Lieven Gevaert
Encyclopedia
Lieven Gevaert was a Flemish
industrialist. His father died when he was only three years old. He started his career in the company he founded together with his mother in 1889, which produced photographic paper according to traditional methods. In 1894, he founded the company Gevaert & Co, which in 1920, was transformed to N.V Gevaert Photo-producten, merged in 1964 with Agfa AG to become Gevaert-Agfa NV and later Agfa-Gevaert
NV.
Already at an early age he felt socially responsible and wanted to advance the status of Dutch
in Belgium. His personal ideas were strongly influenced by the social encyclical Rerum Novarum
(1891) and the writings of Lodewijk De Raet
. He supported several Flemish
initiatives as a manager, but stayed outside of politics. His main objectives were the introduction of Dutch
as a business language, and the foundation of a sound Dutch-speaking education as a means to establish a Flemish
elite. When in 1926, the Vlaamsch Handelsverbond (Vlaams Economisch Verbond
, VEV) was founded, Gevaert was its first chairman. Later he founded the Sint-Lievenscollege in Antwerp.
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
industrialist. His father died when he was only three years old. He started his career in the company he founded together with his mother in 1889, which produced photographic paper according to traditional methods. In 1894, he founded the company Gevaert & Co, which in 1920, was transformed to N.V Gevaert Photo-producten, merged in 1964 with Agfa AG to become Gevaert-Agfa NV and later Agfa-Gevaert
Agfa-Gevaert
Agfa-Gevaert N.V. is a European multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, and distributes analogue and digital imaging products and systems, as well as IT solutions. The company has three divisions. Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress and industrial inkjet systems to the...
NV.
Already at an early age he felt socially responsible and wanted to advance the status of Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
in Belgium. His personal ideas were strongly influenced by the social encyclical Rerum Novarum
Rerum Novarum
Rerum Novarum is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on May 15, 1891. It was an open letter, passed to all Catholic bishops, that addressed the condition of the working classes. The encyclical is entitled: “Rights and Duties of Capital and Labour”...
(1891) and the writings of Lodewijk De Raet
Lodewijk De Raet
Lodewijk De Raet was a Flemish economist and politician. He played an important role in the Flemish movement. He was co-founder of the Vlaamsche volkspartij , and was a proponent of the use of Flemish instead of French at the University of Ghent in Flanders...
. He supported several Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
initiatives as a manager, but stayed outside of politics. His main objectives were the introduction of Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as a business language, and the foundation of a sound Dutch-speaking education as a means to establish a Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
elite. When in 1926, the Vlaamsch Handelsverbond (Vlaams Economisch Verbond
Vlaams Economisch Verbond
The Vlaams Economisch Verbond or VEV is a Flemish employers' organization and lobbying group. It was founded in 1908, by among others Lieven Gevaert as the Vlaamsch Handelsverbond, to create a Flemish counterpart of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises, and it became the VEV in 1926.The main...
, VEV) was founded, Gevaert was its first chairman. Later he founded the Sint-Lievenscollege in Antwerp.