51.0534° N, 3.7250° E

GENT

Most Famous People Born in Gent, Belgium

Notable people
850
Peak decade
1980s
Median birth year
1897
Most distinctive
Rower 9.6×

Charles V's birthplace and a Flemish Primitive stronghold — the Painter bench tracks Van Eyck's altarpiece and the long wake of Hugo van der Goes and Théo van Rysselberghe. The real oddity is a Rower cohort wildly out of proportion to anything else (thank the Watersportbaan) sitting next to a Conductor line that runs from Jacob Obrecht straight through Herreweghe's early-music revival.

Through the Centuries

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

What Gent Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Gent's biggest profession — 17% of all notables (146).

Gent over-indexes on rower9.6× the global rate.

Gent under-produces actor — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politician146
  2. Painter90
  3. Sport54
  4. Football50
  5. Rower30
  6. Lawyer27
  7. Writer20
  8. Actor19
  1. Rower309.6×
  2. Conductor115.0×
  3. Painter904.0×
  4. Sport543.8×
  5. Sculptor132.3×
  6. Lawyer271.8×
  7. Composer181.6×
  8. Architect121.6×
  1. Actor190.4×
  2. Football500.5×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1500155016001650170017501800185019001950
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Art & Design
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
Politician146
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Showing 146 of 850 notable people

0020 POLITICIAN

Jacob van Artevelde

1290 - 1345

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0032 POLITICIAN

Willy De Clercq

1927 - 2011

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0047 POLITICIAN

Théo Lefèvre

1914 - 1973

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0067 POLITICIAN

Edward Anseele

1856 - 1938

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0074 POLITICIAN

Jean Van Houtte

1907 - 1991

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0089 POLITICIAN

Gérard Cooreman

1852 - 1926

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0109 POLITICIAN

Siegfried Bracke

Born 1953

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0130 POLITICIAN

August De Schryver

1898 - 1991

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0133 POLITICIAN

Paul de Smet de Naeyer

1843 - 1913

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0141 POLITICIAN

Henri Rolin

1891 - 1973

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0156 POLITICIAN

Johan Van Hecke

Born 1954

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0162 POLITICIAN

Freya Van den Bossche

Born 1975

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0167 POLITICIAN

Boudewijn Bouckaert

Born 1947

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0171 POLITICIAN

Roeland Raes

Born 1934

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0176 POLITICIAN

Vincent Van Quickenborne

Born 1973

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0182 POLITICIAN

Mathias De Clercq

Born 1981

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0188 POLITICIAN

Daniël Termont

Born 1953

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0194 POLITICIAN

Philip Claeys

Born 1965

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0219 POLITICIAN

Luc Coene

1947 - 2017

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0220 POLITICIAN

Maurice Lippens (politician)

