Josse Mertens de Wilmars
Encyclopedia
Baron Joseph Marie Honoré Charles Mertens de Wilmars (22 June 1912 – 1 August 2002) was a Belgian
jurist who became a member of the European Court of Justice
and then its sixth President.
Mertens de Wilmars was born in Sint-Niklaas
, into a family of brewers. One of his brothers was the psychiatrist Charles Mertens de Wilmars
. He gained a degree in law in 1934, and practiced in Antwerp, specialising in administrative law. He was an officer in the Belgian Army
in the Second World War, and spent most of the war as a prisoner of war
. After the war, he a member of the Belgian Catholic alliance, and was a member of the Belgian parliament from 1951 to 1962. He was in favour of European unity, and attended the Congress
in the Hague
in 1948. He also taught administrative law at the High Institute for Administrative Sciences in Antwerp from 1946 to 1967, and was an associate professor in law at the Catholic University of Leuven
from 1971.
He became a member of the European Court of Justice
in 1967, and served as its sixth President from 1980 to 1984.
He died in Antwerp.
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...
jurist who became a member of the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
and then its sixth President.
Mertens de Wilmars was born in Sint-Niklaas
Sint-Niklaas
Sint-Niklaas is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sint-Niklaas proper and the towns of Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, and Sinaai....
, into a family of brewers. One of his brothers was the psychiatrist Charles Mertens de Wilmars
Charles Mertens de Wilmars
Charles Mertens de Wilmars was a Belgian psychiatrist. He was a member of the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine, and held the honours of Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold, the Order of the Crown, and Commander of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.He graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1948,...
. He gained a degree in law in 1934, and practiced in Antwerp, specialising in administrative law. He was an officer in the Belgian Army
Belgian Army
The Land Component is organised using the concept of capacities, whereby units are gathered together according to their function and material. Within this framework, there are five capacities: the command capacity, the combat capacity, the support capacity, the services capacity and the training...
in the Second World War, and spent most of the war as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. After the war, he a member of the Belgian Catholic alliance, and was a member of the Belgian parliament from 1951 to 1962. He was in favour of European unity, and attended the Congress
Hague Congress (1948)
The Hague Congress was held in the Congress of Europe in Hague from 7–11 May 1948 with 750 delegates participating from around Europe as well as observers from Canada and the United States....
in the Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
in 1948. He also taught administrative law at the High Institute for Administrative Sciences in Antwerp from 1946 to 1967, and was an associate professor in law at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
from 1971.
He became a member of the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
in 1967, and served as its sixth President from 1980 to 1984.
He died in Antwerp.
External links
- European Court of Justice Official site
- Obituary, 5 September 2002
- Biography (German)