''De Grootste Belg'' (The Greatest Belgian) was a 2005 vote conducted by Belgian public TV broadcaster

Canvas Canvas is an extremely durable Plain weave, plain-woven Cloth, fabric used for making sails, tents, Tent#Marquees and larger tents, marquees, backpacks, Shelter (building), shelters, as a Support (art), support for oil painting and for other ite ...

, public radio broadcaster Radio 1, and newspaper ''

De Standaard (, ) is a Flemish daily newspaper published in Belgium by Mediahuis (formerly Corelio and VUM). It was traditionally a Christian-Democratic paper, associated with the Christian-Democratic and Flemish Party, and in opposition to the Sociali ...

'', to determine who is the Greatest Belgian of all time. It could be considered as a Flemish list, considering that French-speaking community broadcast

RTBF The ("Belgian Radio-television of the French Community"), shortened to RTBF (branded as rtbf.be), is a public broadcasting, public service broadcaster for the French Community of Belgium, French-speaking Community of Belgium. Its counterpart i ...

also held a vote,

Le plus grand Belge ''Les plus grands Belges'' (French language, French for "The Greatest Belgians"), is a television show that aired in 2005 on the Belgium, Belgian French-speaking public channel RTBF. In the program the audience could vote for the greatest Belgian ...

. Nominees needed to have lived between 50 BC and now, between the borders of present-day Belgium. This is because Belgium only gained its independence in 1830, while numerous historical individuals from, for example, the

Spanish Netherlands The Spanish Netherlands (; ; ; ) (historically in Spanish: , the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the Habsburg Netherlands ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs from 1556 to 1714. They were a collection of States of t ...

, are considered to be "Belgians". An initial list of 111 names (100 decided by a panel, 11 added by the public after a preliminary poll) was set online. People could vote for their favourites to reduce the longlist to a shortlist of ten. After the first television show, the final list of ten nominees was announced. Two of them,

Ambiorix Ambiorix (Gaulish "king of the surroundings", or "king-protector") ( 54–53 BC) was, together with Cativolcus, prince of the Eburones, leader of a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica), where modern Belgium is located. In the ...

and Hendrik Conscience, came out of the 11 names chosen by the public instead of the 100 chosen by the panel. The ten finalists were each presented on Canvas with a documentary, their nomination defended by famous Flemish people. On 1 December 2005, Pater Damiaan was announced as the winner of the "De Grootste Belg" poll, beating

Paul Janssen Paul Adriaan Jan, Baron Janssen (12 September 1926 – 11 November 2003) was a Belgian physician. He was the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company with over 20,000 employeesPaul Lewi, Obituary of Dr Paul Janssen (1926–20 ...

and

Eddy Merckx Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (born 17 June 1945), known as Eddy Merckx (, ), is a Belgian former professional road and track cyclist racer who is the most successful rider in the history of competitive cycling. His victories include an ...

Top 10

From 11 to 111

11)

Desiderius Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus ( ; ; 28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic priest and Catholic theology, theologian, educationalist ...

, (1466–1536) writer, philosopher, theologian (''

In Praise of Folly ''In Praise of Folly'', also translated as ''The Praise of Folly'' ( or ), is an essay written in Latin in 1509 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam and first printed in June 1511. Inspired by previous works of the Italian Renaissance humanism, hu ...

''). Born in

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...

or Gouda and thus technically a Dutchman by modern-day standards.
12)

Adolphe Sax Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax (; 6 November 1814 – 7 February 1894) was a Belgian inventor and musician who invented the saxophone in the early 1840s, patenting it in 1846. He also invented the saxotromba, saxhorn and saxtuba, and redesigne ...

, (1814–1894) inventor of the

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...

.
13) Jan Decleir, (1946–) theatre, TV and film actor (''

Mira Mira (), designation Omicron Ceti (ο Ceti, abbreviated Omicron Cet, ο Cet), is a red-giant star estimated to be 200–300 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. ο Ceti is a binary stellar system, consisting of a vari ...

