Mechlinia-Reynaert
Mechlinia-Reynaert was the regional student club for students from Mechelen and its surroundings in Leuven.
Contents
History
Mechlinia was founded in 1919 by Joseph Lindemans, Albert Brusselmans and Pieter De Nys. The latter also wrote the club song and became the first Praeses.
During the first years, Mechlinia was a home club that met every fortnight on Saturdays in the clubroom at Père Soedan's at Onze-Lieve-Vrouwestraat 129 in Mechelen, where the main activities were cantuses, speech evenings with guest speakers, fraternization with other clubs, and during the Hanswijk procession the commilitones walked in smoking behind the sacrament. Every year they also organised a theatre or revue, the main performance of which was given in the city theatre or in the Volksbelang.
The war years were a difficult period for many Leuven student clubs, partly because Flemish student life was inspired by German tradition. Mechlinia, however, suffered little from tensions among its members, since it distanced itself from the KVHV and followed the neutral position of the Antwerpse Gilde.
A first difficult period started in 1944 when a handful of aspirant members signed up. They wanted Mechlinia to take a new path with more cultural activities, girls in the club and less beer. Mechlinia, however, did not agree to this and maintained its traditional course.
In the autumn of 1944, under the impulse of Manu Verschuren and Ferdinand Peeters, Reynaert was founded. As colours, they chose Red-Yellow-Brownish red; red and yellow referring to the city of Mechelen, and the Brownish red to the fox Reynaert. With the Breughelconvent and the Hermeleinenconvent they had both male and female members.
Bad blood quickly grew between Mechlinia and Reynaert. Mechlinia tried to sabotage Reynaert's theatre performances, and Reynaert had a gang of brawlers to make sure their ball was not disturbed. Even in the schools, conflicts took place because Mechlinia recruited at the Atheneum while Reynaert recruited at the Rombouts College.
In 1956-1957, after 13 years of existence, Herman Walschaerts became the last Praeses of Reynaert. They fraternized with Mechlinia and formed Mechlinia-Reynaert from 1957 with Jef Hendrix as first Praeses.
The new club colours became Red-Yellow-Red and on the club caps the Zirkel of Mechlinia and Reynaert were applied. In the sixties the colours changed to Red-Yellow-Green with red as the main colour and from then on only the Zirkel of Mechlinia was displayed on the caps.
In 1967, the Praeses had an accident which left the clubroom empty and the next year Mechlinia was no more. The club's locker was ransacked by unknown individuals and the archives, address list and club flag were stolen.
In 1971, Luc Charlier is suddenly mentioned as Praeses but it took until 1978 before a new foundation was made from the KVHV. Erik Nobels became Praeses of the men's club Mechlinia and Brenda Frans took over the reins of the women's club Reynaert. It is remarkable, however, that the club nights of both associations were organised together.
In 1979, Mechlinia switched to the Brabantse Gilde. Reynaert then had two female vice-praesides but no female praeses and in 1980 there were no female members at all. The 1980s were once again heydays for Mechlinia-Reynaert, but at the beginning of the 21st century the number of members declined rapidly and Mechlinia-Reynaert finally disappeared in 2006.
In 2008, Cedric Berckmans made another attempt to revive the club. However, this re-establishment was not recognised by the SK and in 2009 the final curtain fell.
Colours
Mechlinia wore the colours Red-Yellow-Green. Reynaert wore the colours Red-Yellow-Brownish Red; the red and yellow referring to the city of Mechelen, and the brownish red to the fox Reynaert.
The shield of Mechlinia-Reynaert showed on the left the coat of arms of the city of Mechelen and on the right the club colours and the Zirkel.
At the reinstatement of 2008-10 the commilitones wore red-yellow bands.
Song
Text: Pieter De Nys
- Wie werd er langs de Dijle,
nog nooit eens niet bekoord;
Die rivier vol smeerlapperijen,
heeft al veel kusjes gehoord.
- Chorus:
- Chorus:
- Ze kunnen zuipen, met volle kuipen,
- En geef ze bieren, ze zullen pieren,
- En laat ze zingen, laat ze lachen, laat ze vroolijk doen,
- Want het leven is voor hen een zoen.
- Ze kunnen zuipen, met volle kuipen,
- Dat is het lied van K.V.M.,
dat gij daar hebt gehoord,
De meisjes zien ze geire,
maar de professors nooit.
