

Born in Harelbeke on 17/8/1834 Benoit studied composition at the Brussels Conservatoire under Francois-Joseph Fétis from 1951. He obtained his 1st prizes in Harmony and Composition in 1854. He also got a 1st prize in the famous Prix de Rome for his cantata 'Le Meurtre d'Abel'. In 1858 he was in Germany where he visited Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin and Munich. In 1861 he became a conductor at the 'Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens' which was led by Jacques Offenbach. In 1867 he became the principal of the Flemish Music School in Antwerp which was upgraded to Royal Flemish Conservatoire of Music in 1898. The music academy in his native Harelbeke was named after him. Jan Blockx was one of his pupils and succeeded him as principal of the Conservatoire. Following in Wagner's footsteps, Benoit created an art of music which expressed the Flemish popular nature to the full. To defend his ideas against the Belgian music establishment he wrote, as one of the first within the European movement of music nationalism, well thought out and controversial essays. And as he was convinced that the people's nature can be preserved the best in folk songs, he wanted to base his new Flemish music upon those. He pleaded for 'Dutchifying' music education, religious music in the language of the people, for a Flemish Opera and a Flemish Festival, for Flemish musical theatre in small towns and for cultural co-operation with the Netherlands. He died in Antwerp on 8/3/1901. <Top>

Born in Bruges on 1/5/1830. Nowadays the house where he was born (Rolweg in Bruges), is a "Gezellemuseum". His mother, Monica Devriese was a rather shy and very devout farmer's daughter while Guido's father, Pieter-Jan, was a lively man of the people, who was, being a gardener, very familiar with nature, something which would also clearly show in Guido's works. After his education in Bruges, Guido went on to complete his secondary studies at the Klein Seminarie in Roeselare in 1846. Later he studied at the Groot Seminarie in Bruges until 1854. Even before he was ordained he went back to the Klein Seminarie in Roeselare, this time as a teacher. Pretty soon his talents as a poet began to show. In 1858 his works "Kerkhofblommen" (Graveyard Flowers) and "Vlaemsche Dichtoefeningen" (Flemish Poetry Exercises) were published. He had written those specially for the students in Roeselare. The young teacher tried to, in a for this time very unconventional manner, to rouse a religious (Catholic) and Flemish idealism among his pupils (among others Hugo en Gustaaf Verriest and Eugeen van Oye), for whom he created a remarkable and original new poetry style in a local West Flemish language: a spontaneous and enthusiatic rhythmic game of words and pictures. In 1862 - when he is back in Bruges - his third work "Gedichten, Gezangen en Gebeden" (Poems, Songs and Prayers) is published. Between 1860-1861 he first becomes assistant principal of an English college in Bruges, and after that he becomes a professor of philosophy at the Seminarium Anglo-Belgicum (1861-65). In 1865 he became an assistant priest at the Saint Walburga parish in Bruges. At this time he temporarily did not write any more poetry, but instead he wrote (especially historic en literary) stories for his magazine "Rond den Heerd" (Around the Fireplace). He also began writing political journalism, first "in 't Jaer 30" (In the year '30) (1864-70), later "in 't Jaer 70" (In the year '70)(1870-72). This kind of work was partly responsible for the fact that his stay in Bruges was not a happy one. After that he became assistant priest in Kortrijk and started blooming again. He was very popular there and made lots of friends for whom he wrote a vast number of occasional poems. He also wrote in the local papers again and he founded "Loquela", a new magazine in which literature and genaeology were once again discussed. He also published a magnificent translation of Longfellow's Hiawatha. Gezelle declamed again and produced, between 1880-83 and between 1890 and the time of his death, two works with beautiful poems about nature, deeply religious thoughts about life, death and eternity. In 1893 "Tijdkrans" (Time's Garland) and in 1897 "Rijmsnoer" (String of Rhymes) were published. Posthumously the poems he left behind were published in "Laatste Verzen" (Last Rhymes)(1901). While reading Gezelle, one gets touched time and again by its typical sound and the unique character of his tone and vision. Even though he has undergone the influence of many poets, one always recognises immediately Gezelle's firm grip on rhythm and rhyme, the extensive pallette of words with which he paints his poems, his sharp mind, which always keeps discovering things which others barely pay any attention to. A remarkable thing the Flemish composer Victor Legley once said when he was asked during an interview on television about his desire to set Guido Gezelle's work to music: "Gezelle's poems are so beautiful they do not need any music". Guido Gezelle died in Bruges on 27/11/1899 but left his people a literary treasure. <Top>

Mercator (Geraard de Cremer, educated people used to latinise their names) was born in Rupelmonde on 5/3/1512 and was a famous cartographer. He was educated in 's Hertogenbosch by the famous humanist Macropedius and he also studied at the University of Leuven. Despite his fame as a cartographer his main source of income was the manufacturing of mathematical precision equipment. Together with 2 other scientists, he developed the first globe, but his job was mainly to do something else at which he excelled: engraving the brass plates. In 1537 he produced a detailed map of Palestine, in 1538 a map of the world and in 1540 one of Flanders. In 1544 he was convicted for herecy because of his long travels and his Protestant faith. He spent 7 months in jail. In 1552 he moved to Duisburg where he died on 2/12/1594. During his German period he was still very productive. He became court cartographer at the court of Duke Wilhelm of Cleve in 1564 and he also lectured mathematics at the Duisburg Academy. <Top>

Born in Ostend on 14/2/1914. Karel Sys grew from an Ostend lad to one of the greatest professional boxers ever. As a pro he fought 144 fights, of which he won 117 (59 on KO), 10 ended in a draw, 1 was not approved and he lost 16. The war took its toll on Karel Sys' career, and since it was enough to be a true Fleming in Belgium after the war and since it was an easy way out to break someone's career, Karel had to emigrate to Argentina as a result of the repression. As a result of this he was also inactive as a fighter between 1945 and 1948. He died in Buenos Aires on 19/06/1990. His list of honour: 1936: Belgian Middleweight Champion. 1941: Belgian Heavyweight Champion, after beating Gustave Roth (July 2nd, Brussels). 1943: European Heavyweight Champion (EBU), after beating Olle Tandberg (November 14th, Brussels). 1951: A draw against the world famous Archie Moore (June 23d, Buenos Aires). 1952: European Heavyweight Champion (EBU), after beating Hein Ten Hoff (January 12th, Brussels). <Top>