'', '' Daens'', '' Character'', '' The Memory of a Killer'').
14) Kim Clijsters, (1983–) tennis player.
15)

Victor Horta Victor Pierre Horta (; Victor, Baron Horta after 1932; 6 January 1861 – 8 September 1947) was a Belgian architect and designer, and one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement. He was a fervent admirer of the French architectural theoris ...

, (1861–1947) architect and designer (''

Hôtel Tassel The Hôtel Tassel (; ) is a historic town house in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by Victor Horta for the scientist and professor Emile Tassel, and built between 1892 and 1893, in Art Nouveau style. It is considered one of the first buil ...

'', ''

Brussels-Central railway station Brussels-Central railway station (; ) is a railway and metro station in central Brussels, Belgium. It is the second busiest railway station in Belgium and one of three principal railway stations in Brussels, together with Brussels-South and ...

'', '' Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels'').
16)

Baudouin of Belgium Baudouin (; 7 September 1930 – 31 July 1993) was King of the Belgians from 17 July 1951 until his death in 1993. He was the last Belgian king to be sovereign of the Congo, before it became independent in 1960 and became the Democratic Republi ...

, (1930–1993) king (1950–1993). Founder of the King Baudouin Foundation.
17)

Pieter Bruegel the Elder Pieter Bruegel (also Brueghel or Breughel) the Elder ( , ; ; – 9 September 1569) was among the most significant artists of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, a painter and printmaking, printmaker, known for his landscape art, landscape ...

, (1525–1569) painter ('' The Peasant Wedding'', ''

The Blind Leading the Blind ''The Blind Leading the Blind'', ''Blind'', or ''The Parable of the Blind'' () is a painting by the Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, Netherlandish Renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, completed in 1568. Executed in Glue-size, d ...

'', '' Netherlandish Proverbs'', '' Landscape with the Fall of Icarus'').
18)

René Magritte René François Ghislain Magritte (; 21 November 1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgium, Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature ...

, (1898–1967) painter (''

The Treachery of Images ''The Treachery of Images'' () is a 1929 painting by Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte. It is also known as ''This Is Not a Pipe'', ''Ceci n'est pas une pipe'' and ''The Wind and the Song''. It is on display at the Los Angeles County Muse ...

'', '' The Son of Man'').
19)

Guido Gezelle Guido Pieter Theodorus Josephus Gezelle (1 May 1830 – 27 November 1899) was an influential writer and poet and a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium. He is famous for the use of the West Flemish dialect, but he also wrote in other languages ...

, (1830–1899) poet (''Het Schrijverke'', ''Dien Avond en die Rooze'').
20)

Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans (), was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for playing the chromatic harmonica, as well as his guitar and wh ...

, (1922–2016) jazz musician ('' Bluesette'').
21) Charles V of Spain, (1500–1558) Spanish king (1517–1556) and Holy Roman Emperor (1519–1558), who was born in

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

.
22)

Louis Paul Boon Lodewijk Paul Aalbrecht (Louis Paul) Boon (15 March 1912, in Aalst, Belgium, Aalst – 10 May 1979, in Erembodegem) was a Belgian writer of novels, poetry, pornography, columns and art criticism in Flemish dialects, Flemish. He was also a painter. ...

, (1912–1979) novelist (''De Kapellekensbaan'', ''Priester Daens'', ''Mieke Maaike's Obscene Jeugd'').
23) Jozef Cardijn, (1882–1967) priest, cardinal and humanitarian. Founder of the

Young Christian Workers The Young Christian Workers (YCW; ) is an international youth organization founded by the Catholic priest Joseph Cardijn in Belgium as the Young Trade Unionists. The organization adopted its present name in 1924. Is it regarded as the most influent ...

