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Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968)

October 28, 2023

For other uses, see University of Leuven (disambiguation).

The Catholic University of Leuven or Louvain (French: Université catholique de Louvain, Dutch: Katholieke Hogeschool te Leuven, later Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven) was founded in 1834 in Mechelen as the Catholic University of Belgium, and moved its seat to the town of Leuven in 1835, changing its name to Catholic University of Leuven.[1] In 1968, it was split into two universities, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and the Université catholique de Louvain, following tensions between the Dutch and French-speaking student bodies.

Catholic University of Leuven
Université catholique de Louvain - Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven
University seal, created in 1909, depicting the Sedes Sapientiae statue in Leuven.
Other name
Catholic University of Louvain
Active1834 (1834)–1969 (1969)
FounderThe Bischops of Belgium and Pope Gregory XVI
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholicism
ChancellorEngelbert Sterckx (first)
Léon-Joseph Suenens (last)
RectorPierre de Ram (first, 1834-1865)
Albert Descamps (last, 1962-1968)
Location
Mechelen (1834-35), Leuven 1835-)
,
Belgium
Campusurban
LanguageFrench (1834-1969)
Dutch (1930-1969)
Latin (faculty of theology)
Pope Gregory XVI, co-founder in 1834 with the bishops of Belgium of the Catholic University of Malines, which would later become the Catholic University of Leuven

History edit

 
Pierre de Ram, first rector of the new Catholic University of Belgium.
 
Castle Arenberg, part of the university

Founding in Mechelen (1834) edit

On 8 November 1834, on the basis of authorisation in a papal brief of 13 December 1833, from Pope Gregory XVI,[2] the Belgian bishops founded the Catholic University of Belgium (Latin: Universitas catholica Belgii) in Mechelen. About this first year, it is generally referred to as "Catholic University of Mechelen". The bishops aimed to create a university "to accommodate any doctrine from the Holy Apostolic See and to repudiate anything that does not flow from this august source".

The announcement of the bishops' founding of the new university in Mechelen was met with demonstrations and disturbances in the cities of Ghent, Leuven and Liège.[3]

The first rector was the priest and historian Pierre de Ram.[4]

Move of the new university to Leuven (1835) edit

The university was short-lived in Mechelen, as the bishops already moved the university to Leuven on 1 December 1835, where it took the name "Catholic University of Leuven". This outraged Belgian liberal opinion, which depicted it as an attempt to usurp the past of the former Old University of Leuven.[5] It also reinvigorated demands for the foundation of a secular university in Brussels which would lead to the foundation of the Free University of Brussels.

Previous universities in Leuven edit

Main article: Old University of Leuven (1425-1797)

An earlier University of Leuven was founded in 1425 by John IV, Duke of Brabant and chartered by a papal bull of Pope Martin V.[6] It flourished for hundreds of years as the most prominent university in what would become Belgium, and one of the more prominent in Europe. Once formally integrated into the French Republic, the law of 15 September 1793, had decreed the suppression of all the colleges and universities in France and it was abolished by Decree of the Departement of the Dijle on 25 October 1797.[7]

Main article: State University of Leuven (1817-1835)

The region next became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–1830), and William I of the Netherlands founded a new university in 1816 in Leuven as a state university (Dutch: Rijksuniversiteit) which was a secular university and where several professors from the old university continued their teaching. In 1830, the Southern Provinces of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands became the independent state of Belgium. This university was closed in 1835.

Relation to the Old University of Leuven edit

With the closing of the State University of Leuven, the new Catholic University of Mechelen moved its seat to Leuven, adjusted its name and declared itself as a "re-founding" of the 1425 University of Leuven.

This claim to continuity with the older institution was challenged in the courts, with Belgium's highest court issuing rulings (in 1844, 1855 and 1861) that as a matter of law the Catholic University of Leuven was a different institution created under a different charter.[8][9]

Nonetheless, the Catholic University of Leuven unofficially continued to claim to be a continuation of the older institution in Leuven,[10] in spite of the liberal protests of the time.[11]

Further history as unified institution (1835–1968) edit

 
Book celebrating the 25 anniversary of the founding of the Catholic University of Louvain, November 3, 1859.

On 3 November 1859, the Catholic University celebrated the silver jubilee of its foundation.[12] A banquet for more than five hundred guests offered by the students to the Rector and the faculty, took place the 23 November 1859, in the great festival hall of the Music Academy of Louvain.[13]

In the year 1884, the Catholic University of Louvain celebrated solemnly its 50th anniversary.[14]

In 1909, the Catholic University celebrated its 75th anniversary, and struck a medal where for the first time it officially used the French word "réinstallation" (resettlement), and the Dutch word "herstelling" (restoration) beginning of a new "official" history.

In 1914, during World War I, Leuven was looted by German troops. They set fire to a large part of the city, effectively destroying about half of it, including the university library (see below). In the early stages of the war, Allied propaganda capitalized on the German destruction as a reflection on German Kultur.

Split into two officially new institutions (1962–1970) edit

Main article: Split of the Catholic University of Leuven

From its beginning in 1834, the university provided lectures only in French. Latin was sometimes used in the theology faculty, but it was essentially a French-language institution. Lectures in Dutch, the other official language of Belgium and the language spoken in Leuven, had begun to be provided in 1930 in the Catholic University of Leuven in the meantime.

In 1962, in line with constitutional reforms governing official language use, the French and Dutch sections of the Catholic University became autonomous within a common governing structure. Flemish nationalists continued to demand a division of the university, and Dutch speakers expressed resentment at privileges given to French-speaking academic staff and the perceived disdain by the local French-speaking community for their Dutch-speaking neighbours. At the time, Brussels and Leuven were both part of the officially bilingual and now defunct Province of Brabant; but unlike Brussels, Leuven had retained its Dutch-speaking character. Tensions rose when a French-speaking social geographer[who?] suggested in a televised lecture that the city of Leuven should be incorporated into an enlarged bilingual 'Greater-Brussels' region.[citation needed] Mainstream Flemish politicians and students began demonstrating under the slogan Leuven Vlaams – Walen Buiten ("Leuven [is] Flemish – Walloons out"). Student demonstrations escalated into violence throughout the mid-1960s. Student unrest fueled by the history of discrimination against Flemings eventually brought down the Belgian government in February 1968.

