Brabantse Gilde (Leuven)
The Brabantse Gilde unites the Flemish-Brabant clubs in Leuven within the SK Leuven.
Contents
History
From the 1870s onwards, more and more bourgeois sons went to university and this created the first nucleus of Dutch-speaking students at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven). They began to form their own student associations and also gave the initial impetus to a Flemish student movement in Leuven. One of the first clubs to be founded was Ons Hageland (1874).
In the period 1882-1886, Flemish students started to unite in provincial guilds. Originally, the regional clubs (which were often also called guilds) were distinct from the provincial guilds. The latter were supported by the university, as they were not only social societies but also cultural circles with a prominent function. The Brabantse Gilde was founded in the summer of 1884, but only definitively in February 1885. The founders were Jean-François Heymans, Joseph De Lantsheere, Armand De Coster, Albéric Pelgrims, J. De Mesmaeker and J. Wynants. Twelve students were present at the founding meeting and after a week the number of students had already grown to about thirty. The Oratoriënhof in the Mechelsestraat was chosen as the first location for the club.
About a year after the founding, there were sufficient funds to purchase a guild banner made after a model by Professor Joris Helleputte in Brussels. On Wednesday 4 May 1887 it was officially consecrated by rector Mgr. Jean-Baptiste Abbeloos and the day after it was inaugurated with a magnificent procession. By then, the number of members had swelled to about 85. Activities consisted of meetings with singing, recitals and musical performances. Trips and theatre performances were also organised.
Together with the other Flemish guilds, the Brabantse Gilde founded the Vlaamsch Verbond (the later KVHV) in 1902. Ernest Claes was an active guild member in the years before World War I and often read from his own works.
In 1911, a second club was founded for people from Brabant, Payottenland. In the pre-war years it was not unusual to become a member of the Guild without being a member of a club. Payottenland was much more flamingant than Ons Hageland. The new club was also organised according to the principles of medieval guild life. Three sages formed the board and from their midst a dean was chosen alternately.
In the summer of 1914, the devastation in Leuven and the forced closure of the Alma Mater completely paralysed student life. It was not until 1919 that student life got back on its feet again.
The first meetings took place in Heverlee, because all Flemish student organisations were considered dangerous by the Leuven police. Both Ons Hageland and Payottenland were integrated into the Guild and in the course of the 1920s other clubs from Brabant saw the light of day. Guild life in Brabant flourished and the students from Brabant were pioneers in the field of studentical style and discipline. Mon De Goeyse founded the model club Bezem Lovania Brussel in 1925 and initiated the establishment of the Seniorenkonvent Leuven (SK-Leuven) in 1929. The Noord-Brabander Hendrik Wyckmans moved to Ghent and founded the Seniorenkonvent Ghendt (SK-Ghendt) there. It was the same Hendrik Wyckmans who, as guild praeses, had the second banner of the Brabantse Gilde designed.
After a disagreement about the financial settlement of a Thé Dansant in the spring of 1941, Bezem Lovania Brussel focused entirely on its Brussels vocation and grew into the Katholiek Studentencorps te Brussel (KSC). The other Brabant clubs (with the exception of the Diestersche Club) could more or less continue their activities in Leuven until in 1942 the Brabantse Gilde ceased its activities, partly as a result of the Second World War.
In February 1945 Emiel Valkeniers made a fruitless attempt to restart the Brabantse Gilde and in the autumn of 1948 Jan Verbinnen was not successful either.
It finally took until October 1951 before the pre-war tradition could be resumed and from 1952 the KSC was again included in the Brabantse Gilde. At that time, the activities mainly consisted of two annual balls, a Christmas party, a few cantuses and a football cup that was often won by Noord-Brabant.
At the end of the 1950s, Ons Hageland and the Aarschotse Club disappeared. From 1956 until the end of the 1960s, female students could also become members of the Brabantse Gilde. However, with the exception of the KSC, the clubs remained an exclusively male affair.
In the second half of the 1960s, an attempt was made to re-establish Ons Hageland but by the early 1970s, both Ons Hageland and Noord-Brabant disappeared. With the exception of Payottenland, the other clubs also had difficult years: the KSC was decimated after the separation of Omnia and Lovania was mainly sustained by the veteran members. In 1978, the newly revived Mechlinia-Reynaert switched from the Antwerpse Gilde to the Brabantse Gilde. Nevertheless, the Brabantse Gilde remained the smallest guild in Leuven during those years.