.
24)

Hergé Georges Prosper Remi (; 22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), known by the pen name Hergé ( ; ), from the French pronunciation of his reversed initials ''RG'', was a Belgian comic strip artist. He is best known for creating ''The Adventures of T ...

, (1907–1983) comics artist (''

The Adventures of Tintin ''The Adventures of Tintin'' ( ) is a series of 24 comic albums created by Belgians, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. The series was one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century. By 2007, a c ...

'', '' Quick and Flupke'').
25)

James Ensor James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence on expressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for most of his life. He was associated with the artistic ...

, (1860–1949) painter ('' Christ's Entry Into Brussels in 1889'').
26)

Peter Piot Sir Peter Karel, Baron Piot (born 17 February 1949) is a Belgian-British microbiologist known for his research into Ebola and AIDS. After helping discover the Ebola virus in 1976 and leading efforts to contain the first-ever recorded Ebola epide ...

, (1949–) physician. Co-discoverer of the

Ebola Ebola, also known as Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), is a viral hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates, caused by ebolaviruses. Symptoms typically start anywhere between two days and three weeks after in ...

virus, for which he found a way to contain the epidemic.
27)

Jan van Eyck Jan van Eyck ( ; ; – 9 July 1441) was a Flemish people, Flemish painter active in Bruges who was one of the early innovators of what became known as Early Netherlandish painting, and one of the most significant representatives of Early Nort ...

, painter (''

Ghent Altarpiece The ''Ghent Altarpiece'', also called the ''Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'' (), is a very large and complex 15th-century polyptych altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium. It was begun around the mid-1420s and completed by 1432, and it ...

'', '' The Arnolfini Portrait'').
28) Christoffel Plantijn, printer and publisher.
29)

Willy Vandersteen Willebrord Jan Frans Maria "Willy" Vandersteen (15 February 1913 – 28 August 1990) was a Belgian creator of comic books. In a career spanning 50 years, he created a large studio and published more than 1,000 comic albums in over 25 series, sel ...

, (1913–1990) comics artist (''

Suske en Wiske ''Spike and Suzy'' (British title), ''Willy and Wanda'' (American title) or ''Luke and Lucy'' (in a 2009 film and video game) (, ) is a Belgian comics series created by the comic book creator, comics author Willy Vandersteen. It was first publis ...

'', '' De Rode Ridder'')
30) Hugo Claus, (1929–2008) novelist, poet, playwright and film director ('' The Sorrow of Belgium'').
31)

Jan Frans Willems Jan Frans Willems (11 March 1793 – 24 June 1846) was a Flemish writer, and the father of the Flemish movement. Willems was born in the Belgian city of Boechout while it was under French occupation. He started his career in the office of a n ...

, (1793–1846) writer and activist. Founder of the

Flemish movement The Flemish Movement (, ) is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgium, Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought to promote Flemis ...

.
32)

Leo Baekeland Leo Hendrik Baekeland ( , ; November 14, 1863 – February 23, 1944) was a Belgian chemist. Educated in Belgium and Germany, he spent most of his career in the United States. He is best known for the inventions of Velox photographic paper ...

, (1863–1944) chemist. Inventor of

bakelite Bakelite ( ), formally , is a thermosetting polymer, thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed by Belgian chemist ...

.
33)

Lieven Gevaert Lieven Gevaert (28 May 1868 – 2 February 1935) was a Belgian 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 ...

, (1868–1935) businessman. Founder of Gevaert & Co (nowadays

Agfa-Gevaert Agfa-Gevaert N.V. (Agfa) is a Belgian-German multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, and distributes analogue and digital imaging products, software, and systems. The company began as a dye manufacturer in 1867. In 1925, the comp ...

).
34) Arno Hintjens, (1949–2022) rock singer ( TC Matic).
35) Mark Uytterhoeven, (1957–) TV presenter and sports journalist ('' Het Huis van Wantrouwen'', '' Morgen Maandag'', '' Alles Kan Beter'').
36) Dirk Martens, (1447–1534) printer.
37)

Justine Henin-Hardenne Justine Henin (; born 1 June 1982) is a Belgian former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for 117 weeks, including as the year-end No. 1 in 2003, 2006 and 20 ...

