50.8462° N, 4.3558° E

BRUSSELS

Most Famous People Born in Brussels, Belgium

Notable people
3,534
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1912
Most distinctive
Painter 4.3×

A small capital with an outsized share of painters and architects. Brussels's distinctive professions are painters and architects at more than three times the global rate, alongside sculptors, artists, composers, and a deep film bench — the legacy of the Académie Royale, the franco-belge comics tradition, and a postwar Belgian cinema that punched above its weight. The 19th century is unusually heavy here, when Brussels was one of the wealthiest cities in Europe and art nouveau was inventing itself in the streets around the Palais Royal.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Brussels during each.

What Brussels Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Painter is Brussels's biggest profession — 11% of all notables (399).

Brussels over-indexes on painter4.3× the global rate.

Brussels under-produces football — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Painter399
  2. Politician394
  3. Actor199
  4. Football198
  5. Writer170
  6. Architect108
  7. Lawyer89
  8. Singer82
  1. Painter3994.3×
  2. Architect1083.4×
  3. Sculptor612.6×
  4. Artist782.1×
  5. Film821.9×
  6. Composer751.6×
  1. Football1980.5×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Brussels's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

15001550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Art & Design
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Other
All3,534
Sort By

Showing 211 of 3,534 notable people

0023 POLITICIAN

Herman Van Rompuy

Born 1947

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0047 DESIGNER

Diane von Fürstenberg

Born 1946

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0049 MATHEMATICIAN

Pierre Deligne

Born 1944

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0077 DRIVER

Jacky Ickx

Born 1945

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0087 SINGER

José van Dam

Born 1940

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0110 FILM

François Weyergans

1941 - 2019

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0114 PHILOSOPHER

Isabelle Stengers

Born 1949

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0131 PRESENTER

Christine Ockrent

Born 1944

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0167 ACTOR

Vincent Grass

Born 1949

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0176 SINGER

Pierre Rapsat

1948 - 2002

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0180 FILM

Picha

Born 1942

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0196 KING

Prince Alexandre of Belgium

1942 - 2009

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0198 PRODUCER

Marc Moulin

1942 - 2008

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0202 SINGER

Claude Lombard

Born 1945

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0204 FILM

Gérard Corbiau

Born 1941

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0236 PAINTER

Isabelle de Borchgrave

Born 1946

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0237 SCREENWRITER

Bob de Groot

Born 1941

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0239 WRITER

Michel Collon

Born 1946

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0249 WRITER

Anne Duguël

1945 - 2015

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0263 FOOTBALL

Georges Heylens

Born 1941

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0269 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Paul Jorion

Born 1946

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0292 SINGER

Tonia (singer)