The 1980s brought a new boom. On Wednesday 17 December 1980, the four remaining Brabant clubs took up residence in the Clijne Taefel in the Naamsestraat. The Brabantse Gilde evolved into the most traditional of all Leuven guilds. In 1984 the guild magazine De Olijke Brabander appeared for the first time and one year later a lustrum brochure with historical overview was compiled. On the occasion of the lustrum celebrations, statutes were also prepared (there was no question of a change, as nobody could find the original statutes). After the necessary struggles, the final text was approved during the election cantus in May 1986. Since then, the presence of the Goedelevoncent is officially recognised. In the meantime, Ons Hageland had been re-established in 1984 and in 1989, Noord-Brabant was also revived. In 1987 Patrick De Greef took care of the design, manufacture and dedication of the third banner. In 1989 Koen Janssens considered the time ripe to reintroduce the pre-war Guild cap. However, he underestimated the opposition; his proposal did not make it and a new Praeses had to be elected.
During the nineties, the Brabantse Gilde and the six clubs continued on the same path. In 1998 a photo book was published with a historical overview of the Brabant clubs. On the eve of the new millennium, Noord-Brabant was transformed into the Corps Endivia, so that Noord-Brabant again became an exclusively male club, while the female students were housed in the Witloofconvent. That same year, Vader Hageland was also established as the female counterpart of Ons Hageland. Unlike the Witloofconvent, however, Vader Hageland was not officially recognised by the Brabantse Gilde but the Hageland students did receive a standing invitation to all activities.
After the turn of the century, the Brabantse Gilde also suffered from the downturn in traditional student life. All clubs saw their membership dwindle and in 2003 the curtain fell for both Endivia and Vader Hageland. Despite this, the Babantse Gilde grew to become the largest guild in Leuven and its affiliated clubs are counted among the most traditional clubs of the Seniorenkonvent.
Affiliated clubs
- Aarschotse Club (° 1931 - † 1959, geannexeerd door Ons Hageland)
- KSC Bezem Brussel (° 1925, ook bekend als Bezem Lovania Brussel, Bessemclub of Bruegelconvent)
- Diestersche Club (° 1931 - † 1950's (?), geannexeerd door Ons Hageland)
- NBHC Endivia (° 11 Oktober 1999 - † 2003)
- Jong-Brabant (° < 1910 - † 1911)
- KVHC Moeder Lovania (° Augustus 1922; ook gekend als Ik Dien of Leuvensche Club)
- Mechlinia-Reynaert (° 1919 - † 2009, lid van Antwerpse Gilde (Leuven) 1919-1978)
- KVHC Noord-Brabant (° 1920 - † Maart2003)
- KVHC Ons Hageland-Bessemclub (° 1875)
- Oud-Noord-Brabant (° 2000 - † (?))
- Moeder Payottenland (° 29 November 1911)
- Witloofconvent (° 11 Oktober 1999 - † 7 Maart 2013)
Colours
The colours of the Brabantse Gilde are Green-Red with red as the main colour.
The coat of arms is the traditional provincial coat of arms from before the 1996 reforms.
Song
< 1947
Text: H. Aelvoet
Melody: Fr. Adams
- Dat zij klinken, Brabant’s zonen,
Luid en machtig onze tonen,
Wars van vreemde bastardij,
Vroom en lustig, Vlaamsch en vrij.
Dat zij klinken onze akkoorden,
Over Dijle en Zenneboorden,
Krachtig als den heldenschreeuw,
Brabant, Brabant, ons den Leeuw!
- Chorus:
- Chorus:
- Klinke ’t Brabantsch Gildelied,
- Galmen onze strijdakoorden!
- Klinke ’t Brabantsch Gildelied,
- Over Dijle en Zenneboorden:
- «Brabants zonen temt men niet!
- Brabants zonen temt men niet!»
- Als het woord der Artevelden,
Als de kreet van Brabants helden,
Klink het hoogstudentenlied:
«Brabants zonen temt ment niet.»
Waar die vaderkreten klonken,
Heeft de grond hun bloed gedronken,
Dien zij moedig streden vrij,
En wij zijn geen bastaards, wij!
- Dat zij klinken, Brabants telgen,
Vrije, trouwe, Vlaamsche telgen;
Spijts het uitheemsch slavenrot
Dat met land en altaar spot.
Immer ’t vreemde juk versmeten!
Brabants kroost en duldt geen keten:
Ziet zijn Keure en Intrêe blij!