1875 - 1956

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0232 POLITICIAN

Fientje Moerman

Born 1958

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0238 POLITICIAN

Karim Van Overmeire

Born 1964

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0247 POLITICIAN

Vera Dua

Born 1952

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0249 POLITICIAN

Elke Sleurs

Born 1968

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0266 POLITICIAN

Geert Versnick

Born 1956

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0277 POLITICIAN

Tony Van Parys

Born 1951

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0279 POLITICIAN

Frans Ackerman

1330 - 1387

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0282 POLITICIAN

Gilbert Temmerman

1928 - 2012

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0296 POLITICIAN

Steven van Weyenberg

Born 1973

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0300 POLITICIAN

Jean-Pierre Leleux

Born 1947

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0339 POLITICIAN

André de Kerchove de Denterghem

1885 - 1945

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0340 POLITICIAN

Charles Van Hulthem

1764 - 1832

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0363 POLITICIAN

Bart Laeremans

Born 1966

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0371 POLITICIAN

Auguste Couvreur

1827 - 1894

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0378 POLITICIAN

Lucienne Herman-Michielsens

1926 - 1995

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0380 POLITICIAN

Alain Zenner

Born 1946

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0403 POLITICIAN

Joseph Van Crombrugghe

1770 - 1842

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0420 POLITICIAN

Henri Story

1897 - 1944

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0421 POLITICIAN

Anneleen Van Bossuyt

Born 1980

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0430 POLITICIAN

Philippe Vilain XIIII

1778 - 1856

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0432 POLITICIAN

Elisabeth Meuleman

Born 1975

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0440 POLITICIAN

Louis Fredericq

1892 - 1981

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0446 POLITICIAN

Georges Vereeken

1896 - 1978

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0449 POLITICIAN

Stefaan Van Hecke

Born 1973

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0469 POLITICIAN

Jan Smets

Born 1951

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0472 POLITICIAN

Jean-Baptiste d'Hane-Steenhuyse

1757 - 1826

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0473 POLITICIAN

Jan van Hembyze

1513 - 1584

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0474 POLITICIAN

Joseph-Sébastien-Ghislain della Faille d'Assenede

1756 - 1830

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0476 POLITICIAN

Karl von Utenhove der Ältere

1500 - 1580

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0489 POLITICIAN

Frank Beke

Born 1946

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0505 POLITICIAN

Constantin d'Hane-Steenhuyse

1790 - 1850

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0514 POLITICIAN

Ferdinand Elbers

1862 - 1943

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0517 POLITICIAN

Ferdinand Minnaert

1887 - 1975

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0521 POLITICIAN

Sarah Claerhout

Born 1977

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0523 POLITICIAN

Jan Roegiers

Born 1967

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0531 POLITICIAN

Adolphe Neyt

1830 - 1892

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0533 POLITICIAN

Tine Eerlingen

Born 1976

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0544 POLITICIAN

Emiel Claeys

1894 - 1984

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0549 POLITICIAN

Pierre-George de Meulenaëre

1751 - 1825

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0559 POLITICIAN

Evita Willaert

Born 1981

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0562 POLITICIAN

Egbert Lachaert

Born 1977

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0567 POLITICIAN

Auguste Van Lokeren

1799 - 1872

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0571 POLITICIAN

Pierre Joseph Pycke

1771 - 1820

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0576 POLITICIAN

Boudewijn Maes

1873 - 1946

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0581 POLITICIAN

Charles Surmont de Volsberghe

1798 - 1840

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0585 POLITICIAN

François Maximilian Ghislain della Faille d'Huyss

1771 - 1835

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0588 POLITICIAN

Jef Van Damme

Born 1979

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0591 POLITICIAN

Charles de Kerchove de Denterghem

1819 - 1882

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0592 POLITICIAN

Henri de Kerchove

1810 - 1885

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0596 POLITICIAN

Peter Leyman

Born 1962

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0597 POLITICIAN

Patricia De Waele

Born 1960

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0599 POLITICIAN

Jean Casier

1820 - 1892

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0600 POLITICIAN

Monica Van Kerrebroeck

Born 1939

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0602 POLITICIAN

Johan Deckmyn

Born 1967

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0609 POLITICIAN

Robert de Kerchove d'Exaerde

1876 - 1954

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0612 POLITICIAN

Émile Coppieters

1849 - 1922

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0622 POLITICIAN

Henri de Kerchove d'Exaerde

1870 - 1942

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0627 POLITICIAN

Robrecht Bothuyne

Born 1979

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0629 POLITICIAN

Prosper de Kerchove de Denterghem

1813 - 1853

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0632 POLITICIAN

Norbert Van Aken

1767 - 1832

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0634 POLITICIAN

Alfred Vanderstegen

1869 - 1959

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0636 POLITICIAN

Freya Saeys

Born 1984

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0641 POLITICIAN

Emmanuel Chauvière

1850 - 1910

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0656 POLITICIAN

Gustaaf Eylenbosch

1856 - 1939

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0657 POLITICIAN

Constant de Kerchove de Denterghem

1790 - 1865

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0662 POLITICIAN

Amand Casier de ter Beken

1862 - 1938

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0665 POLITICIAN

Guillaume de Giey

1860 - 1914

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0667 POLITICIAN

Karin Temmerman

Born 1958

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0668 POLITICIAN

Caroline Croo

Born 1963

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0680 POLITICIAN

Frédéric de Kerchove

1805 - 1880

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0681 POLITICIAN

Émile de Neve de Roden

1840 - 1915

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0683 POLITICIAN

Emile Flamant (homme politique)