, (1982–) tennis player.
38) Raymond Goethals, (1921–2004) association football player and trainer.
39) Ernest Solvay, (1838–1922) chemist, businessman and philanthropist. Inventor of the ammonia-soda process.
40)

Paul-Henri Spaak Paul-Henri Charles Spaak (; 25 January 1899 – 31 July 1972) was an influential Belgian Socialist politician, diplomat and statesman who thrice served as the prime minister of Belgium and later as the second secretary general of NATO. Nicknam ...

, (1899–1972) Prime Minister (1938–1939) (1946) (1947–1949).

President of the United Nations General Assembly The president of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a yearly basis. The president is the chair and presiding officer of the General Assembly. Election ...

(1946–1947), Secretary General of N.A.T.O. (1957–1961). President of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (1952–1954).
41) Achiel Van Acker, (1898–1975) Prime Minister (1945–1946) (1946) (1954–1958).
42) Marie Popelin, (1846–1913) activist and feminist. Founder of the women's right movement '' Ligue belge du droit des femmes''. First Belgian woman to receive a law doctorate.
43) Paul Delvaux, (1897–1994) painter.
44)

Simon Stevin Simon Stevin (; 1548–1620), sometimes called Stevinus, was a County_of_Flanders, Flemish mathematician, scientist and music theorist. He made various contributions in many areas of science and engineering, both theoretical and practical. He a ...

, mathematician. Described the

Decimal The decimal numeral system (also called the base-ten positional numeral system and denary or decanary) is the standard system for denoting integer and non-integer numbers. It is the extension to non-integer numbers (''decimal fractions'') of th ...

system for fractions and did mathematical groundwork for the construction of

fortifications A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

. Made

windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...

s more efficient. Was the first to explain the

tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables ...

s using the attraction of the moon, discovered the hydrostatic paradox and proved the

inclined plane An inclined plane, also known as a ramp, is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle from the vertical direction, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. The inclined plane is one of the six clas ...

.
45) Julien Lahaut, politician.
46) Christine Van Broeckhoven, (1953–) molecular biologist. Did research on

Alzheimer Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

dementia, bipolar mental disorders and other neurological diseases.
47) Queen Elisabeth, (1876–1965) queen (1909–1934). Established the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation and the

Queen Elisabeth Competition The Queen Elisabeth Competition (, ) is an international competition for career-starting musicians held in City of Brussels, Brussels. The competition is named after Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (1876–1 ...

.
48)

Marc Sleen Marcel Honoree Nestor ( ridder) Neels (30 December 1922 – 6 November 2016), known as Marc Sleen, was a Belgian comics artist. He was mostly known for his humorous adventure comic '' The Adventures of Nero and Co.'', but also created gag comic ...

, (1922–2016) comics artist (''

The Adventures of Nero ''The Adventures of Nero'' or ''Nero'' was a Belgium, Belgian comic strip drawn by Marc Sleen and the name of Nero (comic book character), its main character. The original title ranged from ''De Avonturen van Detective Van Zwam, Detectief Van Z ...

'', ''

Piet Fluwijn en Bolleke ''Piet Fluwijn en Bolleke'' was a Belgian gag-a-day comic strip series drawn by Marc Sleen from 1944 until 1965. It was continued by artists Hurey and Jean-Pol until 1974. On 1 January 2030, all comics series by Marc Sleen, including ''Piet Flu ...

'', '' De Lustige Kapoentjes'').
49)

Willem Elsschot Alphonsus Josephus de Ridder (7 May 1882 – 31 May 1960) was a Belgian writer and poet who wrote under the pseudonym Willem Elsschot (). One of the most prominent Flemish authors, his most famous work, ''Cheese'' (1933) is the most translated F ...