The dispute was resolved in June 1968 by turning the Dutch-language section of the university into the independent Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, which remained in Leuven. The French-speaking university, called the Université catholique de Louvain, was moved to a greenfield campus called Louvain-la-Neuve ("New Leuven"), farther south in the French-speaking part of the Province of Brabant. Acrimony about the split was long-lasting. Currently, however, research collaborations and student exchanges between the two "sister universities" take place with increasing frequency.

Library edit

 
The ruins of the Catholic University of Leuven's library after it was burned by the German army in 1914

The library of the Catholic University dating from 1834 was housed in the University Hall, a building which in its oldest parts dated back to 1317. This was destroyed in August 1914 by invading German forces, with the loss of approximately 230,000 books, 950 manuscripts, and 800 incunabula.[15] Materials lost included the Easter Island tablet bearing Rongorongo text E and the oldest Czech Bible.[16]

 
The library building designed by Whitney Warren and built from 1921 to 1928, now the KUL's central library.

After the First World War, a new library was built on the Mgr. Ladeuzeplein, designed by the American architect Whitney Warren in a neo-Flemish-Renaissance style. Construction took place between 1921 and 1928.[17] Its monumental size is a reflection of the Allied victory against Germany, and it is one of the largest university buildings in the city. The library's collections were rebuilt with donations from all around the world, outraged by the barbaric act which it had suffered. In 1940, during the second German invasion of Leuven, the building largely burnt down, with the loss of 900,000 manuscripts and books. The building was rebuilt after the war in accordance with Warren's design.

The library's tower included a 48-bell Gillett and Johnston carillon installed in 1928, and dedicated to the memory of the engineers of the United States who died in all wars. After having fallen into complete disrepair and neglect, efforts began in the early 1980s to restore the carillon. With the cooperation of the Belgian American Educational Foundation and the University, organized efforts to restore the carillon began. The restoration fell to Eijsbouts and the bell count increased to 63. The newly restored carillon was rededicated in October 1983, with a series of lectures, concerts, statements from diplomats including Ronald Reagan, and European carillon keyboard standardization agreements.[18]

The library's collections were again restored after the war, and by the time of the split in 1968 had approximately four million books. The separation of the university into distinct French-language and Dutch-language institutions in 1968 entailed a division of the central library holdings. This was done on the basis of alternate shelfmarks (except in cases where a work clearly belonged to one section or the other, e.g. was written by a member of faculty or bequeathed by an alumnus whose linguistic allegiance was clear). This gave rise to the factoid that encyclopedias and runs of periodicals were divided by volume between the two universities, but actually such series bear single shelfmarks.

