De Geer
Encyclopedia
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
origin (the name possibly derived from the town of Geer
Geer
Geer is a Walloon municipality of Belgium in Province of Liege. On January 1, 2006 Geer had a total population of 2,854. The total area is 23.62 km² which gives a population density of 121 inhabitants per km². Geer lies along the upper course of the river Jeker, which is called Geer in French....
near Liège) which became notable in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. They have played an important role in Swedish and Dutch history since the early 17th century, mainly centered around the iron foundry company town Finspång
Finspång
Finspång is a locality and the seat of Finspång Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 12,415 inhabitants in 2005.-Overview:Finspång is a traditional industrial town. The first industries were established in 1580 when a Royal factory for cannon and cannon balls was chartered. The industry...
, but often extending to science, art and national politics. The family retained its contacts with the Netherlands even after the main branch settled in Sweden. Some of them hold the title count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
or baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
. Both branches are still in existence and continue to thrive.
Notable members
- Louis De Geer (1587-1652)Louis De Geer (1587-1652)Louis De Geer was a Walloon/Dutch merchant and industrialist. He is considered the father of Swedish industry for introducing Walloon blast furnaces in Sweden...
, financier and industrialist, founder of the Swedish branch - son and grandsonsLouis De GeerLouis De Geer may refer to:People:*Louis De Geer , industrial entrepreneur of Walloon origin*Louis De Geer , industrial entrepreneur*Louis Gerhard De Geer , baron, Prime Minister of Sweden 1876–80...
by the same name. - Charles De GeerCharles De GeerBaron Charles de Geer was a Swedish industrialist and entomologist.- Life :...
(1720–1778), Swedish entomologist. - Charlotta Aurora De GeerCharlotta Aurora De GeerCharlotta Aurora De Geer later Gyldenstolpe and Wetterstedt , was a Swedish salonist, lady-in-waiting and noble.Born to the noble and royal court chamberlain Johan Jakob De Geer. Lady-in-waiting and then head of the court of Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp and also lady in waiting...
(1779-1834), salonist. - Robert Wilhelm De Geer, lantmarskalkLantmarskalkLantmarskalk, or "Lord Marshal", was the title of one of the speakers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates, from 1627 to 1866 and of the Diet of Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1906. The Lantmarskalk was appointed by the Estate of the Nobles and also served as its speaker...
of the Noble estate at the Diet of PorvooDiet of PorvooThe Diet of Porvoo , was the summoned legislative assembly to establish the Grand Principality of Finland in 1809 and the heir of the powers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates...
. - Carl De Geer, lantmarskalkLantmarskalkLantmarskalk, or "Lord Marshal", was the title of one of the speakers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates, from 1627 to 1866 and of the Diet of Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1906. The Lantmarskalk was appointed by the Estate of the Nobles and also served as its speaker...
of the Riksdag of the EstatesRiksdag of the EstatesThe Riksdag of the Estates , was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King...
(1823, 1828-1830) - Louis Gerhard De GeerLouis Gerhard De GeerBaron Louis Gerhard De Geer of Finspång was a Swedish statesman and writer.De Geer was born at Finspång manor. He was a lawyer, and in 1855 became president of the Göta Hovrätt, or lord justice for the appellate court of Götaland. From 7 April 1858 to 3 June 1870 he was Prime Minister of Justice...
(1818–1896), Swedish statesman and writer. - Karl Vilhelm Konstantin De Geer (1839-1904), Finnish general in the Imperial Russian army http://dbgw.finlit.fi/kenraalit/?id=79
- Gerard De GeerGerard De GeerBaron Gerard Jacob De Geer was a Swedish geologist who made significant contributions to Quaternary geology, particularly geomorphology and geochronology. De Geer is best known for his discovery of varves.- Early life and family :...
(1858–1943), Swedish geologist. - Dirk Jan de GeerDirk Jan de GeerJonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer was a Dutch nobleman, lawyer, conservative statesman and prime minister of the Netherlands . He was disgraced for advocating a peace settlement between the Kingdom and Nazi Germany in 1940.Born in Groningen, he was a descendant of the de Geer family painted by Rembrandt...
(1870–1960), prime minister of the Netherlands. - Carl Johan De GeerCarl Johan De GeerCarl Johan Louis De Geer af Finspång is a Swedish artist, writer, musician and friherre of the De Geer noble family.Carl Johan De Geer grew up in a castle in Skåne, in southern Sweden...
(1938-), Swedish artist. - Lars-Erik De Geer (1945-), Swedish nuclear physicist.
- Jonas De Geer (1971-), Swedish national socialist and traditionalist CatholicTraditionalist CatholicTraditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council...
writer.