, (1882–1960) novelist and poet (''Het Huwelijk'', ''Villa des Roses'', ''Lijmen/Het Been'' and ''Kaas'').
50) Paul Van Ostaijen, (1896–1928) poet (''Boem Paukeslag!'', ''Melopee'').
51) Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, (1796–1862) lawyer and politician. Founder of the Free University of Brussels.
52) Raymond Ceulemans, (1937–) billiards player.
53)

Jean-Marie Pfaff Jean-Marie Pfaff (born 4 December 1953) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and spent most of his professional career with Beveren and Bayern Munich. Pfaff was capped 64 times playing for Belgium, and parti ...

, (1953–) association football player.
54) Georges Pire, priest and humanitarian.

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

, 1958.
55) Isabelle Gatti de Gamond, (1839–1905) activist and feminist. Launched the first systematic courses of secondary female education (''Cours d'Éducation pour jeunes filles'').
56)

Philip the Good Philip III the Good (; ; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) ruled as Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his reign, ...

, (1396–1467) duke of Burgundy (1419–1467).
57) Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery, (1866–1934) polar explorer. First man to spend a few months on

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

.
58)

Edward Anseele Edward Anseele (26 July 1856 – 18 February 1938) was a Belgian socialist politician. Edward Anseele became active in the early Belgian socialist movement. Anseele attended the Royal Athenaeum in Ghent until the age of 17. Career Edward Anseele ...

, (1856–1938) politician.
59) Pascal Vyncke, creator of the website SeniorenNet. His high vote was a result of many people, including himself and his family under a different name, trying to get him into this list.
60)

Christian de Duve Christian René Marie Joseph, Viscount de Duve (2 October 1917 – 4 May 2013) was a Nobel Prize-winning Belgian cytologist and biochemist. He made serendipitous discoveries of two cell organelles, peroxisomes and lysosomes, for which he sh ...

, (1917–2013) cytologist and biochemist. Did research after the microstructure of cells.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...

, 1974.
61)

Georges Lemaître Georges Henri Joseph Édouard Lemaître ( ; ; 17 July 1894 – 20 June 1966) was a Belgian Catholic priest, theoretical physicist, and mathematician who made major contributions to cosmology and astrophysics. He was the first to argue that the ...

, (1894–1966) priest, astronomer, mathematician. Developed the

Big Bang The Big Bang is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models based on the Big Bang concept explain a broad range of phenomena, including th ...

theory.
62)

Rembert Dodoens Rembert Dodoens (born Rembert van Joenckema, 29 June 1517 – 10 March 1585) was a Flemish people, Flemish physician and botanist, also known under his Latinization (literature), Latinized name Rembertus Dodonaeus. He has been called the father o ...

, (1517–1585) physician and botanist (''Cruydeboeck'').
63) John Cockerill, (1790–1840) businessman ('' John Cockerill'')
64)

Ilya Prigogine Viscount Ilya Romanovich Prigogine (; ; 28 May 2003) was a Belgian physical chemist of Russian-Jewish origin, noted for his work on dissipative structures, complex systems, and irreversibility. Prigogine's work most notably earned him the 19 ...

, (1917–2003) physical chemist.

Nobel Prize for Chemistry The Nobel Prize in Chemistry () is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outst ...

, 1977.
65) Tom Barman, (1972–) rock singer (

dEUS ''Deus'' (, ) is the Latin word for 'God (word), god' or 'deity'. Latin ''deus'' and ''dīvus'' ('divine') are in turn descended from Proto-Indo-European language, Proto-Indo-European *''deiwos'', 'celestial' or 'shining', from the same root ( ...

).
66)

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani people, Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Belgium, Belgian-born Romani jazz guitarist and composer in France. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe ...

, (1910–1953) jazz guitarist (''

Nuages "Nuages" () is one of the best-known compositions by Django Reinhardt. He recorded at least thirteen versions of the tune, which is a jazz standard and a mainstay of the gypsy swing repertoire. English and French lyrics have been added to the piec ...