The building on the Mgr. Ladeuzeplein is now the central library of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Notable alumni edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Encyclopédie théologique, tome 54, Dictionnaire de l'histoire universelle de l'Église, Paris : éd. J.P. Migne, 1863, sub verbo Grégoire XVI, col. 1131 : "Après sa séparation de la Hollande en 1830, la Belgique libérale a vu son Église jouir d'une véritable indépendance. Les évêques s'assemblent en conciles, communiquent avec le Saint-Siège en toute liberté. Sur l'article fondamental des études, ils ont fondé l'université catholique de Louvain, où les jeunes Belges vont en foule puiser aux sources les plus pures toutes les richesses de la science". And : Edward van Even, Louvain dans le passé et dans le présent, Louvain, 1895, p. 606 : "Par lettre collective du 14 novembre 1833, le corps épiscopal s'adressa à Grégoire XVI, à l'effet d'obtenir l'autorisation nécessaire pour ouvrir l'école. Cette autorisation fut octroyée par un bref du 13 décembre suivant. Une circulaire épiscopale, datée du 20 février 1834, annonça aux fidèles la fondation d'une Université catholique".
  2. ^ Edward van Even, Louvain dans le passé et dans le présent, Louvain, 1895, p. 606: "Par lettre collective du 14 novembre 1833, le corps épiscopal s'adressa à Grégoire XVI, à l'effet d'obtenir l'autorisation nécessaire pour ouvrir l'école. Cette autorisation fut octroyée par un bref du 13 décembre suivant. Une circulaire épiscopale, datée du 20 février 1834, annonça aux fidèles la fondation d'une Université catholique".
  3. ^ John Bartier, Guy Cambier, Libéralisme et socialisme au XIXe siècle, Université libre de Bruxelles, Institut d'histoire du christianisme, 1981, p. 17. And Emiel Lamberts and Jan Roegiers, Leuven University, Louvain, 1990, p. 194 : "There were demonstrations in protest, especially at Ghent and Louvain [...] and the Liberals responded by setting up a parallel university in Brussels".
  4. ^ Père V. De Buck S.J., Mgr de Ram, recteur magnifique de l'université catholique de Louvain, Paris : Ch. Douniol, 1865 : "Naturellement, on songea à lui pour lui confier une charge dans l'université catholique dont on projetait la fondation. On n'a pas écrit jusqu'ici et nous ne rechercherons pas qui, le premier, osa concevoir cette idée, une des plus hardies qui aient jamais été mises à exécution. Le pays est petit, et il possédait déjà trois universités soutenues par l'autorité et l'argent du gouvernement (....)et de faire apprécier les énormes difficultés qui s'attachaient à la fondation de l'université catholique".
  5. ^ According to Maurice Voituron, who wrote in his Le parti libéral joué par le parti catholique dans la question de l'enseignement supérieur, (Brussels, 1850): "et alors aurait paru plus évidente encore aux yeux du pays l'intention du parti catholique de tuer l'enseignement de l'État, afin de ne laisser debout que l'Université catholique de Malines, qui allait prendre le titre d'Université de Louvain, pour y usurper la renommée de l'ancienne, ainsi que ses fondations de bourses. Cependant, malgré lui, le parti catholique laissa échapper cet espoir par la bouche de son rapporteur M. Dechamps, lorsqu'il disait : "la confiance entourera de telle façon les établissements privés que les Universités de l'État, par exemple, deviendront à peu près désertes"
  6. ^ . Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. 21 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  7. ^ Jan Roegiers et al., Leuven University, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 1990, p. 31: "With the Law of 3 Brumaire of Year IV, which reorganized higher education in the French Republic, there was no place for the University of Louvain, and it was abolished by Decree of the Departement of the Dijle on 25 October (1797)".
  8. ^ Several rulings of the Belgian Courts, of Cassation and Appel, forbid the identification of the Catholic University with the Old University: "L'université catholique de Louvain ne peut être considérée comme continuant l'ancienne université de Louvain; et lorsqu'un acte de fondation a désigné pour collateur un professeur de cette ancienne université, il y a lieu d'y pourvoir par le gouvernement", (Table générale alphabétique et chronologique de la Pasicrisie Belge contenant la jurisprudence du Royaume de 1814 à 1850, Bruxelles, 1855, p. 585, colonne 1, alinea 2. Voir également: Bulletin Usuel des Lois et Arrêtés, 1861, p.166.) See also the ruling of the Cour d'Appel of 1844: La Belgique Judiciaire, 28 July 1844 n° 69, p. 1 : "Cour d’Appel de Bruxelles. Deuxième chambre. L'université libre de Louvain ne représente pas légalement l’antique université de cette ville. Attendu que cette université (l’ancienne Université de Louvain), instituée par une bulle papale, de concert avec l'autorité souveraine, formait un corps reconnu dans l'État, ayant différentes attributions, dont plusieurs même lui étaient déléguées par le pouvoir civil; Attendu que ce corps a été supprimé par les lois de la république française; Attendu que l'université existant actuellement à Louvain ne peut être considérée comme continuant celle qui existait en 1457, ces deux établissemens ayant un caractère bien distinct, puisque l'université actuelle, non reconnue comme personne civile, n'est qu'un établissement tout-à-fait privé, résultat de la liberté d'enseignement, en dehors de toute action du pouvoir et sans autorité dans l'État...".
  9. ^ Table générale alphabétique et chronologique de la Pasicrisie Belge contenant la jurisprudence du Royaume de 1814 à 1850, Brussels, 1855, p. 585, column 1, alinea 2. See also: Bulletin Usuel des Lois et Arrêtés, 1861, p.166
  10. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "University of Louvain" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  11. ^ Discussion de la loi sur l'enseignement supérieur du 27 septembre 1835, et de la loi sur le jury d'examen du 8 avril 1844 : précédée d'un aperçu historique sur l'organisation universitaire en Belgique, Bruxelles : Th. Lesigne, 1844, p.1143 : « M. d'ELHOUGNE (député) : Messieurs, permettez-moi de rétablir la vérité des faits. Entre l'ancienne Université de Louvain, dont la gloire appartient à toute la Belgique, et l'université catholique, la filiation me paraît quelque peu douteuse. Il y a plus d'une solution de continuité dans la généalogie. Ce n'est pas comme héritière légitime que l'université catholique a recueilli la succession de l'université de Louvain, elle s'est emparée d'une succession en deshérence » Lire en ligne.
  12. ^ Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l'Université catholique: Novembre 1859, Louvain, typographie Vanlinthout et Cie, 1860 : "Inaugurée à Malines, le 4 novembre 1834, l'Université catholique a célébré à Louvain, le jeudi 3 novembre 1859, sa vingt-cinquième année d'existence"
  13. ^ Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l'Université catholique: Novembre 1859, p. 24 : "Banquet offert par les étudiants au Recteur et au Corps professoral le 23 novembre"; and : Emiel Lamberts, Jan Roegiers, et alii, Leuven University, "The Catholic University", Leuven, 1990, p. 199 (illustration 11)
  14. ^ E. Descamps, in : Université catholique de Louvain : Liber Memorialis : 1834–1884, Louvain : Peeters, 1887, p. V : "les fêtes du cinquantième anniversaire de l'Université catholique de Louvain ont eu un brillant éclat et un immense retentissement".
  15. ^ "Universiteitshal" (in Dutch). Flemish organization for Immovable Heritage. 2020.
  16. ^ Lost Memory – Libraries and Archives Destroyed in the Twentieth Century ( 5 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine)
  17. ^ Jan van Impe (20 November 2012). De Leuvense universiteitsbibliotheek / druk 2: historische wandelgids. Leuven University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-90-5867-920-8. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  18. ^ Halsted, Margo (April 1984). "Leuven Carillon Dedicated" (PDF). The Diapason. 75 (4): 9.
  19. ^ "'I have smelt the breath of Satan and heard the demons' voices...'". The Irish Times. Dublin. 7 August 1999. ISSN 0791-5144. from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Father Michael Hurley dies aged 87". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  21. ^ Jeffrey M. Elliot and Mervyn M. Dymally, eds., Voices of Zaire: Rhetoric or Reality, p. 53

