KVHC Moeder Lovania
Lovania is a regional student club for men studying at the KU Leuven, UC Leuven-Limburg or at Group T and living in Leuven.
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Contents
History
The Flemish catholic students' guild "Ik Dien" already existed in 1918 at the St Peter's College in Leuven. It was a study circle of teachers and students where lectures were organised on literary, social and scientific subjects. As soon as the founders of the students' guild started their university studies in the autumn of 1922, they decided to create a higher division. Early members such as Karel Hambrouck, Maurits Van Haegendoren and Omer Lepoutre organised a fortnightly meeting, during which many lectures and conferences were held. But from the beginning, all sorts of customs typical of student clubs were introduced.
In 1925, the upper division was renamed "Leuvensche Club" and from 1930 onwards the Latinised name Lovania was preferred. At first, a distinction was made between "mennes" and "pais", but soon enough Lovania also referred to commilitones and schachten. Red-white-red was chosen as the club colours, with red as the main colour. The left half of the coat of arms depicts a clawed lion while the right half bears the club colours and the Zirkel.
When the Seniorenkonvent was founded in 1929 under the leadership of Mon de Goeyse, Lovania was one of the 26 founding clubs. Together with Bezem Brussel, Lovania was the first to experiment with the introduction of the Bierkomment (which later became the Blue Pages), in order to achieve a unified and elegant club life. Because of his involvement in Leuven's student life, Lovania donated the band of commilito honoris causa to Mon de Goeyse as early as 1930.
The Second World War broke out and Lovania did not escape the difficult years either. Already at the baptismal club in 1940, the war was felt: as beer was forbidden after 10 pm, club nights had to start at 6 pm. The Dies Natalis of 1941 had to make do with a menu consisting of soup and two sausages and the commilitones were asked to bring their own sandwiches. Later, beer was also rationed and everyone had to provide their own beer coupons. Moreover, the quality of the beer left much to be desired, as "you have to urinate a lot and yet everyone went home sober". In winter, meetings often had to be held in an unheated room. The 1942 election club even took place outside, as it was just as cold inside as outside anyway. On liberation, four years later, Jack-Op and Pale Ale once again flowed.
In 1951, the official name was changed one last time to KVHC Lovania. Club life, and Lovania in particular, flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. This period of success laid the foundation for a particularly active alumni association. The enduring commitment of these alumni not only ensured great continuity, but also proved that lifelong friendship was not an empty concept for Lovania.
The parties and TDs of the 1970s gave Lovania a huge notoriety, both among the student population and among Peter men (and women). Dozens of Leuven beauties took their first dance steps there and found their first teenage sweetheart. At the tenth anniversary celebration in 1972-1973, the proceeds from these parties were used to organise a 14-day trip to Palma de Mallorca for the seventeen commilitones.
The rise of individualism in the 1980s hit a nerve among the members. Nevertheless, the club was still famous in Leuven. The importance of Lovania for the students of Leuven was once again underlined in 1986 when Praeses Francis Davidts was asked by the city council to become the patron of the statue of "De Kotmadam", inaugurated at that time on the Oude Markt. In the 1970s it also became traditional to make the headlines every two years with a playful move. These were often typical Leuven (student) issues, and some stunts are still surprisingly topical. In 1972, for example, Lovania dug a tunnel under the train station and in 1983, Leuven's bicycles were provided with an anti-theft code. In recent years, additional medical examinations have been organised, tax reliefs were promised when the province of Flemish Brabant was created, and in October 1997, new first-year students in Leuven had to take an entrance examination.
Colours
Lovania's colours are Red-White-Red with gold percussion.
Song
Text: M. de Ridder
Melody: A. Scharpé
- Rode petten, kleur’ge linten,
’t Dampend pijpken in den mond.
Woelig rond de volle pinten
Bruist ons vreugde in ’t rond.
- Chorus:
- Loven boven al!
- ’t Vlaams er heersen zal.
- Snoeren wij den broederband,
- Voorwaarts, voorwaarts,
- Hand in hand.