Brabant, Brabant, Brabant, vrij!
- Dat zij klinken in de blijheid!
Voor het volk en zijne vrijheid!
Dat zij klinken in den strijd,
God en Vaderland gewijd!
Hoog de harten, hoog het streven!
En dat Brabants zonen leven,
Trouw aan eigen schoon en taal.
Heil! Aan ons de zegepraal!
> 1947
Text: Clem De Ridder
Melody: Emiel Hullebroeck
- Rijk is de gouw van ons Brabantse land,
Welige tuin in het voorjaar.
Honingaroom na de zomerse brand,
Heuvel en delling zijn vruchtbaar.
Breughel verkoos U, land van mijn jeugd,
Land van de jubel en land van de vreugd.
Brabant, vreugdeland, Edele Brabant, were di!
- Tegen de glooiing bloeit geurend de hop,
Gelende, trillende bellen.
Meiden en knapen de heuvelen op
Weg nu de zorgen die kwellen.
Straks is het pluktijd, ’t grote festijn.
Boer, schenk ons cider en appelenwijn.
Brabant, vreugdeland,...
- Volk van mijn Brabant, zo vroom en zo schoon,
Eert uwe Brabantse zeden,
Die gij geërfd hebt van Vader op Zoon,
Wilt er een wapen uit smeden.
Draagt uwe koppen fier in de lucht
’n Brabander is voor geen vijand beducht.
Brabant, vreugdeland...
List of Praesides
| Year | Praeses |
|---|---|
| 1884 - 1885 | Jean-François Heymans |
| 1885 - 1886 | Jean-François Heymans |
| 1886 - 1887 | Jean-François Heymans |
| 1887 - 1888 | Joseph De Lantsheere |
| 1888 - 1889 | Joseph De Lantsheere |
| 1889 - 1890 | Karel Van den Bruel |
| 1890 - 1891 | Theophile Vander Hasselt v/o Theo |
| 1891 - 1892 | Arthur Van den Bruel |
| 1892 - 1893 | Eugene Loncin |
| 1893 - 1894 | Alfons Van Engeland |
| 1894 - 1895 | Arthur Luyten |
| 1895 - 1896 | ? |
| 1896 - 1897 | ? |
| 1897 - 1898 | ? |
| 1898 - 1899 | ? |
| 1899 - 1900 | Eugène Verstockt Ons Hageland |
| 1900 - 1901 | Frans van Cauwelaert |
| 1901 - 1902 | Leo Goossens |
| 1902 - 1903 | Piet Vander Smissen |
| 1903 - 1904 | Frans Verheyden |
| 1904 - 1905 | Frans Verheyden Arthur Vloeberghs |
| 1905 - 1906 | Eugène Bosteels |
| 1906 - 1907 | Emiel De Wever |
| 1907 - 1908 | Arthur Poodt Alfons Sterckx |
| 1908 - 1909 | Paul Van Cauwenberghe |
| 1909 - 1910 | August van Cauwelaert v/o Gust |
| 1910 - 1911 | Gustaaf Wayteck v/o Gust |
| 1911 - 1912 | Frans Willems v/o Sus Payottenland |
| 1912 - 1913 | Frans Willems v/o Sus Payottenland |
| 1913 - 1914 | Philippe Mes Payottenland |
| 1914 - 1915 | Emiel Noppen |
| 1915 - 1916 | Inactive |
| 1916 - 1917 | Inactive |
| 1917 - 1918 | Inactive |
| 1918 - 1919 | Louis Monsieur Payottenland |
| 1919 - 1920 | Jan Valvekens Ons Hageland |
| 1920 - 1921 | Jan Valvekens Ons Hageland |
| 1921 - 1922 | Emiel Van Cappellen Payottenland |
| 1922 - 1923 | Carlos Stas Noord-Brabant |
| 1923 - 1924 | Omer Evenepoel Payottenland |
| 1924 - 1925 | Egied Van der Hasselt Payottenland |
| 1925 - 1926 | Frans Hiers v/o Sus Payottenland |
| 1926 - 1927 | Frans Heulens (Resigned at the beginning of the academic year.) Ons Hageland, Bezem Lovania Brussel Karel Van Cauwelaert Payottenland, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1927 - 1928 | Karel Van Cauwelaert Payottenland, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1928 - 1929 | Lode Vande Gaer Ons Hageland |
| 1929 - 1930 | Arnold Claessens v/o Loki [KSC Bezem Brussel |