Bibliography edit

  • Text of De Ram's inaugural speech at the opening of the University (in Latin)
  • 1834: L'Ami de la religion, 1834, p. 233
  • 1837: A. Ferrier, Description historique et topographique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Haumann, Cattoir et Cie, 1837.
  • 1841: Augustin Theiner, Jean Cohen, Histoire des institutions d'éducation ecclésiastique, 1841, p. 112.
  • 1850: Maurice Voituron, La parti libéral joué par le parti catholique dans la question de l'enseignement supérieur, Bruxelles, 1850, p. 16.
  • 1860: Edward Van Even, Louvain monumental..., Louvain, C.-J. Fonteyn, 1860.
  • 1864: Correspondance du R. P. Lacordaire et de Madame Swetchine, 1864, p. 26.
  • 1864: Journal des économistes, Société d'économie politique of Paris, Société de statistique de Paris, 1864, p. 13.
  • 1864: Louis Hymans, Histoire populaire du règne de Léopold Ier, roi des Belges, 1864, p. 154.
  • 1866: Adolphe Quetelet, Sciences Mathématiques et Physiques chez les Belges au commencement du XIXe, 1866, p. 534.
  • 1875: Patria Belgica, encyclopédie nationale, 1875, p. 140.
  • 1881: Analectes pour servir à l'histoire ecclésiastique de la Belgique, Volume 17, 1881, p. 236.
  • 1885: Edmond Henri Joseph Reusens, Documents relatifs à l'histoire de l'Université de Louvain (1425–1797), 1885, p. 228
  • 1930: Georges Weill, L'éveil des nationalités: et le mouvement libéral (1815–1848), 1930, p. 181.
  • 1952: Marcel Dessal, Charles Delescluze, 1809–1871: un révolutionnaire jacobin, 1952, p. 30.
  • 1958: Mémoires de la Société royale des sciences de Liège, 1958, p. 89.
  • 1967: L'esprit laïque en Belgique sous le gouvernement libéral doctrinaire, 1857, 1967, p. 665.
  • 1974: Ruth L. White, L'Avenir de La Mennais: son rôle dans la presse de son temps, 1974, p. 173.
  • 1975: Aloïs Simon, Gaston Braive, Jacques Lory, Mélanges dédiés à la mémoire de Mgr Aloïs Simon, 1975, p. 145.
  • 1977: Jean Préaux, Église et enseignement, 1977, p. 177.
  • 1980: Carlo Bronne, Léopold Ier et son temps, Bruxelles, éd. Paul Legrain, 1980, p. 154.
  • 1981: John Bartier, Guy Cambier, Libéralisme et socialisme au XIXe siècle, 1981, p. 17.
  • 1998: Astrid von Busekist, La Belgique: politique des langues et construction de l'Etat de 1780 à nos jours, 1998, p. 87.
  • 1999: Véronique Laureys, L'histoire du sénat de Belgique de 1831 à 1995, 1999, p. 71.
  • 2006: Jacqueline Aubenas, Suzanne Van Rokeghem, Jeanne Vercheval-Vervoort, Des femmes dans l'histoire de Belgique, depuis 1830, 2006, p. 14.

Further reading edit

  • 1860: Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l'Université catholique: Novembre 1859, Louvain, typographie Vanlinthout et Cie, 1860 Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l'Université catholique: Novembre 1859.
  • 1887: Université catholique de Louvain : Liber Memorialis : 1834–1884, Louvain : Peeters, 1887.
  • 1975: R. Mathes, Löwen und Rom. Zur Gründung der Katholischen Universität Löwen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Kirchen-und Bildungspolitik Papst Gregors XVI, Essen, 1975.
  • 2006: abbé André Tihon: Article Löwen. In: Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, vol. 6. Herder, Fribourg, Bâle, Vienne, 3e éd., 2006, p. 1070–1073.
  • 2011: Pieter Dhondt, Un double compromis. Enjeux et débats relatifs à l'enseignement universitaire en Belgique au XIXe siècle, Gand : Academia Press, 2011.