List of Praesides
| Year | Mechlinia | Reynaert | Mechlinia-Reynaert |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 - 1920 | Pieter De Nys | ||
| 1920 - 1921 | Cyriel Neefs | ||
| 1921 - 1922 | Anthoon Barriert | ||
| 1922 - 1923 | Frans Olbrechts | ||
| 1923 - 1924 | Emiel Boogaerts | ||
| 1924 - 1925 | Cyrille Gobbers | ||
| 1925 - 1926 | Lode Nobels | ||
| 1926 - 1927 | Michiel Cauwenberg (resigned for unknown reasons) Jan Poels |
||
| 1927 - 1928 | Lode Nobels | ||
| 1928 - 1929 | Lode Nobels (resigned for unknown reasons) Stany Geerts |
||
| 1929 - 1930 | Stany Geerts | ||
| 1930 - 1931 | Gerard Olbrechts | ||
| 1931 - 1932 | Gaston Van Hees v/o Vaast (resigned for unknown reasons) Steven Giraud |
||
| 1932 - 1933 | Louis Reynders | ||
| 1933 - 1934 | Steven Giraud | ||
| 1934 - 1935 | ? | ||
| 1935 - 1936 | Jozef Marijnen | ||
| 1936 - 1937 | ? | ||
| 1937 - 1938 | Marcel Van Balberghe | ||
| 1938 - 1939 | Albert Petitjean | ||
| 1939 - 1940 | Karel De Smedt | ||
| 1940 - 1941 | Jules Peters | ||
| 1941 - 1942 | Karel Van den Heuvel | ||
| 1942 - 1943 | ? | ||
| 1943 - 1944 | ? | ||
| 1944 - 1945 | ? | Emmanuel Verschuren v/o Manu | |
| 1945 - 1946 | ? | ... Jans | |
| 1946 - 1947 | Louis Scheers | Luc Van den Eede | |
| 1947 - 1948 | Jef Corbeel | Raymond Lenaerts | |
| 1948 - 1949 | ? | ? | |
| 1949 - 1950 | ? | ? | |
| 1950 - 1951 | Jaak Van den Heuvel v/o Jokke | ? | |
| 1951 - 1952 | ? | ? | |
| 1952 - 1953 | Roger Straelen | ? | |
| 1953 - 1954 | Lucien Van de Velde v/o Luc | ? | |
| 1954 - 1955 | Philemon Caljon | ? | |
| 1955 - 1956 | Paul Dehertog | ? | |
| 1956 - 1957 | Paul Dehertog | Herman Walschaerts | |
| 1957 - 1958 | Jozef Hendrix v/o Jef | ||
| 1958 - 1959 | Frans Moortgat | ||
| 1959 - 1960 | Frans Moortgat | ||
| 1960 - 1961 | Frans Van Roy | ||
| 1961 - 1962 | Herwig Simoens | ||
| 1962 - 1963 | Karel Van de Walle | ||
| 1963 - 1964 | Jacques Daelemans v/o Jacky | ||
| 1964 - 1965 | Wouter Van De Walle | ||
| 1965 - 1966 | Jock Willio | ||
| 1966 - 1967 | Fons Gevers | ||
| 1967 - 1968 | Eric Van Hoogenbemt | ||
| 1968 - 1969 | Non-active | ||
| 1969 - 1970 | Non-active | ||
| 1970 - 1971 | Non-active | ||
| 1971 - 1972 | Luc Charlier | ||
| 1972 - 1973 | Non-active | ||
| 1973 - 1974 | Non-active | ||
| 1974 - 1975 | Non-active | ||
| 1975 - 1976 | Non-active | ||
| 1976 - 1977 | Non-active | ||
| 1977 - 1978 | Erik Nobels v/o Stapper | Brenda Frans | Non-active |
| 1978 - 1979 | Peter Hornsby v/o Gonorree de Balzac | ||
| 1979 - 1980 | Pascal Peeters v/o Pasja | ||
| 1980 - 1981 | Eric Van Den Bon v/o Burps | ||
| 1981 - 1982 | Marc Coen v/o Curre (temporarily interrupted his studies in October 1981) Ward Hens v/o Kleerkast | ||
| 1982 - 1983 | Dirk Perdieus v/o Swa | ||
| 1983 - 1984 | Erik Doms v/o Frut | ||
| 1984 - 1985 | Filip Huygens v/o Rochel | ||
| 1985 - 1986 | Gauthier Clerens v/o Brutus | ||
| 1986 - 1987 | Marc Vermylen v/o Pluto | ||
| 1987 - 1988 | Jean-Paul Van Dam v/o Toerist | ||
| 1988 - 1989 | Gunnar Michielsen v/o Balachus | ||
| 1989 - 1990 | Kris De Meester v/o Stoker | ||
| 1990 - 1991 | Wim Hendrickx v/o Scherf | ||
| 1991 - 1992 | Marc Dielissen v/o Delver (discontinued his studies in October 1991) Karl Mortelmans v/o Kloof | ||
| 1992 - 1993 | Luc Van Assche v/o Psycho | ||
| 1993 - 1994 | Ruud Stroobants v/o Panty | ||
| 1994 - 1995 | Frank IWens v/o Duracel (discontinued his studies in October 1994) Jurgen Berckmans v/o Souffleur | ||
| 1995 - 1996 | Erwin Bex v/o Wave | ||
| 1996 - 1997 | Bas Lansbergen v/o Merrie | ||
| 1997 - 1998 | Wouter Pinxten v/o Puree (Resigned after an unsuccessful gala ball in February 1998) Bart Meysmans v/o Zeke | ||
| 1998 - 1999 | Philip Van den Eynde v/o Ghyl | ||
| 1999 - 2000 | Steven Claes v/o Echo | ||
| 2000 - 2001 | Jeroen Roothoofds v/o Springer | ||
| 2001 - 2002 | Joeri Leppens v/o Vassi | ||
| 2002 - 2003 | Sven Vingerhoets v/o Fonz | ||
| 2003 - 2004 | Kristof Holsters v/o Taktik | ||
| 2004 - 2005 | Wim De Donder v/o Bakske | ||
| 2005 - 2006 | Bram Snackaert v/o Ganja | ||
| 2006 - 2007 | Cedric Berckmans v/o Wolverine | ||
| 2007 - 2008 | Non-active | ||
| 2008 - 2009 | Cedric Berckmans v/o Wolverine |
Sources
- Huys, Jan & Stefan Van de Weyer, De studentikoze erfenis van Rodenbach, Acco Drukkerij, Belgium, Leuven, 2006.
- KVHV Leuven, Studentencodex, Belgium, Leuven, 1959.
