André-Napoléon de Fontainas
Encyclopedia
André-Napoléon Fontainas (Brussels
, 23 December 1807 - Brussels, 19 July 1863) was a Belgian
liberal politician, alderman
and burgomaster
of Brussels.
His father came from the Auvergne
region in France, and settled in Brussels in 1796 and worked in the Amigo prison. André-Napoléon graduated as a lawyer at the State University of Louvain and started working at the bar of Brussels. He was elected to the communal council in 1841 and was appointed as an alderman in 1846. In 1849 he became a member of the chamber of representatives, after which he gave up his legal practice. As a politician he worked on social issues, to alleviate slum
conditions and to improve education
al facilities. In 1860, as first alderman of Brussels, he was appointed burgomaster by King Leopold I of Belgium
. André-Napoléon de Fontainas served only for 30 months, as he died on 19 July 1863, while in office.
In recognition of his efforts for education, the city council authorized the construction of a housing block for retired teachers and the Cité Fontainas was inaugurated on 26 September 1867.
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, 23 December 1807 - Brussels, 19 July 1863) was a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
liberal politician, alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and burgomaster
Burgomaster
Burgomaster is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or chairman of the executive council of a sub-national level of administration...
of Brussels.
His father came from the Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
region in France, and settled in Brussels in 1796 and worked in the Amigo prison. André-Napoléon graduated as a lawyer at the State University of Louvain and started working at the bar of Brussels. He was elected to the communal council in 1841 and was appointed as an alderman in 1846. In 1849 he became a member of the chamber of representatives, after which he gave up his legal practice. As a politician he worked on social issues, to alleviate slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
conditions and to improve education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al facilities. In 1860, as first alderman of Brussels, he was appointed burgomaster by King Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
. André-Napoléon de Fontainas served only for 30 months, as he died on 19 July 1863, while in office.
In recognition of his efforts for education, the city council authorized the construction of a housing block for retired teachers and the Cité Fontainas was inaugurated on 26 September 1867.