Simon Passover

Simon Passover born with Grace-Berleur on December 26th, 1898 and died to Grace-Berleur on December 17th, 1977 is a Belgian politician and Walloon militant.

Biography

Miner as his father it started to work with the mine at the 13 years age (1912-1924). During the First war, it is stopped for its political activities and is interned in Germany with Holzminden. He becomes secretary of the Power station of the minors to the Gosson , continues his studies at the École des Mines of Seraing and works like employee with the communal police force (1923-1928). He follows courses of administrative sciences then and becomes communal receiver of Grace-Berleur (1929-1959), like manager of the social dwellings. Member of the Young socialist guards, it will carry out two missions in Spain intended to provide health facilities to the republicans. During the war, it rejoins Resistance and is member of the Réseau Socrate. It also reorganizes with other militants the future PSB. He is vice-president of the inhabitant of Li2ege Federation of this party (1945-1959) then president of this date to his death. He will be appointed of 1949 to 1968. He takes part in work of the Rassemblement democratic and socialist Walloon and meets the Walloon question there. He leaves this organization and takes part in work of the Commission inhabitant of Li2ege of the PSB which also proposes the federalism (1943-1944), a project actually close to the confederalism putting at Wallons equality and Flemings.

He takes part in the Walloon National congress of 1945. On July 5th and 6th 1947, in front of a meeting of Walloon Socialists with Mons, he preaches the meeting of the Wallonia to the France, as long-term solution. He also chairs the Comité of Walloon action of Liege. As deputy, it takes share with the fight against the return of Léopold III. It is stopped administratively by the gendarmerie, on July 26th. It is him which harangue crowd on July 30th in the afternoon, little time before the Fusillade of Grace-Berleur. It seems that he also supported the attempt at Walloon Gouvernement separatist with André Renard, Fernand Dehousse, Fernand Schreurs, Joseph Merlot. He is member of the Standing Committee of the Walloon National congress of 1950 to 1971 and chairs the Walloon National congress of 1957. At the time of the Congress of the Walloon Socialists of 1959, he denounces what he calls certain Socialists the acute monarchite and declares He is necessary that one knows that the republicans that we are will not be any more sacrifiés

In 1958, he becomes the president of Wallonia Libre. July 11th, 1961, it deposits with the Room a proposal for a revision of the Constitution similar to that of Joseph Merlot and François Van Belle deposited in 1952, text contresigned in particular by Fernand Massart and Lucien Harmegnies, without concrete continuations. It rejoins the Walloon Popular movement. The federalistic Socialists count in particular on the presence within Government PSC-PSB of the time of Jean-Joseph Merlot which will be obliged to resign of its ministerial position after the vote which joins together the Fourons with the Limbourg at the end of October 1962 (Merlot resigns at the beginning of November). In 1964, it files in a bill prescribing the return of Fourons to Liege, with André Cools, Maurice Destenay and Freddy Terwagne… which will not have a continuation. It is Simon Passover who chairs the Congrès of Walloon action of Namur in March 1963 from which the Managerial college will leave Wallonia which will organize the Walloon Pétitionnement. The success of petitioning is at the origin of the strong dissensions between the PSB and the Walloon movement . The PSB declares that the membership of the Walloon Popular movement and the socialist party are incompatible, which will involve the resignation of the socialist agents of the Managerial college of Wallonia. Simon Passover leaves also Wallonia Libre movement with which it breaks all the contacts. He in vain tries to start again a Walloon National congress with Fernand Schreurs but the attempt fails. Finally little before dying it signs the Nouvelle Letter with the King for a true federalism written on the initiative of Jean Rey, Fernand Dehousse and Marcel Thiry. The Encyclopédie of the Walloon Movement devotes two pages to Simon Passover in his volume III, pp. 1216-1218.

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