- Schaerbeek
Infobox Belgium Municipality
name=Schaerbeek Fr icon
Schaarbeek Nl icon
picture=SchaerbeekStation.jpg
picture-width= 260px
picture-
map-
arms=Schaarbeekwapen.jpg
flag_link=Symbols of Brussels#Municipalities
arms_link=Symbols of Brussels#Municipalities
region=BE-REG-BRU
community=BE-FR
BE-NL
province=
arrondissement=Brussels
nis=21015
pyramid-date=
0-19=
20-64=
65=
foreigners=
foreigners-date=
mayor=
majority=
postal-codes=1030
telephone-area=02
web= [http://www.schaerbeek.be/ www.schaerbeek.be]
lat_deg=50
lat_min=52
lon_deg=04
lon_min=23Schaarbeek (Dutch) or Schaerbeek (French) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the
Brussels-Capital Region ofBelgium . "Schaerbeek" is an old Dutch spelling for "Schaarbeek", which probably derived from "schorrenbeek", meaning a "brook with schorres", i.e. elevated parts not always covered by water.Schaarbeek is nicknamed "the city of
donkey s" ("la cité des ânes" or "de ezelsgemeente"). This name is reminiscent of times when people of Schaarbeek, who were cultivators of sour cherries primarily forKriek production, would arrive at the Brussels marketplace withdonkey s laden with sour cherries."Downtown Schaerbeek" is home to a powerful Turkish immigrant community, a significant part of which originates from
Afyon /Emirdağ ,Turkey . It is also home to a large Moroccan population and other immigrant communities."Uptown Schaerbeek" is nowadays a location selected by EU- and affluent people for its architecture and its convenient location (close to the EU and financial heart of the city, the airport and highways). Young couples are also favoring this suburb for its "
Notting Hill " atmosphere and the still reasonable pricing of the estate, while prices are on the surge everywhere else in Brussels.The
Schaarbeek Cemetery , despite its name, is actually in the neighbouring municipality ofEvere .History
Antiquity and Middle Ages
The period at which human activity started in Schaarbeek can be inferred from the
Stone-Age flint tools that were recovered in the Josaphat valley. Tombs and coins dating from the reign ofHadrian (2nd century) were also found near the old Roman roads that crossed Schaarbeek’s territory.The first mention of the town’s name appears in a legal document dated 1120, whereby the
bishop of Cambrai granted the administration of the churches of "Scarenbecca" and "Everna" (today’s neighbouringEvere ) to the canons ofSoignies . Politically, the town was part of theDuchy of Brabant . In 1301,John II, Duke of Brabant had the town administered by theschepen (aldermen) ofBrussels . A new church to SaintServatius was built around that same time, at the same location as the old church.At the end of the 14th century, the Schaarbeek lands that belonged to the Lords of
Kraainem were sold and reconverted into a hunting ground. The official entry of the visitingDukes of Burgundy into Brussels, their second capital, was also through Schaarbeek, where they had to swear to uphold the city’s privileges. The game reservation and the rural character of the village lasted until the end of the 18th century. The areas not covered by woods were used to cultivate vegetables and grow vines. In 1540, Schaarbeek counted 112 houses and 600 inhabitants.16th century until now
Up until then, the village had lived in relative peace. This would change in the middle of the 16th century as the
Reformation set in. Schaarbeek suffered through ravages and destructions about a dozen times over the following two centuries, starting in the 1570s withWilliam the Silent ’s mercenary troops fighting the Catholic Duke of Alba. Spanish, French, British, andBavaria n troops all came through Schaarbeek, with the usual exactions and requisitions inflicted on the population. After theFrench Revolution , it was decreed that Schaarbeek would be taken away from Brussels and proclaimed an independent commune, with its own mayor, schepen, and municipal assembly.On
September 27 ,1830 , during theBelgian Revolution , some fighting occurred in the Josaphat valley between the revolutionary troops and the retreating Dutch troops. In 1879, a more modern SaintServatius church was built near the old one, which was eventually demolished in 1905. The town hall and railway station were built in 1887 and 1902, respectively.Dwight D. Eisenhower came to visit the city at the close ofWorld War II . Five years later, the population of Schaarbeek peaked at 125,000 inhabitants.At the end of the XIXth and in the early XXth century, Schaerbeek became home to the gentry having there a "pied-à-terre". They rapidly settled and erected beautiful building and houses.
Nowadays, the city is governed by a rightist-
ecolo gist majority, after a disputed run betweenBernard Clerfayt (MR-Reformist Movement ) andLaurette Onkelinx (PS-Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) ).ights
*Schaarbeek counts a number of
art deco andart nouveau houses, including the "Maison Autrique", the first house built byVictor Horta in the Brussels area.
*The impressive town hall was inaugurated byKing Leopold II in 1887.
*Josaphat Park , also inaugurated by King Leopold II (in 1904), provides a haven of quiet in the heart of the city.
*The "Clockarium" is a clock museum. There is also abeer museum and amechanical organ museum nearby.Famous inhabitants
*
Jacques Brel , famous Belgiansinger (1929–1978)
*Paul-Henri Spaak ,politician and statesman (1899–1972)
*René Magritte ,surrealist painter (1898–1967)
*Paul Deschanel , Frenchstatesman andPresident of France (1855–1922)
*Michel de Ghelderode ,novelist (1898–1962), employed at the Townhall from 1923 to 1946
*Georges Eekhoud ,novelist (1854–1927)
*Jan Ferguut ,novelist (1835–1902)
*Gustave Strauven ,architect (1878–1919), art nouveau
*Frans Hemelsoet ,architect (1875–1947), art nouveau
*Henri Jacobs ,architect (1864–1935), art nouveau
*Andrée de Jongh , member of theResistance during World War II (b. 1916)
*Roger Somville , painter (b. 1923)
*Jean Roba ,comics author, creator of "Boule et Bill " (1930–2006)
*Roger Camille ,cartoonist (1936–2006)
*Claude Coppens ,pianist andcomposer (b. 1936)
*Alain Hutchinson , politician (b. 1949)
*Raymond van het Groenewoud ,musician andsinger (b. 1950)
*Daniel Ducarme , politician (b. 1954)
*Emilio Ferrera , football player and coach (b. 1967)
*Maurane (1960-), singer
*François Schuiten (1956-),comics author (Brüsel...)
*Max morton (1942-), painter
*Clément Laloy (1975-), director of theatreTwin cities
*BEL:
Houffalize - at the end of WWII, Schaerbeek collected fundings to relief Houffalize, suffering heavily from the last German counter-attack in the Ardennes; since then, Houffalize yearly sends hundreds of Christmas Trees to Schaerbeek
*MAR:Al-Hoceima
*TUR:Beyoğlu External links
* [http://www.schaerbeek.irisnet.be/ Official site of Schaarbeek municipality] (only in French or Dutch)
* [http://www.clerfayt.be/ Site of Burgmester Bernard Clerfayt]
* [http://www.cqfds.be/FR/MENU/debutfr.htm Committee of Federated Suburbs of Schaerbeek]
* [http://www.cartesociale-schaerbeek.be/ Social harmonisation of Schaerbeek - carte sociale]
* [http://www.mabiblio.be/ Local libraries]
* [http://www.polbruno.be/ Police zone site - 5344 (Evere-Saint-Josse-Schaerbeek)]
* [http://www.chu-brugmann.be/ CHU Brugmann - site Paul Brien]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.