Hugo Schiltz
Encyclopedia
Hugo Schiltz was a Belgian
lawyer
and politician
. He was Belgian MP
from 1965 to 1988 and senator
from 1992 to 1995. He was also twice minister, from 1981 to 1985 in the first Flemish Government and between 1988 and 1991 in the Belgian federal government
Martens VIII. He was further president of the Flemish
political party
Volksunie between 1975 and 1979.
He was one of the founders of federalism
in Belgium. After the dissolution of the Volksunie, he chose the new party Spirit
.
Schiltz was a member of the Nationaal-Socialistische Jeugd Vlaanderen (English
: National Socialist
Youth Flanders). This brought him in jail for some months after the war.
He studied Law, Economic Science and Thomistic Philosophy
at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
, where he became a member of the Katholiek Vlaams Hoogstudentenverbond (KVHV). In 1953 he became a lawyer and an economy teacher.
In 1958, he was elected member of the Antwerp municipal council, which he would remain until 1998.
After a short period with the (then belgicist) Christian People's Party, he became a member of the Volksunie in 1963. From 1975 to 1979 he was party president. During that time, he steered the party into a more left-liberal direction. He participated in drawing up the Egmont pact
, that in certain Flemish
circles was seen as treason. The Belgian government didn't survive the disapproval of the pact in parliament.
The new, more liberal direction of the Volksunie, and the cooperation in the Egmont pact were the reason for the creation by the more radical, right wing-conservative part of the Volksunie, of two new small parties, the Vlaams Nationale Partij (Flemish National Party, VNP), presided by Karel Dillen
, and the Vlaamse Volkspartij (Flemish Popular Party, VVP) with the former VU senator Lode Claes. Later, both parties merged into the Vlaams Blok
.
Together with Wilfried Martens
and Jean-Luc Dehaene
, Hugo Schiltz was at the basis of the reform of Belgium
into a federal state.
From 1994 to 1998, Schiltz was alderman for finances in Antwerp in an anti-Vlaams Blok coalition.
In 1995 he received the honorary title of Minister of State from the Belgian king.
After the dissolution of the Volksunie into the New Flemish Alliance and Spirit
in 2001, Schiltz became a member of the latter. In that year, he resumed practising law, first with Ernst & Young
and Peeters Advocaten, later he founded Laurius-Schiltz-Verschoeven ADVC.
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...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was Belgian MP
Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives
The Belgian Chamber of Representatives is one of the two chambers in the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Senate...
from 1965 to 1988 and senator
Belgian Senate
The Belgian Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Chamber of Representatives. It is considered to be the "upper house" of the Federal Parliament.-History and future:...
from 1992 to 1995. He was also twice minister, from 1981 to 1985 in the first Flemish Government and between 1988 and 1991 in the Belgian federal government
Belgian federal government
The Cabinet of Belgium is the executive branch of the Belgian federal government, consisting of ministers and secretaries of state drawn from the political parties which form the governing coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King...
Martens VIII. He was further president of the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
Volksunie between 1975 and 1979.
He was one of the founders of federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
in Belgium. After the dissolution of the Volksunie, he chose the new party Spirit
Spirit (Belgium)
' was a Belgian Flemish political party formed after dissolution of the moderate nationalist People's Union party. Prior to 19 April 2008 it was known as Spirit, and intermediately as Flemish Progressives...
.
Career
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Schiltz was a member of the Nationaal-Socialistische Jeugd Vlaanderen (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: National Socialist
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
Youth Flanders). This brought him in jail for some months after the war.
He studied Law, Economic Science and Thomistic Philosophy
Thomism
Thomism is the philosophical school that arose as a legacy of the work and thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, philosopher, theologian, and Doctor of the Church. In philosophy, his commentaries on Aristotle are his most lasting contribution...
at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
, where he became a member of the Katholiek Vlaams Hoogstudentenverbond (KVHV). In 1953 he became a lawyer and an economy teacher.
In 1958, he was elected member of the Antwerp municipal council, which he would remain until 1998.
After a short period with the (then belgicist) Christian People's Party, he became a member of the Volksunie in 1963. From 1975 to 1979 he was party president. During that time, he steered the party into a more left-liberal direction. He participated in drawing up the Egmont pact
Egmont pact
The Egmont pact of 1977 is an agreement on the reform of Belgium into a federal state and on the relations between the linguistic communities in the country...
, that in certain Flemish
Flemish movement
The Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
circles was seen as treason. The Belgian government didn't survive the disapproval of the pact in parliament.
The new, more liberal direction of the Volksunie, and the cooperation in the Egmont pact were the reason for the creation by the more radical, right wing-conservative part of the Volksunie, of two new small parties, the Vlaams Nationale Partij (Flemish National Party, VNP), presided by Karel Dillen
Karel Dillen
Karel Cornelia Constentijn Dillen was a Flemish politician and a Flemish nationalist. In 1977 he established the Vlaams Nationale Partij , which became Vlaams Blok at the elections of 1978...
, and the Vlaamse Volkspartij (Flemish Popular Party, VVP) with the former VU senator Lode Claes. Later, both parties merged into the Vlaams Blok
Vlaams Blok
The Vlaams Blok was a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders. From its creation in 1978, it was the most notable militant right wing of the Flemish movement. Vlaams...
.
Together with Wilfried Martens
Wilfried Martens
Wilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens was the 44th Prime Minister of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992....
and Jean-Luc Dehaene
Jean-Luc Dehaene
-Early life and political career:He was born in Montpellier, France, when his parents were fleeing German troops. He got into politics through the Algemeen Christelijk Werknemersverbond , a trade union which was closely linked to the Christelijke Volkspartij .In 1981, he became Minister of Social...
, Hugo Schiltz was at the basis of the reform of Belgium
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...
into a federal state.
From 1994 to 1998, Schiltz was alderman for finances in Antwerp in an anti-Vlaams Blok coalition.
In 1995 he received the honorary title of Minister of State from the Belgian king.
After the dissolution of the Volksunie into the New Flemish Alliance and Spirit
Spirit (Belgium)
' was a Belgian Flemish political party formed after dissolution of the moderate nationalist People's Union party. Prior to 19 April 2008 it was known as Spirit, and intermediately as Flemish Progressives...
in 2001, Schiltz became a member of the latter. In that year, he resumed practising law, first with Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
and Peeters Advocaten, later he founded Laurius-Schiltz-Verschoeven ADVC.
External links
- Biografie uit de Nieuwe Encyclopedie van de Vlaamse Beweging, © 2001 (Dutch)
- Uitspraken over de actie bij het IJzermonument in 1953 (Dutch)
- Hugo Schiltz, de Volksunie en het Egmontpact (Dutch)
- "Afscheid van een prinselijk politicus, humanist en reformist" in Neerlandia, verenigingsblad van het (Dutch)