Camille Huysmans

Camille Huysmans
Prime Minister of Belgium
In office 3 August 1946 – 20 March 1947
Monarch	Leopold III Charles (Regent)
Preceded by	Achille Van Acker
Succeeded by	Paul-Henri Spaak
President of the Chamber of Representatives
In office 27 April 1954 – 11 November 1958
Preceded by	Frans Van Cauwelaert
Succeeded by	Paul Kronacker
In office 23 June 1936 – 21 April 1939
Preceded by	Jules Poncelet
Succeeded by	Frans Van Cauwelaert
Personal details
Born	26 May 1871(1871-05-26) Bilzen, Belgium
Died	23 February 1968(1968-02-23) (aged 96) Antwerp, Belgium
Political party	Socialist Party
Alma mater	University of Liège

Jean Joseph Camille Huysmans (26 May 1871 in Bilzen - 23 February 1968 in Antwerp, born as Camiel Hansen) was a Belgian politician.

Huymans studied German philology at the University of Liège. He was a teacher from 1893 until 1897. In between these years he studied for his doctorate in German philology.

Huysmans joined the Belgische Werkliedenpartij (BWP), the predecessor of the Belgische Socialistische Partij (BSP) at a young age. He became a journalist for many socialist periodicals until 1904 and was thereafter active in the labor unions.

Between 1905 and 1922 Huysmans was secretary of the Second International. In that function he had many contacts with Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the first Chinese revolution, in 1911. His main task was creating an active peace function. At the Socialist Conference in Stockholm in 1917 he pleaded against continuing the war.

He was a fighter for the Flemish movement and fought for using Dutch at the University of Ghent. As Minister of Arts and Education he could pave the way for the Dutch language. In 1911 he proposed a bill, drafted by Lodewijk De Raet, together with the Roman Catholic Frans Van Cauwelaert and the liberal Louis Franck for the usage of Flemish at the University of Ghent. However, due to World War I, the University of Ghent would become a Flemish university in 1930.

In World War II he fled to London. He regained the function as secretary between 1939 and 1944, also as acting chairman. After World War II (at age 75) he became the 34th Prime Minister and led a government of socialists, liberals and communists. With an insufficient majority, this government lasted not long. In the next government, he was Minister of Education.

He remained very popular until old age. The national tribute for his 80th birthday attracted 100,000 visitors. At the age of 83 he became chairman of the Chamber of Representatives (lower house). He was a freemason, and a member of the lodge Les Amis Philanthropes of the Grand Orient of Belgium in Brussels.

Huysmans is considered a friend of the Jewish people and the Zionist movement. Some streets and neighbourhoods in Israel bear his name.

Functions

• councillor in Brussels (1908–1921)
• education Schepen of Antwerp (1921–1933)
• mayor of Antwerp (1933–1940 and 1944–1946)
• councillor in Antwerp (1946–1968)
• member of the lower house (1910–1965)
• chairman of the lower house (1936–1939 and 1954–1958)
• Minister of Arts and Education (1925–1927)
• Prime Minister (1946–1947)
• Minister of Education (1947–1949)

Correspondence with Lenin

In his first term as secretary of the Second International he corresponded with Lenin between 1905 and 1914. The letters were published in 1963.

Political offices
Preceded by Frans Van Cauwelaert	Mayor of Antwerp 1933–1940	Succeeded by Leo Delwaide
Preceded by Jules Poncelet	President of the Chamber of Representatives 1936–1939	Succeeded by Frans Van Cauwelaert
Preceded by Emile Van Put	Mayor of Antwerp 1944–1946	Succeeded by Willem Eekelers
Preceded by Achille Van Acker	Prime Minister of Belgium 1946–1947	Succeeded by Paul-Henri Spaak
Preceded by Frans Van Cauwelaert	President of the Chamber of Representatives 1954–1958	Succeeded by Paul Kronacker