Dominique Brasseur
Encyclopedia
Dominique Alexis Brasseur-Brasseur (14 June 1833 – 17 October 1906) was a Luxembourg
ian politician and jurist. He served as Mayor of Luxembourg City between 1891 and 1894.
Brasseur was educated at the Athénée
, graduating in 1853, before studying law at Heidelberg and Ghent
. Receiving his degree on 11 October 1858, he was called to the bar
on 17 October 1861. He founded, with Léon Lamort-Pescatore, the Societé des Hauts-Fourneaux de Luxembourg, of which he took full control upon Pescatore's death in 1872. Two years later, Brasseur moved into a large house on rue du St-Esprit, where he would live for the rest of his life and where he would eventually die.
Brasseur was elected to the Chamber of Deputies
in 1866, representing the canton
of Esch-sur-Alzette. He would represent Esch until 1890, whereupon he began representing Luxembourg City, which he continued to do until his retirement from politics in 1899. He immediately made an impression, joining the attack on the government of Victor de Tornaco
on 13 November 1867 for the military reforms post- the Treaty of London: an attack that would lead to the conservative government's downfall.
Due in part to Brasseur's role in the downfall of Tornaco's government, the new Prime Minister, Emmanuel Servais
, appointed Brasseur as a member of the nine-man committee responsible for reorganising the armed forces. He was simultaneously also a member of the committee charged with reviewing the Constitution
, which led to the adoption of the current constitution in 1868. Brasseur was also committed to the issue of railways and argued, along with Norbert Metz
and Charles Simonis
, against the formation of a National Bank. He was, as would his entire family be, a steadfast supporter of secularism
and anti-clericalism
.
Brasseur entered the communal council
of Luxembourg City in 1890, and was named Mayor on 27 January 1891. He held the office until his replacement by Émile Mousel
on 24 February 1894.
Dominique was a member of the prominent Brasseur family
. Dominique's son, Robert
, would later become a deputy
and found the Liberal League
; another son, Alexis
, became a composer. His brother, Pierre
, was a mining industrialist. Pierre's son, and Dominique's nephew, Xavier
, was a Socialist deputy and member of Luxembourg City's council. His double-barrelled surname is on account of having married his half-niece, Constance Brasseur (by his father's first marriage), whom he wed on 9 February 1860 in Liège
.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
ian politician and jurist. He served as Mayor of Luxembourg City between 1891 and 1894.
Brasseur was educated at the Athénée
Athénée de Luxembourg
The Athénée de Luxembourg , is a high school in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It's commonly called Stater Kolléisch or De Kolléisch, and is the nation's oldest high school.-Brief history:...
, graduating in 1853, before studying law at Heidelberg and Ghent
Ghent University
Ghent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...
. Receiving his degree on 11 October 1858, he was called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
on 17 October 1861. He founded, with Léon Lamort-Pescatore, the Societé des Hauts-Fourneaux de Luxembourg, of which he took full control upon Pescatore's death in 1872. Two years later, Brasseur moved into a large house on rue du St-Esprit, where he would live for the rest of his life and where he would eventually die.
Brasseur was elected to the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg
The Chamber of Deputies , abbreviated to the Chamber, is the unicameral national legislature of Luxembourg. 'Krautmaart' is sometimes used as a metonym for the Chamber, after the square on which the Hôtel de la Chambre is located....
in 1866, representing the canton
Cantons of Luxembourg
||The districts of Luxembourg are divided into 12 cantons. These cantons are subdivided into 116 communes. The cantons, listed by district, include:Diekirch District*Clervaux *Diekirch *Redange *Vianden *Wiltz Grevenmacher District...
of Esch-sur-Alzette. He would represent Esch until 1890, whereupon he began representing Luxembourg City, which he continued to do until his retirement from politics in 1899. He immediately made an impression, joining the attack on the government of Victor de Tornaco
Victor de Tornaco
Baron Victor de Tornaco was a Luxembourgian politician. An Orangist, he was the fourth Prime Minister of Luxembourg, serving for seven years, from 26 September 1860 until 3 December 1867....
on 13 November 1867 for the military reforms post- the Treaty of London: an attack that would lead to the conservative government's downfall.
