BOEK: Jan VERSTRAETE, René Victor 1897-1984: Strijder voor het Vlaamse rechtsleven. Biografie

Beschrijving

René Victor (1897-1984) was niet alleen veruit de belangrijkste Vlaamse advocaat van zijn tijd, hij was ook een vooraanstaande getuige en actor van de Vlaamse Beweging in de waanzinnige 20ste eeuw.

Hij liep school in het Antwerpse atheneum, waar vele later bekende flaminganten hun broek slijtten. Samen met boezemvriend Paul van Ostaijen, raakte hij tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog betrokken bij het activisme.

 

Tijdens het interbellum klom hij al snel op de sociale ladder van de Antwerpse advocatuur: van openingsredenaar van de Vlaamse Conferentie, naar voorzitter ervan, van lid van de tuchtraad tot stafhouder. In elke functie streed hij voor de vernederlandsing van de instellingen. Hij splitste de unitaire Fédération des Avocats belges, en richtte de invloedrijke Vlaamse Juristenvereniging op.

In 1931 richtte hij het Rechtskundig Weekblad op, waarmee hij – met succes – de Vlaamse politici bij de les te hield om te komen tot de wet op het taalgebruik in gerechtszaken die de integrale vernederlandsing van het rechtsleven in Vlaamderen inhield.

Hij streed eveneens voor een volledig zelfstandige Vlaamse Academie voor Kunsten Wetenschappen en Letteren en werd er in 1939 een van de eerste leden van.

Na WO II verdedigde hij politieke en intellectuele tenoren van de collaboratie zoals Hendrik Borginon, Gerard Romsée, Victor Leemans, Filip De Pillecyn, Jef Van Hoof en honderden anderen.

Over de auteur

Jan Verstraete (1944) is sinds 1968 advocaat. Hij werd in Antwerpen voorzitter van de Vlaamse Conferentie bij de Balie (1986) en was stafhouder van de Orde van Advocaten (1996-1998). Hij publiceerde meerdere artikels en boeken omtrent de geschiedenis van de Antwerpse advocatuur. Hij schreef Geschiedenis van de Vlaamse Conferentie bij de Balie te Antwerpen, 1960-1985 (1990), De Jodenverordeningen en de Antwerpse Balie, historische studie (2001) en Het grote verzwijgen: een schets van het leven van Edgar Boonen (2013).

(Source: Boekenroute) 

OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL: C@hiers du CRHIDI 41 (2018) [Gens de robe, gens de guerre : ordre public et ordre social; Actes des Journées Internationales de Bruxelles, Société d'histoire du droit et des institutions des pays flamands, picards et wallons 2016]

(image source: ULiege)

Contents:

En mémoire de Philippe Annaert (Éric Bousmar, Stanislas Horvat, Catherine Lecomte & Emese K. E. von Boné)

De quelques aspects juridiques et sociétaux des sépultures des soldats dans l’ancienne Rome (Arnaud Paturet)
Abstract:

Despite of their military condition and the relation to death resulting from their profession, the funeral rites of Roman soldiers were similar to those of civilians as part of a unified ideology regarding death that implied that the status of tombs was unique. Graves were all considered religious places or res religiosae because they contained dead bodies. Of course mass deaths caused difficulties due to the necessity to identify each individual. Indeed, the burial process implied ideally to identificate the dead to promote his memory. The graves were usually located not far from the cantonment sites, but some deceased planned to repatriate their bodies to their homeland to facilitate family worship. Finally, soldiers who died in combat could be honored with a cenotaphium or empty tomb whose legal status remains controversial.

Rétablir l’ordre au comté de Bourgogne. L’action des réformateurs d’Eudes IV en 1337 et 1343-1344 (Sylve Le Strat-Lelong)
Abstract:

Eudes IV, at the same time duke and count of Burgundy from 1330 to 1349, instituted twice “réformateurs” in the county, judges and investigators in charge of correcting the abuses of the officers in the domain. He introduced into the province a French royal practice, which he himself used in his duchy. The judicial power of these commissioners was mainly exercised over provosts, brought to all excesses and penalized by heavy fines. It also extended to ordinary litigants and could replace that of Parliament. The operation, not only financially very profitable for the prince, also had a great symbolic load, allowing this one to assert his power in Franche-Comté in a troubled context of noble opposition. Therefore, it amply participated in the construction of the State implemented by Eudes IV in the county of Burgundy during his reign.

