Chênée

Chênée (; wa, Tchinnêye) is a district of the city of Liège, Wallonia, located in the province and arrondissement of Liège, Belgium. Chênée lays at the river mouth of the two rivers Vesdre and Ourthe. It had around 9,101 inhabitants in 2015. The postal code of Chênée is 4032 and is situated around 72 meters above sea level.

Etymology

The name ''Chênée'' comes from the French ''chênaie'' (oak-grove, a place many oak trees grew). The three diamonds in the coat of arms symbolize oak leaves or grains of sand, reflecting the city's history as a site of glass production.

History

Chênée originated at the crossing of two Roman roads; the first leading from Trier to Tongeren, the second from Jupille over Theux to Stavelot. The crossing was also close to a ford, which was important to pass cows over the Ourth before the ''Pont de Lhoneux'' (the bridge of Lhonneux) was built.

Chênée was mentioned the first time in a 12th-century document under the name of ''Kesneies''. Until 1266 Chênée was part of the Vogtei of Jupille, which was subordinated to the diocese of Verdun. At that year it was affiliated into the principality of Liège. The bishop of Verdun, Haimo of Verdun got the village as a gift from the German Emperor Henry II in the year 1008.

In 1266 the Bishopric of Verdun Robert II of Médidan donated the Vogtei Jupille to the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, Henry III of Geldern. That meant, that all the villages and villagers became property of Henry III and fell under his jurisdiction. Because of his unworthy and extravagant way of life, Henry III was deposed by Gregory X.

In 1318 Chênée was burned down by John of Bohemia while being at war with prince-bishop Adolph II of the Mark.

1691 it was burned, again, this time by the army of Louis XIV of France under its lieutenant-general under the king in person Louis-François de Boufflers.

Chênée also had to suffer from the retreating Austrian army after the lost Battle of Fleurus in 1794. During the French epoch at the end of the 18th century, Chênée became an independent commune.

The Battle of Liège (French: Bataille de Liège) was the opening engagement of the German invasion of Belgium and the first battle of the First World War.

In World War II Chênée was liberated from Nazi occupation by troops of the 36th Infantry Regiment on September 8, 1944.

In 1977 Chênée became a section of the city of Liège.

2008 the roof of the ''Saint-Albert'' elementary school of Chênée collapsed overnight. Nobody was hurt.

At the junction of Vesder and Ourthe the building of a mill still stands.

Glass manufacturing

There were three glass manufactures in Chênée in 1758: ''Grandchamps & Coune'', ''Bonniver'' and ''Cambresier & Co''.

In 1872, the glass factory of ''Van Steenacker'' was founded by the entrepreneurs Amiable, Belleflamme, Louvet and Berneau. Around the same time the company ''S.A. of the Verreries de '' was founded under the direction of Cochet. In the course of the closure of the glassworks ''Bougart'' in Manage 1875 one of the sons of Bougart and the production manager Auguste Van Steenacker came to Vaux. They founded the ''Verrerie Bougart, Sortia et Cie'' with Cochet, Sortia and Colin.

When the company ''Belleflamme, Louvet et Berneau'' gave up its glassworks in Chênée in February 1888, it was taken over by the ''Verrerie de Vaux''.

After François Delhaize and Herman Dethier had succeeded their parents, Auguste Van Steenacker took over the glassworks of Vaux in February 1895 and founded with his sons François-Charles and William the ''Société anonyme des Verreries de Vaux''.

The glassworks of Chênée was then led by François Delhaize. World War I interrupted production. In 1919, production was resumed, but meanwhile the competition had grown abroad.

Many old markets were completely or almost completely lost. The glassworks of Vaux ran into considerable financial difficulties and could not find the urgently needed investor. In 1930, the hut was abandoned, the land and buildings were taken over by ''Magotteaux''.

In the end ''Verrerie Grandchamps'' stayed as the local manufacturer. They produced the bottles for the mineral water brand ''Spa''. ''Verrerie Grandchamps'' succeeded ''Verreries d'Amblève'', who were founded 1721 in Aywaille.

People from Chênée

* Clélie Lamberty, Artist, painter (1930–2013)
* Charles Descardre, Mayor (1882-1891)
* Lucien François, Judge at the Belgian Constitutional Court (1989–2004) (born in 1934)
* Jean-Louis Lejaxhe, Writer
* Nicolas Gilsoul, Rally Racer (born in 1982)
* Some ancestors of Kate Bolduan, the family Rousselle, emigrated from Chênée to America in 1912.

External links

* Postcards wit
images
of Chênées in the 19th century.
* 36th Armored Infantry Regiment frees Chênèe during WWII
images

Glass works from Chênée

Gallery

Chênée - maison communale.jpg, The former parish hall of Chênée.
Aiguabarreig-Ourthe-Weser.jpg, The river mouth of Vesdre (from the left) into the Ourthe.
20110613 liege031.jpg, View on the Ourthe
Clelie Lamberty by Robert Liard.jpg, Clélie Lamberty painted by Robert Liard, 1977
Chênée - Tous les pouvoirs.jpg, ''Tous les pouvoirs émanent de la Nation'' - ''All powers come from within the nation'', Article 33 of the Constitution of Belgium
3e régiment du génie.jpg, 3e régiment du génie (in the French Wikipedia), The 3rd French Regiment of Pioneers are building a Pontoon Bridge, 1930's.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chênée
Sub-municipalities of Liège
Former municipalities of Liège Province