50°40′11″N 4°36′44″E / 50.66972°N 4.61222°E / 50.66972; 4.61222

October 28, 2023
catholic, university, leuven, 1834, 1968, other, uses, university, leuven, disambiguation, catholic, university, leuven, louvain, french, université, catholique, louvain, dutch, katholieke, hogeschool, leuven, later, katholieke, universiteit, leuven, founded, . For other uses see University of Leuven disambiguation The Catholic University of Leuven or Louvain French Universite catholique de Louvain Dutch Katholieke Hogeschool te Leuven later Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven was founded in 1834 in Mechelen as the Catholic University of Belgium and moved its seat to the town of Leuven in 1835 changing its name to Catholic University of Leuven 1 In 1968 it was split into two universities the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and the Universite catholique de Louvain following tensions between the Dutch and French speaking student bodies Catholic University of LeuvenUniversite catholique de Louvain Katholieke Universiteit te LeuvenUniversity seal created in 1909 depicting the Sedes Sapientiae statue in Leuven Other nameCatholic University of LouvainActive1834 1834 1969 1969 FounderThe Bischops of Belgium and Pope Gregory XVIReligious affiliationRoman CatholicismChancellorEngelbert Sterckx first Leon Joseph Suenens last RectorPierre de Ram first 1834 1865 Albert Descamps last 1962 1968 LocationMechelen 1834 35 Leuven 1835 BelgiumCampusurbanLanguageFrench 1834 1969 Dutch 1930 1969 Latin faculty of theology Pope Gregory XVI co founder in 1834 with the bishops of Belgium of the Catholic University of Malines which would later become the Catholic University of Leuven Contents 1 History 1 1 Founding in Mechelen 1834 1 2 Move of the new university to Leuven 1835 1 2 1 Previous universities in Leuven 1 2 2 Relation to the Old University of Leuven 1 3 Further history as unified institution 1835 1968 1 4 Split into two officially new institutions 1962 1970 2 Library 3 Notable alumni 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 Further readingHistory edit nbsp Pierre de Ram first rector of the new Catholic University of Belgium nbsp Castle Arenberg part of the universityFounding in Mechelen 1834 edit On 8 November 1834 on the basis of authorisation in a papal brief of 13 December 1833 from Pope Gregory XVI 2 the Belgian bishops founded the Catholic University of Belgium Latin Universitas catholica Belgii in Mechelen About this first year it is generally referred to as Catholic University of Mechelen The bishops aimed to create a university to accommodate any doctrine from the Holy Apostolic See and to repudiate anything that does not flow from this august source The announcement of the bishops founding of the new university in Mechelen was met with demonstrations and disturbances in the cities of Ghent Leuven and Liege 3 The first rector was the priest and historian Pierre de Ram 4 Move of the new university to Leuven 1835 edit The university was short lived in Mechelen as the bishops already moved the university to Leuven on 1 December 1835 where it took the name Catholic University of Leuven This outraged Belgian liberal opinion which depicted it as an attempt to usurp the past of the former Old University of Leuven 5 It also reinvigorated demands for the foundation of a secular university in Brussels which would lead to the foundation of the Free University of Brussels Previous universities in Leuven edit Main article Old University of Leuven 1425 1797 An earlier University of Leuven was founded in 1425 by John IV Duke of Brabant and chartered by a papal bull of Pope Martin V 6 It flourished for hundreds of years as the most prominent university in what would become Belgium and one of the more prominent in Europe Once formally integrated into the French Republic the law of 15 September 1793 had decreed the suppression of all the colleges and universities in France and it was abolished by Decree of the Departement of the Dijle on 25 October 1797 7 Main article State University of Leuven 1817 1835 The region next became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands 1815 1830 and William I of the Netherlands founded a new university in 1816 in Leuven as a state university Dutch Rijksuniversiteit which was a secular university and where several professors from the old university continued their teaching In 1830 the Southern Provinces of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands became the independent state of Belgium This university was closed in 1835 Relation to the Old University of Leuven edit With the closing of the State University of Leuven the new Catholic University of Mechelen moved its seat to Leuven adjusted its name and declared itself as a re founding of the 1425 University of Leuven This claim to continuity with the older institution was challenged in the courts with Belgium s highest court issuing rulings in 1844 1855 and 1861 that as a matter of law the Catholic University of Leuven was a different institution created under a different charter 8 9 Nonetheless the Catholic University of Leuven unofficially continued to claim to be a continuation of the older institution in Leuven 10 in spite of the liberal protests of the time 11 Further history as unified institution 1835 1968 edit nbsp Book celebrating the 25 anniversary of the founding of the Catholic University of Louvain November 3 1859 On 3 November 1859 the Catholic University celebrated the silver jubilee of its foundation 12 A banquet for more than five hundred guests offered by the students to the Rector and the faculty took place the 23 November 1859 in the great festival hall of the Music Academy of Louvain 13 In the year 1884 the Catholic University of Louvain celebrated solemnly its 50th anniversary 14 In 1909 the Catholic University celebrated its 75th anniversary and struck a medal where for the first time it officially used the French word reinstallation resettlement and the Dutch word herstelling restoration beginning of a new official history In 1914 during World War I Leuven was looted by German troops They set fire to a large part of the city effectively destroying about half of it including the university library see below In the early stages of the war Allied propaganda capitalized on the German destruction as a reflection on German Kultur Split into two officially new institutions 1962 1970 edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Main article Split of the Catholic University of Leuven From its beginning in 1834 the university provided lectures only in French Latin was sometimes used in the theology faculty but it was essentially a French language institution Lectures in Dutch the other official language of Belgium and the language spoken in Leuven had begun to be provided in 1930 in the Catholic University of Leuven in the meantime In 1962 in line with constitutional reforms governing official language use the French and Dutch sections of the Catholic University became autonomous within a common governing structure Flemish nationalists continued to demand a division of the university and Dutch speakers expressed resentment at privileges given to French speaking academic staff and the perceived disdain by the local French speaking community for their Dutch speaking neighbours At the time Brussels and Leuven were both part of the officially bilingual and now defunct