Recherche sur le conseiller-commissaire au parlement de Flandre (Renaud Limelette)
Quand la robe se révolte : la désobéissance des magistrats du parlement de Flandre aux ordres de Louis XIV (Sébastien Dubois)

Abstract:

After he gained an important part of the Southern Netherlands in 1668, Louis XIV created a sovereign court in Tournai to administer justice in the newly conquered territories. The court obtained the title of parliament in 1686 and its jurisdiction evolved as a consequence of the numerous wars and treaties in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Because of the War of Spanish Succession, the parliament moved to Cambrai in 1709 and in Douai in 1714. Although the monarch had solemnly promised to maintain the local particularities in the capitulation acts of the main cities, he insidiously attempted to introduce the French legal rules into the judicial practice of the northern territories of the kingdom. Justice is a fundamental institution allowing gradually the assimilation of conquered territories, just as army, administration or Church. Thus the criminal ordinance of 1670 was sent to the court in order to amend the rules of criminal procedure and other statutes came to impose the repressive policies to be followed. Historiography generally presents the parliament of Flanders’ magistrates as obedient to the royal power. However judicial archives revealed two examples of manifest disobedience to Louis XIV’s orders. Applying the ancient customs of the Netherlands is here a good way for the councillors to give priority to their financial interests.

Les différents types de fief dans la principauté de Liège suivant Charles de Méan (Benoît Lagasse)

Abstract:

This text speaks about the different kinds of feudal goods in the principalty of Liège. To achieve this goal, the two first observationes of Charles de Méan’s biggest book are analyzed. These observationes are then compared with other sources of the law of Liège. Finally, the law of Liège is compared with the law of other countries within the same geographic area in order to determine the specificity of the law of Liège.

Joseph-Marie Portalis (1778-1858) et la liberté de la presse vers 1820 (Raphael Cahen)

Abstract:

Joseph-Marie Portalis (1778-1858) had been a diplomat, a judge and a deputy. Since his emigration in the Holstein, he was enthusiast about German philosophy and Kantianism. As a moderate conservative he was in favour of reform respecting the spirit of the time and the French Charte of 1814. That can be well analysed regarding the law upon the freedom of the Press of 1828 which carry his name.

La neutralité permanente de la Belgique et l’histoire du droit international : quelques jalons pour la recherche (Frederik Dhondt)

Abstract:

The mandatory status of Belgium’s “permanent” neutrality (1830-1919) is an object of legal as well as historical research. Narratives in both disciplines often link an attitude of abstention in armed conflict and a certain impetus for the advancement of the cause of international law and institutions. However, any analysis should start from the conceptual pedigree of permanent neutrality. The instauration of a “permanent” neutrality cannot be seen but as a derogation, or at best a transformation of the concept of “voluntary” neutrality, established in early modern state practice. Neutrality cannot be conceived without an ongoing conflict between two third states. Rendering the restrictions of voluntary neutrality permanent, even when no conflict between third parties is around, equals restraining the sovereign freedom of an actor in the international system. Abstention, impartiality and military credibility were imposed on Belgium. As a counterparty, the Great Powers undertook a collective guarantee. In reality, only the United Kingdom displayed its determination to intervene in case of a violation of Belgium’s (European) territory. The vague and uncertain legal aspects (joint or individual guarantee, limited to civilised nations ?) and the movements of a political chessboard in constant flux fragilized what should have been a protection or a certainty, rather than a source of worries. Diplomatic practice should be reinterpreted using this legal, conceptual and historical explanatory grid, close to the actors’ preoccupations.

