Louis Defré (1816–1880), was a burgomaster mayor of

Uccle Uccle (French language, French, ) or Ukkel (Dutch language, Dutch, ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the southern part of the region, it ...

, Belgium, from 1864 to 1872, and deputy

Biography

Louis Defré, was raised in a rigid catholic family and environment, and he studied at the new founded

Catholic University of Leuven University of Leuven or University of Louvain (; ) may refer to: * Old University of Leuven (1425–1797) * State University of Leuven (1817–1835) * Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968) * Katholieke Universiteit Leuven or KU Leuven (1968 ...

. He became in 1839 lawyer, and a member of the House of Representatives. Under the pseudonym of Maurice Voituron or Joseph Boniface he wrote pamphlets against the

clericalism Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of the church or in broader political and sociocultural contexts. The journalist has stated that clericalism was not part of the Gospe ...

, the Catholic intolerance and the power of the Church in Belgium.Pol Delfosse, ''Dictionnaire historique de la laïcité belge'', p. 86 : « Il a publié de nombreux pamphlets politiques qui connurent un grand success et dans lesquels il mettait en cause le pouvoir de l'Église ». In his honor, his name was given to an avenue of Uccle, the "".

Publications

* ''Influence épiscopale: Réponse à M. Prosper Cornesse, ministre de la justice par Louis de Fré'', Brussels, 1871.

Publications under the pseudonym of Maurice Voituron

* ''Le Parti libéral joué par le Parti catholique, dans la question de l'enseignement supérieur ou Ce que coûte aux contribuables l' Université cléricale de Louvain : épitre à Mgr. De Ram'', Brussels by Périchon, 1850.

Publications under the pseudonym Joseph Boniface

* ''De l'influence du dogme catholique sur la politique nationale'', Brussels, 1855. * ''L'intolérance catholique et les lettres pastorales'', Brussels, 1857. * ''Tiel Uylenspiegel patriote'', Brussels, 1860. * ''Biographie anecdotique, par un ami d'enfance'', Brussels, 1881.

Bibliography

* J. Francis, ''Uccle et ses bourgmestres'', Bruxelles, 1979, pp. 179–182. * Pol Delfosse, ''Dictionnaire historique de la laïcité belge''. * Jean-Luc De Paepe and Christiane Raindorf-Gérard, ''Le Parlement belge, 1831-1894. Données biographiques'', Brussels, 1996.

Notes

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Defré, Louis People from Uccle Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968) alumni 1816 births 1880 deaths Mayors of places in Belgium