Born 1947

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0327 PHILOSOPHER

Gilbert Hottois

1946 - 2019

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0337 POLITICIAN

Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck

Born 1944

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0374 WRITER

Eric de Kuyper

Born 1942

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0398 WRITER

Patrick Roegiers

Born 1947

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0428 POLITICIAN

Véronique De Keyser

Born 1945

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0465 FOOTBALL

Jean Plaskie

1941 - 2017

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0480 THEORIST

Marc Angenot

Born 1941

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0482 POLITICIAN

Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl

Born 1947

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0497 BOTANIST

Jean C. Baudet

Born 1944

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0512 CONDUCTOR

Henri Seroka

Born 1949

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0518 PIANIST

Michel Herr

Born 1949

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0527 ARTIST

Daniel Hulet

1945 - 2011

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0529 POLITICIAN

Antoine Duquesne

1941 - 2010

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0536 POLITICIAN

Charles Picqué

Born 1948

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0542 PROFESSOR

Guy Haarscher

Born 1946

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0574 FILM

Boris Szulzinger

Born 1945

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0576 POLITICIAN

Armand De Decker

1948 - 2019

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0637 WRITER

Philippe Goddin

Born 1944

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0644 MATHEMATICIAN

Sylvain Cappell

Born 1946

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0657 DRIVER

Pierre Dieudonné

Born 1947

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0668 ARCHITECT

Luc Schuiten

Born 1944

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0671 ACTOR

Jacques Zegers

Born 1947

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0683 CARTOONIST

Michel Weyland

Born 1947

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0716 FOOTBALL

Jacques Teugels

Born 1946

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0718 JOURNALIST

Colette Braeckman

Born 1946

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0719 POLITICIAN

François Roelants du Vivier

Born 1947

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0726 PLAYWRIGHT

Jacques De Decker

1945 - 2020

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0729 PHOTOGRAPHER

François Hers

Born 1943

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0747 SINGER

Burt Blanca

Born 1944

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0766 ARTIST

Christian Denayer

Born 1945

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0782 JUDGE

Françoise Tulkens

Born 1942

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0802 POLITICIAN

Freddy Thielemans

Born 1944

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0814 CHOREOGRAPHER

Martine van Hamel

Born 1945

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0824 PLAYWRIGHT

Paul Emond

Born 1944

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0825 CYCLIST

Robert Lelangue

Born 1940

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0847 POLITICIAN

Alain Hutchinson

Born 1949

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0851 PHOTOGRAPHER

John Vink

Born 1948

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0867 LAWYER

Alain Berenboom

Born 1947

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0894 POLITICIAN

Josy Dubié

Born 1940

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0967 CHOREOGRAPHER

Frédéric Flamand

Born 1946

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0969 HISTORIAN

Hilde De Ridder-Symoens

Born 1943

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1005 CHOREOGRAPHER

Micha van Hoecke

Born 1944

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1031 FILM

Samy Szlingerbaum

1949 - 1986

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1045 FILM

Roland Lethem

Born 1942

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1046 FILM

Maurice Rabinowicz

Born 1947

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1080 DRIVER

Teddy Pilette

Born 1942

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1085 HISTORIAN

Adeline Rucquoi

Born 1949

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1098 POLITICIAN

Anne André-Léonard

Born 1948

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1160 BUSINESS

Philippe de Spoelberch

Born 1941

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1162 DRIVER

Christine Beckers

Born 1943

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1167 ACTOR

Idwig Stéphane

Born 1944

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1177 COMICS

Jean-Luc Vernal

1944 - 2017

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1180 ACTOR

Roland Mahauden

1942 - 2018

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1220 CONDUCTOR

Guy Van Waas

Born 1948

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1223 FILM

Patrick Van Antwerpen

1944 - 1990

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1247 FILM

Gérald Frydman

Born 1942

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1249 SINGER

André Bialek

Born 1947

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1255 ACTRESS

Diane Roter

Born 1948

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1289 GUITAR

Daniel Schell

Born 1944

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1299 PHYSICIAN

Jean-Jacques Cassiman

Born 1943

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1312 WRITER

Jean-Luc Outers

Born 1949

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1325 SINGER

Jef Elbers

Born 1947

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1334 PAINTER

Georges Meurant

Born 1948

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1342 CINEMA

Charles Van Damme

Born 1946

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1399 PRODUCER

Michael Hirsh (producer)

Born 1948

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1460 PIANIST

Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden

Born 1947

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1463 EQUESTRIAN

François Mathy

Born 1944

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1487 MUSIC

Yvan Lacomblez

Born 1946

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1516 PAINTER

Roland Delcol

Born 1942

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1557 PLAYER

Patrick Hombergen

Born 1946

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1575 WRITER

Joseph Messinger

1945 - 2012

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1596 ATHLETIC

Wilfried Geeroms

1941 - 1999

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1650 FILM

André Dartevelle

1944 - 2015

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1658 ACTOR

Jackie Berger

Born 1948

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1659 ECONOMIST

Michel van den Abeele

Born 1942

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1660 WRITER

Philippe Bouin

Born 1949

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1675 HISTORIAN

Jacques Lemaire (historien)