Due in part to Brasseur's role in the downfall of Tornaco's government, the new Prime Minister, Emmanuel Servais
Emmanuel Servais
Lambert Joseph Emmanuel Servais was a Luxembourgian politician. He held numerous offices of national importance, foremost amongst which was in serving as the fifth Prime Minister of Luxembourg, for seven years, from 3 December 1867 until 26 December 1874.After being Prime Minister, he was a...
, appointed Brasseur as a member of the nine-man committee responsible for reorganising the armed forces. He was simultaneously also a member of the committee charged with reviewing the Constitution
Constitution of Luxembourg
The Constitution of Luxembourg is the supreme law of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The modern constitution was adopted on 17 October 1868.Whilst the constitution of 1868 marked a radical change in Luxembourg's constitutional settlement, it was technically an amendment of the original constitution...
, which led to the adoption of the current constitution in 1868. Brasseur was also committed to the issue of railways and argued, along with Norbert Metz
Norbert Metz
Jean-Joseph Norbert Metz was a Luxembourgian politician and engineer. With his two brothers, members of the powerful Metz family, Charles and Auguste, Metz defined political and economic life in Luxembourg in the mid-nineteenth century.Metz was the leading 'quarante huitards': the radical...
and Charles Simonis
Charles Simonis
Charles Mathias Édouard Simonis was a Luxembourgian politician and jurist. Simonis was Mayor of Luxembourg City from 1873 until his premature death, in 1875. He also sat in the Chamber of Deputies. In the Chamber, he was notable for his leadership of the campaign against the creation of a...
, against the formation of a National Bank. He was, as would his entire family be, a steadfast supporter of secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
and anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
.
Brasseur entered the communal council
Luxembourg communal council
Luxembourg communal council is the local council for the commune of Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.It consists of twenty-seven members, elected every six years by proportional representation. The last elections were held on 9 October 2005, and resulted in a victory for the Democratic Party...
of Luxembourg City in 1890, and was named Mayor on 27 January 1891. He held the office until his replacement by Émile Mousel
Émile Mousel
Émile Mousel was a Luxembourgian politician and brewer. Mousel came from the famous Mousel family of brewers, and was mayor of Luxembourg City from 24 February 1894 until 24 July 1910....
on 24 February 1894.
Dominique was a member of the prominent Brasseur family
Brasseur family
The Brasseur family is a family in Luxembourg that was prominent in politics and industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The head of the household was Alexis Brasseur, who had thirteen children by two wives...
. Dominique's son, Robert
Robert Brasseur
Robert Brasseur was a Luxembourgian politician, jurist, and journalist.Brasseur was educated at the Athénée de Luxembourg, before studying law at University of Strasbourg and in Paris. While in Paris, he became a bibliophile, starting a library to which he would continue to contribute over the...
, would later become a deputy
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
and found the Liberal League
Liberal League (Luxembourg)
The Liberal League was a political party in Luxembourg between 1904 and 1925. It was the indirect predecessor of the Democratic Party , which has been one of the three major parties in Luxembourg since the Second World War....
; another son, Alexis
Alexis Brasseur
Alexis 'Lexi' Brasseur was a Luxembourgeois playwright, composer, and metallurgist.Born in Luxembourg City as the oldest son of Dominique Brasseur, Brasseur attended the Athénée de Luxembourg. He followed this by studying law at the University of Bonn, where he met Batty Weber...
, became a composer. His brother, Pierre
Pierre Brasseur (Luxembourg)
Pierre Brasseur was a Luxembourgian entrepreneur, businessman, and mining magnate, being involved in founding a number of industrial concerns in southern Luxembourg...
, was a mining industrialist. Pierre's son, and Dominique's nephew, Xavier
Xavier Brasseur
François Xavier Brasseur was a Luxembourgian politician and jurist.Brasseur was educated at the Athénée de Luxembourg, graduating in 1884. Afterwards, he studied law, graduating on 17 June 1890, and began practising in 1894. He worked for his uncle Alexis's steelworks as legal counsel...
, was a Socialist deputy and member of Luxembourg City's council. His double-barrelled surname is on account of having married his half-niece, Constance Brasseur (by his father's first marriage), whom he wed on 9 February 1860 in Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
.