Province of Brabant but unlike Brussels Leuven had retained its Dutch speaking character Tensions rose when a French speaking social geographer who suggested in a televised lecture that the city of Leuven should be incorporated into an enlarged bilingual Greater Brussels region citation needed Mainstream Flemish politicians and students began demonstrating under the slogan Leuven Vlaams Walen Buiten Leuven is Flemish Walloons out Student demonstrations escalated into violence throughout the mid 1960s Student unrest fueled by the history of discrimination against Flemings eventually brought down the Belgian government in February 1968 The dispute was resolved in June 1968 by turning the Dutch language section of the university into the independent Katholieke Universiteit Leuven which remained in Leuven The French speaking university called the Universite catholique de Louvain was moved to a greenfield campus called Louvain la Neuve New Leuven farther south in the French speaking part of the Province of Brabant Acrimony about the split was long lasting Currently however research collaborations and student exchanges between the two sister universities take place with increasing frequency Library edit nbsp The ruins of the Catholic University of Leuven s library after it was burned by the German army in 1914The library of the Catholic University dating from 1834 was housed in the University Hall a building which in its oldest parts dated back to 1317 This was destroyed in August 1914 by invading German forces with the loss of approximately 230 000 books 950 manuscripts and 800 incunabula 15 Materials lost included the Easter Island tablet bearing Rongorongo text E and the oldest Czech Bible 16 nbsp The library building designed by Whitney Warren and built from 1921 to 1928 now the KUL s central library After the First World War a new library was built on the Mgr Ladeuzeplein designed by the American architect Whitney Warren in a neo Flemish Renaissance style Construction took place between 1921 and 1928 17 Its monumental size is a reflection of the Allied victory against Germany and it is one of the largest university buildings in the city The library s collections were rebuilt with donations from all around the world outraged by the barbaric act which it had suffered In 1940 during the second German invasion of Leuven the building largely burnt down with the loss of 900 000 manuscripts and books The building was rebuilt after the war in accordance with Warren s design The library s tower included a 48 bell Gillett and Johnston carillon installed in 1928 and dedicated to the memory of the engineers of the United States who died in all wars After having fallen into complete disrepair and neglect efforts began in the early 1980s to restore the carillon With the cooperation of the Belgian American Educational Foundation and the University organized efforts to restore the carillon began The restoration fell to Eijsbouts and the bell count increased to 63 The newly restored carillon was rededicated in October 1983 with a series of lectures concerts statements from diplomats including Ronald Reagan and European carillon keyboard standardization agreements 18 The library s collections were again restored after the war and by the time of the split in 1968 had approximately four million books The separation of the university into distinct French language and Dutch language institutions in 1968 entailed a division of the central library holdings This was done on the basis of alternate shelfmarks except in cases where a work clearly belonged to one section or the other e g was written by a member of faculty or bequeathed by an alumnus whose linguistic allegiance was clear This gave rise to the factoid that encyclopedias and runs of periodicals were divided by volume between the two universities but actually such series bear single shelfmarks The building on the Mgr Ladeuzeplein is now the central library of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Notable alumni editTheodor Schwann 1810 1882 German physician and physiologist developer of cell theory and discoverer of Schwann cells professor Louis Defre also known as Maurice Voituron 1816 1880 Belgian lawyer and burgomaster of Uccle Charles Louis Joseph Xavier de la Vallee Poussin 1827 1903 Belgian geologist and mineralogist Auguste Marie Francois Beernaert 1829 1912 Prime Minister of Belgium and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 1909 Patrick Francis Healy 1830 1910 president of Georgetown University first Jesuit Catholic priest of African American ancestry first American of acknowledged African American ancestry to earn a PhD Antanas Baranauskas 1835 1902 Lithuanian poet Arthur Vierendeel 1852 1940 Belgian civil engineer Emile Joseph Dillon 1854 1933 Irish linguist author and journalist Albrecht Rodenbach 1856 1880 Flemish poet Albin van Hoonacker 1857 1933 Belgian Catholic theologian and biblical scholar Charles Jean de la Vallee Poussin 1866 1962 Belgian mathematician who proved the prime number theorem Charles Terlinden 1878 1972 Belgian historian and papal chamberlain Edgar Sengier 1879 1963 Belgian mining engineer director of the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga Frans Van Cauwelaert 1880 1961 Belgian politician Jean Baptiste Janssens S J 1889 1964 Belgian Jesuit Catholic priest twenty seventh Superior General of the Society of Jesus Weng Wenhao 1889 1971 Chinese geologist and politician founder of modern Chinese geography Georges Lemaitre 1894 1966 Belgian astronomer mathematician and Catholic priest proposer of the Big Bang theory Fulton J Sheen 1895 1979 American archbishop television evangelist and writer August De Boodt 1895 1986 Belgian politician Jerome D Souza S J 1897 1977 Indian Jesuit Catholic priest educationist writer and member of the Indian Constituent assembly 1946 1950 Albert Claude 1899 1983 Belgian American cell biologist and medical doctor winner of Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974 Peter McKevitt 1900 1976 Irish Catholic priest author and sociologist Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia 1900 1970 physician social reformer President of Costa Rica 1940 1944 Alberto Hurtado 1901 1952 Chilean Jesuit Catholic priest social worker and writer canonized in 2005 Victor Delhez 1902 1985 Belgian engraver and artist Hendrik Elias 1902 1973 Flemish nationalist and politician quisling Maurice Anthony Biot 1905 1985 Belgian American physicist and founder of the poroelasticity theory Leon Degrelle 1906 1994 Belgian politician and Nazi collaborator founder of Rexism quisling Jean Charles Snoy et d Oppuers 1907 1991 Belgian civil servant diplomat and politician graduated in law Henri Count of Paris 1908 1999 French Orleanist claimant to the throne of France Dominique Pire 1910 1969 Belgian Dominican friar winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 1958 for helping refugees in post World War II Europe Herman Van Breda 1911 1974 Belgian Catholic priest and philosopher founder of the Husserl Archives Andre Molitor 1911 2005 Belgian civil servant and private secretary of Baudouin I of Belgium graduated in law Otto von Habsburg 1912 2011 Austrian politician and writer heir to the thrones of Austria Hungary Qian Xiuling 1912 2008 Chinese Belgian scientist saved nearly 100 lives during World War II Tang Yuhan 1912 2014 Chinese oncologist Pieter De Somer 1917 1985 Belgian