'').
67)

Gaston Eyskens Gaston François Marie, Viscount Eyskens (1 April 1905 – 3 January 1988) was a Christian democracy, Christian democratic politician and prime minister of Belgium. He was also an economist and member of the Belgian Christian Social Party (Belg ...

, (1905–1988) Prime Minister (1948–1950) (1958–1961) (1968–1973).
68)

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker Anne Teresa, Baroness De Keersmaeker (, born 1960 in Mechelen, Belgium, grew up in Wemmel) is a contemporary dance choreographer. The dance company constructed around her, , was in residence at La Monnaie in Brussels from 1992 to 2007. Biogra ...

, (1960–) choreographer ('' Rosas danst Rosas'').
69)

Camille Huysmans Jean Joseph Camille Huysmans (born as Camiel Hansen 26 May 1871 – 25 February 1968) was a Belgian people, Belgian politician who served as the prime minister of Belgium from 1946 to 1947. Biography He studied German philology at the Universit ...

, (1871–1968) Prime Minister (1946–1947) and activist.
70) Antoon van Dyck, (1599–1641) painter (''

Charles I at the Hunt ''Charles I at the Hunt'', also known under its French title ''Le Roi à la chasse'', is an oil-on-canvas portrait of Charles I of England by Anthony van Dyck, dated to c. 1635, and now in the Louvre Museum in Paris. It depicts Charles in civilia ...

'', '' Equestrian Portrait of Charles I'').
71)

Briek Schotte Alberic "Briek" Schotte (7 September 1919 – 4 April 2004) was a Belgium, Belgian professional road racing cyclist, one of the champions of the 1940s and 1950s. His stamina earned him the nickname "Iron Briek" (''IJzeren Briek''). He was World ...

, (1919–2004) cyclist.
72) Henry Van de Velde, (1863–1957) architect ('' Bloemenwerf'', '' Boekentoren'').
73) Rik Coppens, (1930–2015) association football player.
74) Hadewijch, poet (''Book of Visions'', ''Poems in Stanzas'').
75) Ingrid Berghmans (1961) judoka
76) Orlandus Lassus, (1530–1594) composer ('' Lagrime di San Pietro'', ''

Prophetiae Sibyllarum ''Prophetiae Sibyllarum'' ("Sibylline Prophecies" or "Sibylline Oracles") are a series of twelve motets by the Franco-Flemish composer Orlando di Lasso. The works are known for their extremely chromatic idiom. History This cycle of motets i ...

'').
77)

Georges Simenon Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (; 12/13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a Belgian writer who created the fictional detective Jules Maigret. One of the most prolific and successful authors of the 20th century, he published around 400 ...

, (1903–1989) novelist (''

Inspector Maigret Jules Maigret (), or simply Maigret, is a fictional French police detective, a '' commissaire'' ("commissioner") of the Paris ''Brigade Criminelle'' ('' Direction Régionale de la Police Judiciaire de Paris:36, Quai des Orfèvres''), created ...

'').
78) Rik Van Looy, (1933–) cyclist.
79)

Ferdinand Verbiest Ferdinand Verbiest, (9 October 1623 – 28 January 1688) was a Flemish Jesuit missionary in China during the Qing dynasty. He was born in Pittem near Tielt in the County of Flanders (now part of Belgium). He is known as Nan Huairen () in Chine ...

, (1623–1688) priest, astronomer and mathematician.
80) Dries Van Noten, (1958–) fashion designer.
81)

Cyriel Buysse Cyrillus Gustave Emile "Cyriel" Buysse (; 20 September 1859 – 25 July 1932) was a Flemish naturalist author and playwright. He also wrote under the following pseudonyms: Louis Bonheyden, Prosper Van Hove and Robert Palmer. Biography Buysse w ...

