Alexandre Galopin
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Galopin was a Belgian
businessman. He was director of the Société Générale de Belgique
, a large Belgian company founded in 1822 by William I
.
Galopin was behind the Galopin doctrine, a "lesser evil" tactic that allowed industrial development in the occupied
Belgium during the Second World War
, under auspices of the Belgian government in exile.
He is the grandfather of Benoit de Bonvoisin
.
His name has been given to a street; avenue Alexandre Galopin, in Etterbeek
, Brussels
.
, which controlled 40% of the Belgian economy. He helped found the "Galopin Committee", a group of the leaders of holding companies, banks and industry. It served as a sort of a shadow government
that decided economic and social policy and was able to set rules for dealing with the Nazi German occupiers.
Part of its goal was to keep Belgian industry strong during the war so as to not leave the economy crippled once the war ended. Controversially, its members would supply the Nazi occupiers and produce goods for them. It refused to produce anything with a clearly military purpose, although the difference between direct production of weapons and different ways of contributing to the German war effort was not always clear. Galopin was assassinated in 1944 by Robert Jan Verbelen
, a Nazi collaborator
.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
businessman. He was director of the Société Générale de Belgique
Société Générale de Belgique
The Société Générale de Belgique was one of the largest companies that ever existed in Belgium. It was founded in 1822 by William I, and existed until 2003, when its then sole shareholder, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, merged it with Tractebel to form Suez-Tractebel.-History:As part of the terms of the...
, a large Belgian company founded in 1822 by William I
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
.
Galopin was behind the Galopin doctrine, a "lesser evil" tactic that allowed industrial development in the occupied
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Belgium during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, under auspices of the Belgian government in exile.
He is the grandfather of Benoit de Bonvoisin
Benoit de Bonvoisin
-Biography:He is the grandson of Alexandre Galopin , former director and governor of the Société Générale de Belgique , and son of baron Pierre de Bonvoison -Biography:He is the grandson of Alexandre Galopin (1879-1944), former director and governor of the Société Générale de Belgique (the main...
.
His name has been given to a street; avenue Alexandre Galopin, in Etterbeek
Etterbeek
Etterbeek is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It neighbours the municipalities of the City of Brussels, Ixelles, Auderghem, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Schaerbeek....
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
Galopin Doctrine
Galopin was governor of the Société Générale de BelgiqueSociété Générale de Belgique
The Société Générale de Belgique was one of the largest companies that ever existed in Belgium. It was founded in 1822 by William I, and existed until 2003, when its then sole shareholder, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, merged it with Tractebel to form Suez-Tractebel.-History:As part of the terms of the...
, which controlled 40% of the Belgian economy. He helped found the "Galopin Committee", a group of the leaders of holding companies, banks and industry. It served as a sort of a shadow government
Shadow government (conspiracy)
The term shadow government besides its party political meaning can also refer to what is sometimes called "the secret government" or "the invisible government" , an idea based on the notion that real and actual political power does not reside with publicly elected representatives but with private...
that decided economic and social policy and was able to set rules for dealing with the Nazi German occupiers.
Part of its goal was to keep Belgian industry strong during the war so as to not leave the economy crippled once the war ended. Controversially, its members would supply the Nazi occupiers and produce goods for them. It refused to produce anything with a clearly military purpose, although the difference between direct production of weapons and different ways of contributing to the German war effort was not always clear. Galopin was assassinated in 1944 by Robert Jan Verbelen
Robert Jan Verbelen
Robert Jan Verbelen was a Belgian Nazi collaborator. After the liberation of Belgium in the Second World War, Verbelen fled through Germany to Austria, where for eight years he worked for the Counter Intelligence Corps of the US Army, while he already was convicted as war criminal in Belgium...
, a Nazi collaborator
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
.