1933 - 1994

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0687 POLITICIAN

Gaston Crommen

1896 - 1970

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0688 POLITICIAN

Hippolyte della Faille

1799 - 1875

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0691 POLITICIAN

Hermann della Faille d'Huysse

1846 - 1922

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0693 POLITICIAN

Désiré Vandemoortele

1871 - 1953

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0694 POLITICIAN

Victor Carpentier

1878 - 1938

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0697 POLITICIAN

Edmond Van Dieren

1879 - 1961

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0699 POLITICIAN

Adolphe della Faille

1798 - 1873

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0700 POLITICIAN

Karel Van Damme

1887 - 1951

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0701 POLITICIAN

Tanguy Veys

Born 1972

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0703 POLITICIAN

Edouard Van Vlaenderen

1868 - 1958

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0710 POLITICIAN

Léopold Beosier

1855 - 1935

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0711 POLITICIAN

Achilles De Roo

1876 - 1938

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0713 POLITICIAN

Joseph Libbrecht

1860 - 1928

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0715 POLITICIAN

Louis Maertens

1781 - 1872

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0716 POLITICIAN

Isidoor De Greve

1878 - 1965

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0718 POLITICIAN

Alfons Colle

1882 - 1968

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0721 POLITICIAN

Auguste Huyshauwer

1862 - 1926

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0722 POLITICIAN

Victor Hessens

1868 - 1957

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0724 POLITICIAN

Amédée Pycke de Peteghem

1824 - 1898

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0726 POLITICIAN

Edward Anseele jr.

1902 - 1981

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0728 POLITICIAN

Oscar Pycke de Peteghem

1823 - 1903

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0729 POLITICIAN

Henri Kervyn

1809 - 1894

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0731 POLITICIAN

Rudolf Vercammen

1880 - 1966

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0732 POLITICIAN

Gustave Martens

1875 - 1932

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0734 POLITICIAN

Joseph van Goethem

1803 - 1894

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0735 POLITICIAN

Charles Hannick

1867 - 1944

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0736 POLITICIAN

Alfred Amelot

1868 - 1966

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0737 POLITICIAN

Polydore De Visch

1878 - 1930

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0744 POLITICIAN

Charles d'Hane de Steenhuyze

1787 - 1858

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0747 POLITICIAN

Charles de Rodes

1790 - 1868

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0748 POLITICIAN

Amaury de Ghellinck d'Elseghem Vaernewyck

1851 - 1919

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0749 POLITICIAN

Brigitte De Pauw

Born 1958

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0758 POLITICIAN

Frédéric Erens

Born 1968

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0762 POLITICIAN

Albert Mechelynck

1854 - 1924

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0763 POLITICIAN

Edgard de Kerchove d'Ousselghem

1846 - 1926

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0764 POLITICIAN

François Rodriguez d'Evora y Vega

1790 - 1840

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0765 POLITICIAN

Prosper Kestens

1867 - 1945

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0773 POLITICIAN

Georges de Baillet-Latour

1802 - 1882

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0786 POLITICIAN

Jozef De Graeve

1891 - 1934

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0787 POLITICIAN

Désiré Fiévé

1825 - 1908

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0789 POLITICIAN

Jean-Alfred de Lanier

1855 - 1939

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0790 POLITICIAN

Abel de Kerchove d'Exaerde

1839 - 1914

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0793 POLITICIAN

Henricus Lefèvre

1863 - 1921

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0796 POLITICIAN

Camille De Bast

1845 - 1927

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0800 POLITICIAN

Adolphe Devos

1836 - 1922

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0804 POLITICIAN

Maurice de Maere d'Aertrycke

1864 - 1941

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0807 POLITICIAN

Jean-Jacques Dierman

1850 - 1910

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0809 POLITICIAN

Frédéric Spyers

1866 - 1941

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0810 POLITICIAN

Édouard Emmanuel Grenier

1795 - 1870

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0815 POLITICIAN

Henri Deraedt

1888 - 1956

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0837 POLITICIAN

Henry Scott Harden

1834 - 1879

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0843 POLITICIAN

Joannes Lampens

1850 - 1922

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0844 POLITICIAN

Henri Colson

1819 - 1900

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0847 POLITICIAN

Theodore Harden

1830 - 1900

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