Watermael-Boitsfort
Watermael-Boitsfort (in Dutch Watermaal-Bosvoorde ) is one of the 19 common bilingual of Belgium located in the Région of Brussels-Capital.
It counts 24.314 inhabitants (at January 1st 2005, according to INS) and covers a surface of 12,9 km ².
It is bordering on the communes of Ixelles, Brussels-city, Uccle and Auderghem, all located in Région of Brussels-Capital. It is also bordering on the communes of Hoeilaart, Overijse and Rhode-Saint-Genesis located in Flemish area.
Its history
Three villages of the forest (Watermael, Boitsfort and Auderghem) live since centuries together…In 1794, the soldiers of the French revolution decided to separate Auderghem, Watermael and Boitsfort to make 3 distinct communes of them.
In 1811, Napoleon, by imperial decree, decides to again join together in only one administrative entity the 3 villages.
But Auderghem was quickly requested, by royal decree, not to disturb the existence of the Watermael-Boitsfort couple more and thus to withdraw themselves.
The word Watermael (one finds of it already the trace towards 888) viendraitde: toilets (water in Dutch) and mahl (mallum in Latin, place where one returns justice).
The word Boitsfort (appeared about 1227) is less precise, one has the choice between several possibilities. In short, a document of this time gives the name of Godefroid de Boudesfort. For others, the word Boud or Baldo would be an abbreviation of Baudouin and the word extremely would indicate a field, that is to say the Field of Baudouin.
Another possibility, in addition more probable, makes of it the field of the Boote family which was powerful at the 12th century. In addition, several family members will belong to the échevinat of Brussels.
The first burgomaster of Watermael-Boitsfort is François Vancampenhout in 1811.
In 1825, Theodore Verhaegen , founder of ULB, becomes burgomaster in his turn.
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1842 : E.A. of Cartier
- 1848: Englebert Frémineur wire
- 1858: Jean-Baptiste (known as Frederic) Depage
- 1868: Jean-Baptiste Smets
- 1870: Edouard Olivier
- 1872: Léopold Wiener
- 1891 : Lambert Vandevelde
- 1893: Theophilus Van der Elst (alderman making function of burgomaster)
- 1895: Emile Van Becelaere
- 1904: Jean-Henri Delleur
- 1921: Georges Benoidt
- 1946: Jules Messine
- 1959: Jacques-Henri Wiener
- 1976: Andree Payfa-Fosseprez (first female burgomaster of the agglomeration of Brussels)
- 1994: Martine Payfa (girl of the preceding one)
Armorial bearings of Watermael-Boitsfort
It is on May 2nd 1914 which these armorial bearings are conceded with the Commune: “of money to a meeting of stag to the naturalness, the chief of azure charged with a hunting horn of gold dependant with same”.
Districts
Watermael-Boitsfort has on its territory the most known and widest garden cities of the capital: the Home and Floréal .-
List of the streets of Watermael-Boitsfort
Famous personalities
- Roger Somville saw there.
- the painter Fernand Verhaegen, (1883-1975), the large Master of the Walloon folklore, lived there of 1913 to 1957, with an interruption during the First World War. It was friendly of Rik Wouters and its neighbor while coming to set street of the Fir plantation, where already the couple Nel and Rik Wouters lived.
- Rik Wouters lived street of the Fir plantation of 1907 to 1914
- Hergé (Georges Rémy) the spiritual father of Tintin as for him lived which occurred Delleur. The adventures of famous deferring are strewn with direct links with the commune. The house of the Professor Bergamotte, represented in the Seven Crystal balls, is located in the same city.
Twinnings
External bonds
- Official site of the commune of Watermael-Boitsfort
- communal Elections in Watermael-Boitsfort (1976-2000)
- Site of the Chantilly commune in France (twinned with Watermael-Boitsfort)
- Fernand Verhaegen (1883-1975), the large Master of the Walloon folklore
- Historic site of the parish Saint-Clement de Watermael
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