The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-27
LOUVAIN


lean educators are Launching a move
ment to raise funds to rebuild the
famous library OF the Universitv Of
Louvain. destroyed by the German
invaders early in the war.
The city OF I.ouvain, the "oxtord
OF the low countries" is described in
the following bulletin from the
Washington headquarters of the Ma
ti1hal Geographic Society:
Not only the University Of Lou
vain. but the city, is an object les
son in the wanton destruction OF the
German army. Early in 1915 group
of university professors of other
countries drew IN a petition express
| ing strong Indignation and ahhor-
renee at the gratuitous destruction
| of ancient buildings that has marked
the invasion of Belgium and France
by the German army and protesting
! in the strongest terms against the
( continuance of so barbarous and
reckless q policy
ITO this IA group of German uni
i versitv professors, among them Ger
hart Hauptmann, Max Reinhardt and
Rudolf Eucken, replied that 1t was
/ not true that their troops had treat
/ ed Belgium brutally, but that any
/ way, we must decidedly refuse to buy
I ing a work of art
IF Louvain has contributed little
] to scientific achievement II had
tremendous effect upon philosophic
and religious thought. IT has been
said that the city's chief product was
theology. But Germany's contempt for
that Kind Of culture is reflected un-
( sctouely IN Raadeter's gUi3rh.ok Z
1910. which describes It as a duh
y,11 trh "a h
Thus the German guide casually
t disnlisses the cradle Of Belgium in
depeudence an early home OF the
European weaving industry. and
treasure house OF marvellous art
works In one Of his most famous
pastorais. Cardinal MERCER, now
visitor 1n The United states. a"s"rfh-
rs the havoc wrought in Louvain
thus.
"'jn thjs dear city NJ Louvan. per-
retuailv In nv thoughts. the nagniA-
cent Church Of st Peter VIII never
- oyer fta former srlendor The an
Gent College % st Ives. the art
..-.nFs. the consular and commercial
schools Of the university. the old
markers our rich library with it's
collections its unique and unpuh-
Nrhpd manuscripts. it's archives, tfs
Gallery IF great portraits Of Illus
eating from the time OF its founda-
tar which r~czerved for masters and
students ALIKE a noble tradition, and
eare an Indictment in their studies
ain This accumulation of intellectual
= historic. and Of artistic riches, The
frult Of the lahoTs Of FIVE centuries
aI is IN dust
THE library referred 10 contained
Some 70 he3 volumes ana boat : a
o. q
f-r v"retty founded in 1926. by John
~ SCI pe~race husband Of Jaccuc'tnr
t-.tl-- To war the university had
Hno students; bat at its hcyday IN
tae sixteenth century, its enrolment
.@slsrled 5000
The city Of Louvain ever will he
ramon Aered ~ the scene of the grant
ing to Tire Pe'elan people by Duke
Nrrceslaus OF the JOYOUS entry
wHh that charters preservation
more than four centuries later when
Kaiser Joseph. the crowned anar-
rtist n Austria. tried 70 deprive
Ec-atans of their ancient rights.
The circumstances or that resist
eu5a from one more bond Of union
between Belgium and the United
states # America fer II took place
lust ter years after the Federation
- 7raererae7o- was sts-ned an act
nh left deep impress upon the
EF1ara
''f' III he recalled that Emperor
Tuseuh brother Of Marie Antoinette,
had tried 20 abolish Hollands frontier
forss H v-on n temporary victory
because Holland at that time was
etrhrol@d with Great Britain over
tfe forrre~1s re@1vnBtior Of thc United
states of America.
'%eyt be turned 20 Belgium with
project fo- reforming the church
hut tile palgtans were determined that
such reformation should not he i'm
posed from without When the Rel
e7-rs re#Irted fre declared rig cersti'
tuition ar0u}lef. sent an armed force
into the country. and was met with
- declaration that he no longer was
Duke II Brahant and that BelFians
8anceforth would be an iudepen de m
PEOPLE - Re known as the United
states ~ Belgium
'TN ouzh the Belgium United States
-vas short lived. largely because the
3 ts+@agt fset s-etg Of RaraFy~ .4sA i4sF~ 4 -
set q precedent by recognizing II. and
encouraged Joseph's successor in re-
ro0querng il. the seed OF independ
; s'gce thus planted nv the historic uni-
- 81 reitv hlooned again half century
! II revealed itself gloriously
:r 1914