- Chorus:
- Kampend Vlaming altijd blijven,
Alles veil, ’t is voor ons recht,
Doch geen tijd nu om te kijven,
Leve vriendschap, trouw en hecht.
- Leuven is hier weer te zamen,
’t Vlaamse lied weerklinke stout;
Laat u, mannen, nu niet pramen,
’t Vlaams gemoed en blijft niet koud.
- Op, de schachten, vult de glazen,
Laat het lied weergalmen luid.
Wij, we zijn de wereldbazen,
Immer, recht door zee, vooruit.
List of Praesides
| Year | Praeses |
|---|---|
| 1922 - 1923 | Karel Hambrouck |
| 1923 - 1924 | Omer Lepoutre |
| 1924 - 1925 | Karel Hambrouck |
| 1925 - 1926 | Felix Vanden Abeele |
| 1926 - 1927 | Maurits De Ridder |
| 1927 - 1928 | Valère Jolling (Resigned after the first semester)
Roger De Maegd |
| 1928 - 1929 | Roger De Maegd |
| 1929 - 1930 | Lucien Symons |
| 1930 - 1931 | Jan Scharpé |
| 1931 - 1932 | José Thonnard |
| 1932 - 1933 | José Thonnard |
| 1933 - 1934 | Karel De Vaster |
| 1934 - 1935 | Karel Charlet |
| 1935 - 1936 | Richard Poelemans |
| 1936 - 1937 | Lode Van Beveren |
| 1937 - 1938 | Jozef Ravoet v/o Jef |
| 1938 - 1939 | Jules Lemmerling |
| 1939 - 1940 | Jules Lemmerling |
| 1940 - 1941 | Paul Arend |
| 1941 - 1942 | Renaat Fannes |
| 1942 - 1943 | Paul Arend |
| 1943 - 1944 | Desiré Vranckx |
| 1944 - 1945 | Rik De Meulder |
| 1945 - 1946 | Jan Dirickx |
| 1946 - 1947 | Marcel Behaeghel |
| 1947 - 1948 | Marcel Behaeghel |
| 1948 - 1949 | Ivo De Becker |
| 1949 - 1950 | Jacques Vermeersch |
| 1950 - 1951 | Louis Dirickx |
| 1951 - 1952 | Julien De Raeymaeker |
| 1952 - 1953 | Adriaan Moens |
| 1953 - 1954 | Corneel Vanderwegen |
| 1954 - 1955 | Lucien Luyckx |
| 1955 - 1956 | Luk Vander Avort |
| 1956 - 1957 | Jef De Lepeleire |
| 1957 - 1958 | Leo Bruyninckx v/o Loebas |
| 1958 - 1959 | Willy Poot v/o Nilfisk |
| 1959 - 1960 | Jan Antonneau v/o Borstel |
| 1960 - 1961 | Willy Van Samang v/o Witte |
| 1961 - 1962 | Jos Dewit v/o Fondu |
| 1962 - 1963 | Hugo Geeraerts v/o 1500 |
| 1963 - 1964 | Hugo Degreef v/o Klos |
| 1964 - 1965 | Piet Siffert v/o Brödchen |
| 1965 - 1966 | Fred Demey v/o Abort |
| 1966 - 1967 | Jos Sterckmans v/o Prison |
| 1967 - 1968 | Frans Florquin v/o Magic Nana |
| 1968 - 1969 | Jef Vleminck v/o Mossel |
| 1969 - 1970 | Florent Stillaert v/o Spruit |
| 1970 - 1971 | Viktor Meulemans v/o Appelsien |
| 1971 - 1972 | Willy Geeraerts v/o Moos |
| 1972 - 1973 | Ivo Mercelis v/o Poweet |
| 1973 - 1974 | Karel Vanheukelen v/o Frizeur |
| 1974 - 1975 | Victor Dons v/o Bieweg |
| 1975 - 1976 | Willy Verheyden |
| 1976 - 1977 | Johan Briké |
| 1977 - 1978 | Patrik Feyaerts v/o Misenplis |