physician and biologist first rector of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Christian de Duve 1917 2013 Belgian cytologist and biochemist winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974 for his discoveries concerning the structural and functional organization of the cell Anton van Wilderode 1919 1998 Flemish activist and writer Frans Van Coetsem 1919 2002 Flemish linguist Aster Berkhof born 1920 Flemish writer Charles Mertens de Wilmars 1921 1994 Belgian psychiatrist professor at Harvard Medical School Malachi Martin 1921 1999 Irish Catholic priest exorcist palaeographer and writer 19 Antoon Vergote also known as Antoine Vergote 1921 2013 Belgian Catholic priest theologian philosopher psychologist and psychoanalyst Tomas o Fiaich 1923 1990 Irish prelate and archbishop of Armagh Primate of All Ireland Jose J Fripiat 1923 2014 Belgian scientist and chemist 1967 laureate of the Francqui Prize Michael Hurley 1923 2011 Irish Jesuit co founder of the Irish School of Ecumenics 20 H Narayan Murthy 1924 2011 Indian psychologist philosopher and scholar known for Behaviour therapy Geza Vermes 1924 2013 British and Hungarian Jewish biblical scholar an expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the historical Jesus Jan Zaprudnik born 1926 Belarusian American historian and poet Adolphe Gesche 1928 2003 Belgian Catholic priest and theologian Gustavo Gutierrez born 1928 Peruvian Dominican friar and theologian founder of the Liberation theology Jacques Taminiaux 1928 2019 Belgian philosopher and professor 1977 laureate of the Francqui Prize Camilo Torres 1929 1966 Colombian Catholic priest socialist and guerrillero member of the Colombian National Liberation Army ELN Jan Vansina 1929 2017 Belgian historian of Africa and anthropologist Luce Irigaray born 1930 French philosopher linguist psychoanalyst psycholinguist cultural theorist and feminist Graduated in 1954 Marcel Lihau 1931 1999 Congolese constitutionalist and politician the first Congolese to receive a law degree Father Robert S Smith 1932 2010 American Catholic priest author and educator Herman Van Den Berghe born 1933 Belgian geneticist founder of the Centrum voor Menselijke Erfelijkheid Belgian Centre for Human Heredity Thomas Kanza 1933 2004 Congolese ambassador to the United Nations one of the first Congolese university graduates Pierre Laconte born 1934 Belgian urbanist Abdul Qadeer Khan born 1936 Pakistani metallurgist considered to be the father of Pakistan s nuclear weapons program Jacques van Ypersele de Strihou born 1936 Belgian politician Minister of State former Chief Cabinet of Albert II and Baudouin Renato Prada Oropeza 1937 2011 Mexican semiotician and writer Nguza Karl i Bond 1938 2003 notable Zairian politician 21 Piet Van Waeyenberge born 1938 Belgian businessman and president of De Warande graduated in economics Robert Sokolowski born 1939 American Catholic priest and professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of America Erik De Clercq born 1941 Belgian physician and biologist Bernard Lietaer born 1942 Belgian civil engineer economist and author Arthur Ulens born 1946 Belgian businessman graduated in chemistry and economics Herman Van Rompuy born 1947 Belgian statesman and Prime Minister of Belgium Appointed as the first President of the European Council in November 2009 Bernard Le Grelle Count born 1948 investigative journalist political adviser writer and public affairs executive known for his long term investigation into the JFK assassination See also edit nbsp Belgium portal nbsp Catholicism portalAcademic libraries in Leuven Collegium Trilingue Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Database of Ancient Books Old University of Leuven State University of Leuven Universite catholique de Louvain Universities in Leuven Lovanium University List of split up universitiesReferences edit Encyclopedie theologique tome 54 Dictionnaire de l histoire universelle de l Eglise Paris ed J P Migne 1863 sub verbo Gregoire XVI col 1131 Apres sa separation de la Hollande en 1830 la Belgique liberale a vu son Eglise jouir d une veritable independance Les eveques s assemblent en conciles communiquent avec le Saint Siege en toute liberte Sur l article fondamental des etudes ils ont fonde l universite catholique de Louvain ou les jeunes Belges vont en foule puiser aux sources les plus pures toutes les richesses de la science And Edward van Even Louvain dans le passe et dans le present Louvain 1895 p 606 Par lettre collective du 14 novembre 1833 le corps episcopal s adressa a Gregoire XVI a l effet d obtenir l autorisation necessaire pour ouvrir l ecole Cette autorisation fut octroyee par un bref du 13 decembre suivant Une circulaire episcopale datee du 20 fevrier 1834 annonca aux fideles la fondation d une Universite catholique Edward van Even Louvain dans le passe et dans le present Louvain 1895 p 606 Par lettre collective du 14 novembre 1833 le corps episcopal s adressa a Gregoire XVI a l effet d obtenir l autorisation necessaire pour ouvrir l ecole Cette autorisation fut octroyee par un bref du 13 decembre suivant Une circulaire episcopale datee du 20 fevrier 1834 annonca aux fideles la fondation d une Universite catholique John Bartier Guy Cambier Liberalisme et socialisme au XIXe siecle Universite libre de Bruxelles Institut d histoire du christianisme 1981 p 17 And Emiel Lamberts and Jan Roegiers Leuven University Louvain 1990 p 194 There were demonstrations in protest especially at Ghent and Louvain and the Liberals responded by setting up a parallel university in Brussels Pere V De Buck S J Mgr de Ram recteur magnifique de l universite catholique de Louvain Paris Ch Douniol 1865 Naturellement on songea a lui pour lui confier une charge dans l universite catholique dont on projetait la fondation On n a pas ecrit jusqu ici et nous ne rechercherons pas qui le premier osa concevoir cette idee une des plus hardies qui aient jamais ete mises a execution Le pays est petit et il possedait deja trois universites soutenues par l autorite et l argent du gouvernement et de faire apprecier les enormes difficultes qui s attachaient a la fondation de l universite catholique According to Maurice Voituron who wrote in his Le parti liberal joue par le parti catholique dans la question de l enseignement superieur Brussels 1850 et alors aurait paru plus evidente encore aux yeux du pays l intention du parti catholique de tuer l enseignement de l Etat afin de ne laisser debout que l Universite catholique de Malines qui allait prendre le titre d Universite de Louvain pour y usurper la renommee de l ancienne ainsi que ses fondations de bourses Cependant malgre lui le parti catholique laissa echapper cet espoir par la bouche de son rapporteur M Dechamps lorsqu il disait la confiance entourera de telle facon les etablissements prives que les Universites de l Etat par exemple deviendront a peu pres desertes About K U Leuven Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 21 September 2009 Archived from the original on 5 July 2011 Retrieved 18 July 2010 Jan Roegiers et al Leuven University Leuven Leuven University Press 1990 p 31 With the Law of 3 Brumaire of Year IV which reorganized higher education in the French Republic there was no place for the University of Louvain and it was abolished by Decree of the Departement of the Dijle on 25 October 1797 Several rulings of the Belgian Courts of Cassation and Appel