Born 1946

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1727 JOURNALIST

Françoise Van De Moortel

1941 - 2005

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1736 PAINTER

Ferdinand Pire

Born 1943

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1751 JOURNALIST

Yves Tenret

Born 1948

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1757 WRITER

Jacques Crickillon

Born 1940

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1768 AUTHOR

Dominique Marchal

Born 1944

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1770 HISTORIAN

José Gotovitch

Born 1940

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1779 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Daniel-Louis Seiler

Born 1943

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1793 ARTIST

Bob Verschueren

Born 1945

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1810 PHILOSOPHER

Jacques Dewitte

Born 1946

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1826 FILM

Richard Olivier

Born 1945

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1835 GOLF

Philippe Toussaint

Born 1949

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1848 FILM

Christian Mesnil

Born 1940

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1906 ATHLETIC

Philippe Housiaux

Born 1947

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1921 JOURNALIST

Jean-Claude Defossé

Born 1941

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1922 ACADEMIC

Joe Verhoeven

Born 1943

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1935 PHILOSOPHER

Éric Clémens

Born 1945

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1942 PAINTER

Mireille Bastin

Born 1943

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1978 WRITER

Liliane Schraûwen

Born 1946

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1982 POET

Serge Meurant

Born 1946

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2000 PAINTER

Monique Thomassettie

Born 1946

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2006 HOCKEY

Philippe Collin (sport)

Born 1946

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2021 DRUMMER

Robert Pernet

1940 - 2001

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2035 ARTIST

Pascal Zanon

1943 - 2017

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2040 BIOLOGIST

Jean Rossier

Born 1944

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2076 POLITICIAN

Jacques Lefevre

Born 1943

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2077 PHOTOGRAPHER

Michel Vanden Eeckhoudt

1947 - 2015

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2078 PHILOLOGIST

Simon Byl

Born 1940

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2080 COMPOSER

Myriam Alter

Born 1945

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2087 SINGER

Daria de Martynoff

Born 1947

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2091 WRITER

Lionel Marek

Born 1946

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2106 ACTOR

Jean-Claude Frison

Born 1946

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2110 POLITICIAN

René Coppens

Born 1943

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2111 SPORT

Roger Kindt

1945 - 1992

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2114 WRITER

Pascale de Trazegnies

Born 1948

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2126 FILM

Jean-Pierre Berckmans

Born 1945

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2133 ECONOMIST

Georges Jacobs

Born 1940

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2138 SINGER

Christian Merveille

Born 1949

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2140 POLITICIAN

Magda De Galan

Born 1946

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2142 PHOTOGRAPHER

Marc Deneyer

Born 1945

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2161 DIPLOMAT

Marc Otte

Born 1947

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2167 SCREENWRITER

Hugues Le Paige

Born 1946

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2175 POLITICIAN

Francis Van den Eynde

Born 1946

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2179 ACTOR

John Dobrynine

Born 1946

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2190 ATHLETIC

Jacques Pennewaert

1940 - 2016

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2219 FOOTBALL

Edy De Bolle

Born 1949

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2226 ACTOR

Philippe van Kessel

Born 1946

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2248 TRADUCTEUR

Jacques Finné

Born 1944

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2252 WRITER

Michel Cliquet

Born 1947

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2268 POLITICIAN

Serge Kubla

Born 1947

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2273 SINGER

Ann Gaytan

Born 1949

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2288 POLITICIAN

Nathalie de T' Serclaes

Born 1949

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2317 POLITICIAN

Albert Mahieu (1942-2011)

1942 - 2011

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2429 BUSINESS

Christian Jourquin

Born 1948

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2453 ARTIST

Charles Jarry

1942 - 2019

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2468 ACTOR

Françoise Oriane

Born 1940

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2497 SPORT

Jean Ronsmans

1947 - 2016

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2504 DRIVER

Claude Bourgoignie

Born 1945

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2523 POLITICIAN

Simone Susskind

Born 1947

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2531 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Jean-Paul Colleyn