, (1859–1932) novelist and playwright ('' Het gezin van Paemel'').
82)

Hans Memling Hans Memling (also spelled Memlinc; – 11 August 1494) was a German-Flemish people, Flemish painter who worked in the tradition of Early Netherlandish painting. Born in the Middle Rhine region, he probably spent his childhood in Mainz. During ...

, painter ('' The Last Judgment'', '' St. Ursula Shrine'').
83) Jeanne Brabants, (1920–2014) ballet choreographer. Founder of the Royal Ballet of Flanders.
84)

Tom Lanoye Tom Lanoye (; born 27 August 1958) is a Belgian novelist, poet, columnist, screenwriter and playwright. He is one of the most widely read and honoured authors in his language area (the Netherlands and Flanders), and makes regular appearances at ...

, (1958–) novelist (''Alles Moet Weg'', ''Kartonnen Dozen'', ''Het Goddelijke Monster'').
85)

Rik Van Steenbergen Hendrik Van Steenbergen (9 September 1924 – 15 May 2003) was a Belgium, Belgian racing cyclist, considered to be one of the best among the great number of successful Belgian cyclists. Early life Van Steenbergen was born in Arendonk into ...

, (1927–2003) cyclist.
86) Adolphe Quételet, (1796–1874) astronomer, mathematician, statistician and sociologist. Developed the

body mass index Body mass index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass (Mass versus weight, weight) and height of a person. The BMI is defined as the human body weight, body mass divided by the square (algebra), square of the human height, body height, and is ...

scale.
87) Gaston Roelants, (1937–) athlete. Olympic gold medal for 3000 m steeplechase (1964), European Championship 3000 m steeplechase (1962).
88) Jan van Ruusbroec, poet (''The Seven Steps of the Ladder of Spiritual Love'', ''The Spiritual Espousals'').
89) Paul Van Himst, (1943–) association football player and trainer.
90)

Emile Vandervelde Emile Vandervelde (25 January 1866 – 27 December 1938) was a Belgium, Belgian socialist politician. Nicknamed "the boss" (''le patron''), Vandervelde was a leading figure in the Belgian Labour Party (POB–BWP) and in international socialism. C ...

, (1866–1938) politician. Minister of Justice (1918–1921) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1925–1927).
91)

Amélie Nothomb Baroness Fabienne Claire Nothomb (; born 13 August 1967''État présent de la noblesse belge'', éditions of 1979, 1995 and 2010. Her birth is announced in n° 87, aout 1967, p. 340 of the ''Bulletin de l'association de la noblesse du royaume de ...

, (1966–) novelist ('' Hygiène de l'assassin'').
92) Frans Van Cauwelaert, (1880–1961) politician and activist.
93) Constant Vanden Stock, (1914–2008) association football player and trainer.
94)

Gabrielle Petit Gabrielle Alina Eugenia Maria Petit (20 February 1893 – 1 April 1916) was a Belgian spy who worked for the British Secret Service in German-occupied Belgium during World War I. She was executed in 1916, and was widely celebrated as a Belgi ...

, (1893–1916), nurse and resistance fighter.
95) Marc Van Montagu, (1933–) molecular biologist. Co-founder of the

Plant Genetic Systems Plant Genetic Systems (PGS), since 2002 part of Bayer CropScience, is a biotech company located in Ghent, Belgium. The focus of its activities is the genetic engineering of plants. The company is best known for its work in the development of inse ...

and CropDesign companies. Discovered the Ti plasmid.
96) Auguste Beernaert, (1829–1912) Prime Minister (1884–1894).

, 1909.
97) Marcel Broodthaers, (1924–1976) artist (''Surface of mussels (with bag))'').
98)

Maurice Maeterlinck Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck (29 August 1862 – 6 May 1949), also known as Count/Comte Maeterlinck from 1932, was a Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist who was Flemish but wrote in French. He was awarded the 1911 Nobel Prize in ...