| 1978 - 1979 | Patrik Feyaerts v/o Misenplis |
| 1979 - 1980 | Valère Oversteyns v/o Klink |
| 1980 - 1981 | Paul Haers v/o Asjpot |
| 1981 - 1982 | Paul Ruyts v/o Rosbif |
| 1982 - 1983 | Yves Marteau v/o Pralin |
| 1983 - 1984 | Chris Schroeders v/o Plongeur |
| 1984 - 1985 | Francis Davidts v/o Kwak |
| 1985 - 1986 | Francis Davidts v/o Kwak |
| 1986 - 1987 | Bert Vandenbroeck v/o Missing Link |
| 1987 - 1988 | Luc Merckx v/o Pissel |
| 1988 - 1989 | Philippe Van der Keilen v/o Beauty |
| 1989 - 1990 | Philippe Van der Keilen v/o Beauty |
| 1990 - 1991 | Bert Vandeborne v/o Natte |
| 1991 - 1992 | Jan Sempels v/o Agressor |
| 1992 - 1993 | Werner Poot v/o Nilfisk |
| 1993 - 1994 | Koen Janssen v/o Touché |
| 1994 - 1995 | Koen De Loof v/o Mengistoe |
| 1995 - 1996 | Stefan Colpaert v/o Padre |
| 1996 - 1997 | Stefan Colpaert v/o Padre |
| 1997 - 1998 | Laurens Dumont v/o Pinky |
| 1998 - 1999 | Maarten Leenaerts v/o Spritz |
| 1999 - 2000 | Laurens Dumont v/o Pinky |
| 2000 - 2001 | Bjorn Stessel v/o Yeti |
| 2001 - 2002 | Dieter Mertens v/o Suivi |
| 2002 - 2003 | Thibaut Putzeys v/o Sjeek |
| 2003 - 2004 | Frederik Dooms v/o Saddam |
| 2004 - 2005 | Thomas Marteau v/o Mentel |
| 2005 - 2006 | Ben Stroobants v/o Kompas |
| 2006 - 2007 | Karel Van Gompel v/o Grimm |
| 2007 - 2008 | Sean Monbaliu v/o Toer |
| 2008 - 2009 | Nicolas Pardon v/o Tonton Tapir |
| 2009 - 2010 | Kristof Peeters v/o Kokskes |
| 2010 - 2011 | Bart Van Bilzen v/o Kresjendo |
| 2011 - 2012 | Jasper Vandendriessche v/o Atlas |
| 2012 - 2013 | Jeroen Braekeleire v/o Hibbert |
| 2013 - 2014 | Frédéric Schroeders v/o Derajeur |
| 2014 - 2015 | Dieter Janssens v/o Belegen |
| 2015 - 2016 | Robin De Roover v/o Kidiwi |
| 2016 - 2017 | Wieland Loeckx v/o Sprujkop |
| 2017 - 2018 | Nick Delvaux v/o Ambigu |
| 2018 - 2019 | Arne Derluyn v/o Knuppel (Resigned after the first semester)
Robbe Masco v/o Dwaal (Resigned in early May) Yorick Kennis v/o Parfum |
| 2019 - 2020 | Jonas De Vos v/o Frutella |
| 2020 - 2021 | Jonas De Vos v/o Frutella (No election took place and there were hardly any activities. The former members appointed Detlef Jannes v/o Wolf as praeses in February 2021)
Detlef Jannes v/o Wolf |
| 2021 - 2022 | Jaro Declerck v/o Albatros (Resigned on 24 September 2021. The club nights were led by former Praesides) |
| 2022 - 2023 | Thibaud Pierre Noach |
Sources
- Huys, Jan & Stefan Van de Weyer, De studentikoze erfenis van Rodenbach, Acco Drukkerij, Belgium, Leuven, 2006.
- KVHV Leuven, Studentencodex, Belgium, Leuven, 1959.