Born 1949

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2535 POLITICIAN

Merry Hermanus

Born 1944

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2555 DESSINATEUR

Bruno Cassiers (dessinateur)

Born 1949

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2558 SINGER

Andrée Simons

1949 - 1984

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2599 PAINTER

Kris van de Giessen

Born 1942

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2601 JOURNALIST

Jean-Marie Chauvier

Born 1941

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2656 POLITICIAN

Guy Charlier

Born 1941

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2672 ACTOR

Jean-Pierre Valère

Born 1947

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2680 PSYCHIATRIST

Anne Van Hout

1944 - 2003

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2715 ART HISTORIAN

Christine Van Assche

Born 1948

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2716 TRADE UNION

Safter Çinar

Born 1946

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2731 WRITER

Colette Lambrichs

Born 1946

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2735 BOTANIST

Daniel Geerinck

Born 1945

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2772 POLITICIAN

Magdeleine Willame-Boonen

Born 1940

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2779 JOURNALIST

Alain De Kuyssche

Born 1946

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2786 WRITER

Michèle Goslar

Born 1948

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2807 BUSINESS

David Bistricer

Born 1949

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2856 POLITICIAN

Jean Demannez

Born 1949

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2944 WRITER

Évelyne Heuffel

Born 1947

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2988 SURGEON

Luc Michel (chirurgien)

Born 1947

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3004 WRITER

Lou La Bonté

Born 1943

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3008 JOURNALIST

Gérard de Sélys

1944 - 2020

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3013 POLITICIAN

Jacques Morel (homme politique)

Born 1948

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3016 ACADEMIC

Johan Corthals

Born 1948

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3028 POLITICIAN

Jean-Jacques Boelpaepe

Born 1944

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3031 LAWYER

Pascal Vanderveeren

Born 1946

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3033 COMICS

Étienne Borgers

Born 1941

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3043 JOURNALIST

Vincent Goffart

Born 1942

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3051 FOOTBALL

Jean Arnolis

Born 1946

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3060 SPORT

Patricia du Roy de Blicquy

Born 1943

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3085 EGYPTOLOGIST

Françoise Labrique

Born 1949

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3087 POLITICIAN

Christiane Van Nieuwenhoven

Born 1945

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3094 BOOKSELLER

Émile Van Balberghe

Born 1941

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3110 SCULPTOR

Christian Krekels

Born 1942

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3111 POLITICIAN

Anne Herscovici

Born 1949

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3129 BOTSCHAFTER

Benoît Cardon de Lichtbuer

Born 1942

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3155 POLITICIAN

Françoise Carton de Wiart

Born 1947

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3182 POLITICIAN

Jacques De Coster

Born 1945

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3186 PAINTER

Paul De Gobert

Born 1949

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3199 PRODUCER

Jean-Marc Turine

Born 1946

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3235 PRINZ

Charles-Louis Prinz von Merode

Born 1949

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3258 RABBI

Moshe Aryeh Bamberger

1943 - 2014

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3263 POLITICIAN

Anne Dirix

Born 1949

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3286 PAINTER

Christian Satin

Born 1946

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3320 SPORT

Francis Cornet

Born 1947

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3328 PHOTOGRAPHER

Marie-Christine Schrijen

Born 1941

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3350 FOOTBALL

Roland Beelen

Born 1948

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3373 SPORT

Pierre Blacks

Born 1948

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3381 PHOTOGRAPHER

Daniel Storz

Born 1948

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3410 PLAYER

Marc Selis

1949 - 2019

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3415 MAGISTRAT

Véronique Paulus de Châtelet

Born 1948

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3422 WRITER

Julie River

Born 1949

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3467 BIOLOGIST

Ernest Feytmans

Born 1943

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3517 POET

Francis Felix

Born 1942

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