, (1862–1949) novelist and playwright ('' The Blue Bird'', ''

Pelléas and Mélisande ''Pelléas and Mélisande'' () is a Symbolism (movement), Symbolist play by the Belgian playwright and author Maurice Maeterlinck. The play is about the forbidden, doomed love of the title characters and was first performed in 1893 in literature, ...

'').

Nobel Prize for Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in t ...

, 1911.
99) Pedro de Gante, missionary. Beatified in 1988.
100)

Philippe Herreweghe Philippe Maria François Herreweghe, Knight Herreweghe (born 2 May 1947) is a Belgian conductor and choirmaster. Herreweghe founded La Chapelle Royale and Collegium Vocale Gent and is renowned as a conductor, with a repertoire ranging from ...

, (1947–) conductor. Founder of the Collegium Vocale Gent and La Chapelle Royale.
101)

Rogier van der Weyden Rogier van der Weyden (; 1399 or 140018 June 1464), initially known as Roger de le Pasture (), was an Early Netherlandish painting, early Netherlandish painter whose surviving works consist mainly of religious triptychs, altarpieces, and commis ...

, (1400–1464) painter ('' The Descent from the Cross'').
102)

Fernand Khnopff Fernand Edmond Jean Marie Khnopff (12 September 1858 – 12 November 1921) was a Belgian symbolist painter. Life Youth and training Fernand Khnopff was born to a wealthy family that was part of the high bourgeoisie for generations. Khnopf ...

, (1858–1921) painter (''The Sphinx, or, The Caresses'').
103)

César Franck César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck (; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in present-day Belgium. He was born in Liège (which at the time of h ...

, (1822–1890) composer ('' Grande Pièce Symphonique'').
104) Gerard Mortier, (1943–2014) opera director.
105) Pierre Wynants, (1939–) cook.
106)

Henri Pirenne Henri Pirenne (; 23 December 1862 – 24 October 1935) was a Belgian historian. A medievalist of Walloon descent, he wrote a multivolume history of Belgium in French and became a prominent public intellectual. Pirenne made a lasting contributi ...

, (1862–1935) historian (''Histoire de Belgique'').
107)

Pierre Deligne Pierre René, Viscount Deligne (; born 3 October 1944) is a Belgian mathematician. He is best known for work on the Weil conjectures, leading to a complete proof in 1973. He is the winner of the 2013 Abel Prize, 2008 Wolf Prize, 1988 Crafoor ...

, (1944–) mathematician. Proved the

Weil conjectures In mathematics, the Weil conjectures were highly influential proposals by . They led to a successful multi-decade program to prove them, in which many leading researchers developed the framework of modern algebraic geometry and number theory. Th ...

.
108)

Raoul Servais Raoul Servais (1 May 1928 – 17 March 2023) was a Belgian filmmaker, animator and comics artist. He was born in Ostend, Belgium, and is a fundamental figure of the Belgian animation scene, as well as the founder of the animation faculty of the ...

, (1928–2023) animator and film director ('' Harpya'').
109) Emile Francqui, (1863–) soldier, diplomat and philanthropist.
110) Charles Rogier, (1800–1885) Prime Minister (1847–1852) (1857–1867).
111)

Hugo van der Goes Hugo van der Goes ( – 1482) was a Flemish painter who was one of the most significant and original Early Netherlandish painters of the late 15th century. Van der Goes was an important painter of altarpieces as well as portraits. He introduced i ...

, painter (''

Portinari Altarpiece The ''Portinari Altarpiece'' or Portinari Triptych (c. 1475) is an oil-on-wood triptych painting by the Flanders, Flemish painter Hugo van der Goes, commissioned by Tommaso Portinari, representing the Adoration of the Shepherds. It measures 253 ...

'').

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grootste Belg Belg, De Grootste Belgian reality television series Lists of Belgian people 2005 Belgian television series debuts 2005 Belgian television series endings Belgian television series based on British television series

Top 10

From 11 to 111

See also

Notes