| 1930 - 1931 | Arnold Claessens v/o Loki [KSC Bezem Brussel |
| 1931 - 1932 | Hendrik Wyckmans v/o Rik Noord-Brabant, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1932 - 1933 | Juul Heremans v/o Pallieter Payottenland, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1933 - 1934 | Dolf Loeckx v/o Phoebus Payottenland, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1934 - 1935 | Albert Neetens v/o Barko Payottenland, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1935 - 1936 | Roger Van Keymeulen v/o Aailen Payottenland |
| 1936 - 1937 | Wim Aelvoet Noord-Brabant |
| 1937 - 1938 | Wim Aelvoet Noord-Brabant |
| 1938 - 1939 | Albert Clerckx v/o Hagen Noord-Brabant, Payottenland, Bezem Lovania Brussel |
| 1939 - 1940 | Jules Lemmerling Lovania, Ons Hageland |
| 1940 - 1941 | Albert Wolfs v/o Bert Ons Hageland |
| 1941 - 1942 | Alfons Van Eeckhoudt v/o Fons Payottenland |
| 1942 - 1943 | Inactive |
| 1943 - 1944 | Inactive |
| 1944 - 1945 | Emiel Valkeniers v/o Spanuit Payottenland |
| 1945 - 1946 | Inactive |
| 1946 - 1947 | Inactive |
| 1947 - 1948 | Inactive |
| 1948 - 1949 | Jan Verbinnen Lovania |
| 1949 - 1950 | Inactive |
| 1950 - 1951 | Inactive |
| 1951 - 1952 | Hubert Vanderroost v/o Cambrien Payottenland |
| 1952 - 1953 | Julien de Raeymaeker Lovania |
| 1953 - 1954 | Louis Lamberts v/o Plavei Payottenland |
| 1954 - 1955 | Renaat Lettens v/o Gitaar Payottenland |
| 1955 - 1956 | Jozef De Lepeleire Lovania |
| 1956 - 1957 | Frans De Proost Noord-Brabant, KSC Brussel |
| 1957 - 1958 | Roger Van de Vondel v/o Kalichke Noord-Brabant, KSC Brussel |
| 1958 - 1959 | Jozef De Keersmaeker v/o Gondel Payottenland |
| 1959 - 1960 | Willy Van der Veken Noord-Brabant |
| 1960 - 1961 | Leo Heremans v/o Raar Payottenland |
| 1961 - 1962 | Hubert Van Melkebeek v/o Kadol Noord-Brabant |
| 1962 - 1963 | Edwin Jacobs v/o Kaar Payottenland |
| 1963 - 1964 | Jos Schepers v/o Gezwel Lovania |
| 1964 - 1965 | Johan Amand v/o Wannes KSC Brussel |
| 1965 - 1966 | Piet Lommez v/o Gigolo Payottenland |
| 1966 - 1967 | Eric Van Hoeck v/o Keu Noord-Brabant, Payottenland, Ons Hageland, KSC Brussel |
| 1967 - 1968 | Luc Platteau v/o Sjapper Payottenland |
| 1968 - 1969 | John Descurieux Noord-Brabant, Ons Hageland |
| 1969 - 1970 | Jean Vanderhasselt v/o Leubben Payottenland |
| 1970 - 1971 | Jean Vanderhasselt v/o Leubben Payottenland |
| 1971 - 1972 | Jo De Meirsman v/o Vat KSC Brussel |
| 1972 - 1973 | Leon Laeremans v/o Boerin Lovania |
| 1973 - 1974 | Dirk Bourguignon v/o Pistong Payottenland |
| 1974 - 1975 | Johan Geleyns v/o Spinnekop Payottenland |
| 1975 - 1976 | Luc Lemmens v/o Matris Payottenland |
| 1976 - 1977 | Rik Weverbergh v/o Bizje Payottenland |
| 1977 - 1978 | Yvo Stroobants v/o Stropke Lovania |
| 1978 - 1979 | Chris Cockmartin v/o Pezzewolle Payottenland |
| 1979 - 1980 | Henri Van Eeckhoudt v/o Waainbees Payottenland |
| 1980 - 1981 | Marc Jegers v/o Trombong Payottenland |
| 1981 - 1982 | Peter Doms v/o Poldergeist Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 1982 - 1983 | Ward Hens v/o Kleerkast Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 1983 - 1984 | Herman Van Eeckhout v/o Klimop Payottenland |
| 1984 - 1985 | Lieven Stassijn v/o Rammeleir Payottenland, KSC Brussel |