De la caserne aux maisons closes : la réglementation de la prostitution au profit de l’institution militaire (1900-1939) (Hélène Duffuler-Vialle)

Abstract:

From the Revolution to 1946, France was reglementarist, i.e. prostitution, thought of as a necessary evil, was regulated by local regulations, harmonized by ministerial injunctions. While prostitution clients are generally not subject to any specific treatment by the regulatory authority, military clients are an exception. Indeed, some regulatory provisions concern them. This clientele is considered particularly vulnerable in a context of Nation in Danger where syphilis represents a national risk. At the end of the 19th century and until 1916, a policy of preventive sex education was organized among soldiers, where chastity was presented as the best guarantee. Pragmatically, the brothel is considered the best way to control the sexuality of soldiers and prevent them from contracting venereal diseases. Thus, on one hand, the military institution fights against clandestine prostitution and, on the other hand, obstructs the establishment of an abolitionist or semi-abolitionist system in the few cities that try to install it. Regulation was adapted to military needs and from 1916 onwards, there was no longer any question of revising the system but of strengthening its prophylactic effectiveness. In this context, the military authority is occasionally called upon to deal with specific legal issues : is there a right of access to brothels for the military ? Do women in prostitution have the right to refuse clients ? What about racial discrimination ?

This issue contains the peer reviewed versions of the papers presented at the International Days 2016 of the Society for Legal and Institutional History of Flanders, Picardy and Wallonia, organised by the Committee for Legal History of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and the Arts, the Royal Military School, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (CORE), the Université libre de Bruxelles (CHDAJ) and the Université Saint-Louis (Centre de Recherches en Histoire du Droit et des Institutions), see earlier on this blog.

The fulltext of all articles can be consulted here.

CALL FOR PAPERS: XXVth Annual Forum of Young Legal Historians Brussels, 5 – 8 June 2019

Identity, Citizenship and Legal History

XXVth Annual Forum of Young Legal Historians

Brussels, 5 – 8 June 2019

(Image source)

Historically, the concept of citizenship encompassed three distinct, yet interconnected dimensions. The first and foremost dimension was of a legal nature: citizenship was a legal status which allowed one to act freely in accordance with the law and, when necessary, to claim its protection. In its second dimension citizenship presupposed one’s active participation in society’s political institutions. And last, though certainly not least, citizenship was closely linked to membership of a specific community that provided a distinct source of identity. All three dimensions were closely related to each other. This can perhaps be most aptly exemplified in the ancient boast of ‘Civis romanus sum!’, which encapsulated simultaneously a plea for legal rights, a republican sense of duty, and a distinctly Roman feeling of the imperial pride. Since the nineteenth century, these dimensions have been linked predominantly to the modern nation-state, a model which is nowadays increasingly challenged on the internal as well as the external level. Internally, many states are seen to be struggling with federalism, separatist movements, legacies of colonialism and right-wing identity politics. Externally, today’s governments are confronted with issues, such as climate change, demographic shifts, migration streams and a global and interdependent economic system, that require international cooperation or even supranational institutions.

The XXVth Annual Forum of the Young Legal Historians aims to shed light on these questions by looking at the legal history of the closely intertwined concepts of citizenship and legal history. Throughout history, citizenship and identity has been defined in different ways and at different levels. For instance, in antiquity the often smallish Greek poleis could hardly be compared to the expansive Roman Empire. Medieval life in Europe consisted of a feudal patchwork of kingdoms, principalities and free city-states, yet all were considered part of Christendom. Identity could also be determined by social class (e.g. aristocratic families) or by profession (e.g. the guilds). The nineteenth century saw the rise of nationalism and revolution, whilst at the same time European powers expanded their colonial empires. Despite these evolutions, it cannot be denied that there is also much continuity to be found. Although diversity and globalisation have reached an unprecedented scale and form today, these phenomena are not entirely new. Each era has had its international relations, its trades, wars, economic discrepancies, migrants and refugees.

There is, in short, enough reason to expect that we can learn from history. Such an endeavour necessitates a multidisciplinary approach since legal constructions can be fully appreciated only when combined with insights from the related fields of history, philosophy, political science and sociology. Therefore, the organizers welcome both traditional approaches in legal history and methodologically innovative research.