forbid the identification of the Catholic University with the Old University L universite catholique de Louvain ne peut etre consideree comme continuant l ancienne universite de Louvain et lorsqu un acte de fondation a designe pour collateur un professeur de cette ancienne universite il y a lieu d y pourvoir par le gouvernement Table generale alphabetique et chronologique de la Pasicrisie Belge contenant la jurisprudence du Royaume de 1814 a 1850 Bruxelles 1855 p 585 colonne 1 alinea 2 Voir egalement Bulletin Usuel des Lois et Arretes 1861 p 166 See also the ruling of the Cour d Appel of 1844 La Belgique Judiciaire 28 July 1844 n 69 p 1 Cour d Appel de Bruxelles Deuxieme chambre L universite libre de Louvain ne represente pas legalement l antique universite de cette ville Attendu que cette universite l ancienne Universite de Louvain instituee par une bulle papale de concert avec l autorite souveraine formait un corps reconnu dans l Etat ayant differentes attributions dont plusieurs meme lui etaient deleguees par le pouvoir civil Attendu que ce corps a ete supprime par les lois de la republique francaise Attendu que l universite existant actuellement a Louvain ne peut etre consideree comme continuant celle qui existait en 1457 ces deux etablissemens ayant un caractere bien distinct puisque l universite actuelle non reconnue comme personne civile n est qu un etablissement tout a fait prive resultat de la liberte d enseignement en dehors de toute action du pouvoir et sans autorite dans l Etat Table generale alphabetique et chronologique de la Pasicrisie Belge contenant la jurisprudence du Royaume de 1814 a 1850 Brussels 1855 p 585 column 1 alinea 2 See also Bulletin Usuel des Lois et Arretes 1861 p 166 Herbermann Charles ed 1913 University of Louvain Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Discussion de la loi sur l enseignement superieur du 27 septembre 1835 et de la loi sur le jury d examen du 8 avril 1844 precedee d un apercu historique sur l organisation universitaire en Belgique Bruxelles Th Lesigne 1844 p 1143 M d ELHOUGNE depute Messieurs permettez moi de retablir la verite des faits Entre l ancienne Universite de Louvain dont la gloire appartient a toute la Belgique et l universite catholique la filiation me parait quelque peu douteuse Il y a plus d une solution de continuite dans la genealogie Ce n est pas comme heritiere legitime que l universite catholique a recueilli la succession de l universite de Louvain elle s est emparee d une succession en desherence Lire en ligne Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l Universite catholique Novembre 1859 Louvain typographie Vanlinthout et Cie 1860 Inauguree a Malines le 4 novembre 1834 l Universite catholique a celebre a Louvain le jeudi 3 novembre 1859 sa vingt cinquieme annee d existence Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l Universite catholique Novembre 1859 p 24 Banquet offert par les etudiants au Recteur et au Corps professoral le 23 novembre and Emiel Lamberts Jan Roegiers et alii Leuven University The Catholic University Leuven 1990 p 199 illustration 11 E Descamps in Universite catholique de Louvain Liber Memorialis 1834 1884 Louvain Peeters 1887 p V les fetes du cinquantieme anniversaire de l Universite catholique de Louvain ont eu un brillant eclat et un immense retentissement Universiteitshal in Dutch Flemish organization for Immovable Heritage 2020 Lost Memory Libraries and Archives Destroyed in the Twentieth Century Archived 5 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Jan van Impe 20 November 2012 De Leuvense universiteitsbibliotheek druk 2 historische wandelgids Leuven University Press p 26 ISBN 978 90 5867 920 8 Retrieved 29 June 2013 Halsted Margo April 1984 Leuven Carillon Dedicated PDF The Diapason 75 4 9 I have smelt the breath of Satan and heard the demons voices The Irish Times Dublin 7 August 1999 ISSN 0791 5144 Archived from the original on 21 February 2021 Retrieved 14 November 2021 Father Michael Hurley dies aged 87 RTE News and Current Affairs 16 April 2011 Retrieved 14 May 2011 Jeffrey M Elliot and Mervyn M Dymally eds Voices of Zaire Rhetoric or Reality p 53Bibliography editText of De Ram s inaugural speech at the opening of the University in Latin 1834 L Ami de la religion 1834 p 233 1837 A Ferrier Description historique et topographique de Louvain Bruxelles Haumann Cattoir et Cie 1837 1841 Augustin Theiner Jean Cohen Histoire des institutions d education ecclesiastique 1841 p 112 1850 Maurice Voituron La parti liberal joue par le parti catholique dans la question de l enseignement superieur Bruxelles 1850 p 16 1860 Edward Van Even Louvain monumental Louvain C J Fonteyn 1860 1864 Correspondance du R P Lacordaire et de Madame Swetchine 1864 p 26 1864 Journal des economistes Societe d economie politique of Paris Societe de statistique de Paris 1864 p 13 1864 Louis Hymans Histoire populaire du regne de Leopold Ier roi des Belges 1864 p 154 1866 Adolphe Quetelet Sciences Mathematiques et Physiques chez les Belges au commencement du XIXe 1866 p 534 1875 Patria Belgica encyclopedie nationale 1875 p 140 1881 Analectes pour servir a l histoire ecclesiastique de la Belgique Volume 17 1881 p 236 1885 Edmond Henri Joseph Reusens Documents relatifs a l histoire de l Universite de Louvain 1425 1797 1885 p 228 1930 Georges Weill L eveil des nationalites et le mouvement liberal 1815 1848 1930 p 181 1952 Marcel Dessal Charles Delescluze 1809 1871 un revolutionnaire jacobin 1952 p 30 1958 Memoires de la Societe royale des sciences de Liege 1958 p 89 1967 L esprit laique en Belgique sous le gouvernement liberal doctrinaire 1857 1967 p 665 1974 Ruth L White L Avenir de La Mennais son role dans la presse de son temps 1974 p 173 1975 Alois Simon Gaston Braive Jacques Lory Melanges dedies a la memoire de Mgr Alois Simon 1975 p 145 1977 Jean Preaux Eglise et enseignement 1977 p 177 1980 Carlo Bronne Leopold Ier et son temps Bruxelles ed Paul Legrain 1980 p 154 1981 John Bartier Guy Cambier Liberalisme et socialisme au XIXe siecle 1981 p 17 1998 Astrid von Busekist La Belgique politique des langues et construction de l Etat de 1780 a nos jours 1998 p 87 1999 Veronique Laureys L histoire du senat de Belgique de 1831 a 1995 1999 p 71 2006 Jacqueline Aubenas Suzanne Van Rokeghem Jeanne Vercheval Vervoort Des femmes dans l histoire de Belgique depuis 1830 2006 p 14 Further reading edit1860 Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l Universite catholique Novembre 1859 Louvain typographie Vanlinthout et Cie 1860 Souvenir du XXVe anniversaire de la fondation de l Universite catholique Novembre 1859 1887 Universite catholique de Louvain Liber Memorialis 1834 1884 Louvain Peeters 1887 1975 R Mathes Lowen und Rom Zur Grundung der Katholischen Universitat Lowen unter besonderer Berucksichtigung der Kirchen und Bildungspolitik Papst Gregors XVI Essen 1975 2006 abbe Andre Tihon Article Lowen In Lexikon fur Theologie und Kirche vol 6 Herder Fribourg Bale Vienne 3e ed 2006 p 1070 1073 2011 Pieter Dhondt Un double compromis Enjeux et debats relatifs a l enseignement universitaire en Belgique au XIXe siecle Gand Academia Press 2011 50 40 11 N 4 36 44 E 50 66972 N 4 61222 E 50 66972 4 61222 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Catholic University of Leuven 1834 1968 amp oldid 1174398909, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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