| 1985 - 1986 | Jan Huys v/o Buffalo!! KSC Brussel, Payottenland, Ons Hageland |
| 1986 - 1987 | Patrick De Greef v/o Volondat Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 1987 - 1988 | Pieter De Schouwer v/o Spinosj KSC Brussel, |
| 1988 - 1989 | Marc Vermylen v/o Pluto Mechlinia-Reynaert, Noord-Brabant |
| 1989 - 1990 | Koen Janssen v/o Touché Lovania (Resigned in January after the failed introduction of the guild cap, among other things). Patrick Claeys v/o Pens Ons Hageland, Noord-Brabant |
| 1990 - 1991 | Jo Daris v/o Kapot Payottenland |
| 1991 - 1992 | Erwin Raets v/o Pickup Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 1992 - 1993 | Koen Kempenaers v/o VVT Lovania, Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 1993 - 1994 | Bert Vermeire v/o Kermit Lovania, KSC Brussel |
| 1994 - 1995 | Luc Van Assche v/o Psycho Mechlinia-Reynaert, Noord-Brabant |
| 1995 - 1996 | Geert Mijten v/o Barabbas, Koekoek Ons Hageland, Noord-Brabant |
| 1996 - 1997 | David Lenaerts v/o Risky Mechlinia-Reynaert, KSC Brussel |
| 1997 - 1998 | Philip De Weyder v/o Enkie Payottenland (Resigned at the beginning of the academic year.) Stijn Van Vugt v/o Geiser Payottenland |
| 1998 - 1999 | Kristof Debecker v/o Bleu Lovania, Ons Hageland |
| 1999 - 2000 | Lieven Poulin v/o Picolo KSC Brussel |
| 2000 - 2001 | Michaël Kestemont v/o Arro KSC Brussel |
| 2001 - 2002 | Steven Claes v/o Echo Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 2002 - 2003 | Kristof Dereeper v/o Toewt Endivia |
| 2003 - 2004 | Joost Klykens v/o Bosj Lovania |
| 2004 - 2005 | Cedric Berckmans v/o Wolverine Mechlinia-Reynaert |
| 2005 - 2006 | Stefan Van de Weyer v/o Fanta KSC Brussel, Endivia |
| 2006 - 2007 | Bart Reunes v/o Papyrus Lovania (Officially resigned one week before the elections. Stefan Van de Weyer v/o Fanta acted as interim praeses for a while and was also the effective guild leader since the end of February and held the praeses sash). |
| 2007 - 2008 | Maarten Mallants v/o Bagaar Ons Hageland |
| 2008 - 2009 | Thomas Van Rompuy v/o Bakkes KSC Brussel |
| 2009 - 2010 | Thomas Brenninkmeijer v/o Maft KSC Brussel |
| 2010 - 2011 | Joris Weymiens v/o Tefal Ons Hageland |
| 2011 - 2012 | Hans Vander Velpen v/o Trisj Payottenland |
| 2012 - 2013 | Issmael Bentoutouh v/o Contreir Ons Hageland, KSC Brussel |
| 2013 - 2014 | Ward Smets v/o Ket KSC Brussel |
| 2014 - 2015 | Jonathan Van Beeumen v/o Garanti Ons Hageland |
| 2015 - 2016 | Tom Hoornaert v/o Doler KSC Brussel |
| 2016 - 2017 | Philip Van Puyvelde v/o Tornado Payottenland |
| 2017 - 2018 | Sébastien Vandenbussche v/o Améli Payottenland |
| 2018 - 2019 | Laurens Vermylen v/o Himan Payottenland |
| 2019 - 2020 | Thomas Carvalho v/o Boerswa Ons Hageland |
| 2020 - 2021 | Thomas Carvalho v/o Boerswa Ons Hageland (No election due to COVID pandemic.) |
| 2021 - 2022 | Anthony Dudley v/o Rubbel Ons Hageland |
| 2022 - 2023 | Zeno De Four v/o Sult Payottenland |
| 2023 - 2024 | Kai Brusseleers v/o Vitesz Payottenland |
Sources
- Huys, Jan & Stefan Van de Weyer, De studentikoze erfenis van Rodenbach, Acco Drukkerij, Belgium, Leuven, 2006.
- KVHV Leuven, Studentencodex, Belgium, Leuven, 1959.