If you would like to present a paper during the conference, please send an application including an abstract of not more than 250 words and your CV to aylh2019@gmail.com before 15 January 2019. It is also possible to apply for a full panel. In that case, your proposal should also include, in addition to individual paper proposals, an abstract introducing the theme of the panel. Presentations have to be in English and should not exceed 20 minutes each. The conference fee will be € 100,- and does not include accommodation. Further information about the upcoming forum can be found at the website of the conference. Information about the Association of Young Legal Historians and the past Annual Forums is available at the AYLH-website.

This conference received the generous support of the Committee for Legal History of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts and of the Young Academy:

BOEK: Stanislas HORVAT, De vervolging van militairrechtelijke delicten tijdens Wereldoorlog I (Brussel: ASP/VUBPress, 2018), 426 p. ISBN 9789057188343, € 34,95 [Derde herziene uitgave en Engelse vertaling]

(bron afbeelding: ASP/VUBPRess)

Over het boek:

Deze publicatie is de eerste diepgaande studie van het Belgisch militair gerecht tijdens Wereldoorlog I. De werking van het krijgsgerecht wordt gedetailleerd beschreven en geëvalueerd aan de hand van een omvangrijk onderzoek van nooit eerder bestudeerde archiefdocumenten van het auditoraat-generaal en van het krijgshof, waaronder meer dan 300 omzendbrieven van de auditeur-generaal, ongeveer 5500 arresten en bijna 1000 dossiers van het krijgshof. De strafrechtelijke procedure, van onderzoek tot strafuitvoering, wordt volledig uiteengezet aan de hand van wetgeving, rechtspraak, rechtsleer, omzendbrieven en een groot aantal publicaties. De praktijk van het krijgsgerecht en de betekenis ervan voor de soldaten worden genuanceerd weergegeven en geanalyseerd via een aantal centrale vragen, die o.m. de taalkwestie en de sociale verhoudingen in het leger en in het krijgsgerecht aansnijden, maar ook de impact van de oorlogsontwikkelingen op de rechtspraktijk, de rol van de militaire overheden, de verhouding krijgshof-krijgsraden enz. Dit werk is een verhelderende studie voor al wie inzicht wil hebben in de vervolging van de militairrechtelijke delicten tijdens Wereldoorlog I en verschijnt nu in een derde, herziene editie.

Over de auteur:

 Stanislas Horvat is hoogleraar en hoofd van de Leerstoel Recht van de Koninklijke Militaire School en wetenschappelijk medewerker van de Faculteit Recht en Criminologie van de Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Hij is bestuurder van het Studiecentrum voor Militair Recht en Oorlogsrecht en van de International Society for Military Law and the Law of War en secretaris van het Wetenschappelijk Comité Rechtsgeschiedenis van de Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen.

English version:

This publication is the first in-depth study of the Belgian military court during World War I. Martial law application and procedures are described in detail and evaluated on the basis of a comprehensive study of previously unexamined archive documents from the Attorney General's Office and the Military Court, including more than 300 Attorney General's circulars, about 5,500 judgments and nearly 1,000 Military Court cases. Criminal procedure, from inquiry to execution, is fully explained through statutes, jurisprudence, circulars and a large number of scientific publications. Martial law practice and its significance for the soldiers are briefly presented and analysed through a number of key questions addressing the language issue and social relations in the army, but also the legal impact of the war, the roles played by military authorities, the relationship between armed forces, etc. This volume contains an enlightening study for all those who want an insight into the prosecution of the military law crimes during World War I

On the author:

 Dr. Stanislas Horvat is professor and head of the Chair of Law at the Belgian Royal Military Academy and affiliated researcher at the Faculty of Law and Criminology of the Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel). He is member of the board of directors and director of publications of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War, member of the managing board of the Belgian Military Law and the Law of War Centre and secretary of the Scientific Committee of Legal History of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts.

Meer informatie over de (derde, herziene) Nederlandstalige versie hier.
More information on the English version here.