Remarkable Belgians

I look at the lives of some Belgians who are well-known in some aspect and who have made a valuable contribution to humanity.

The life and legacy of Father Damien

The life and legacy of Father Damien, a Belgian priest who worked among sufferers of leprosy in Hawaii

45 years ago today, Belgian singer Jacques Brel died. Here’s a short overview of his life, for those who may not know much about him.

An overview of Belgian architect and designer Victor Horta, the key founder of the Art Nouveau movement.

Suzanne Spaak was a courageous Belgian operative in the French Resistance during the Second World War.

Gabrielle Petit was a Belgian woman who spied for the British Secret Service during the First World War.

Hortense Clews (born Hortense Daman) was a courageous member of the Belgian resistance movement in her teens, and a survivor of Ravensbrück.

On 7 June 2021, Belgian polar explorer Dixie Dansercoer died during an expedition in Greenland. Here is a summary of his remarkable achievements.

The uplifting story of Augusta Chiwy, a nurse who displayed great courage in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

The remarkable life of a Belgian nun who ended up being the subject of a book and a movie, and nursing a Hollywood star!

The tragic life and death of Jeannine Deckers, aka The Singing Nun (1933-1985).

The literally “Around The World In Three Years” odyssey of a group of Belgian soldiers during the First World War

Born in 1623, Ferdinand Verbiest led an exceptional life as a Jesuit missionary to China, an astronomer and an engineer.

The story of Monsieur Hawarden, a man living in Belgium who was closely connected to a Frenchwoman called Meriora Gillibrand.