Alfred Hercule Remy was born in Ghent on 12 janvier 1882 and died in Tronchiennes-lez-Gand (Drunk) the 20 june 1945. His father Isidore Jean Remy is a veterinary inspector in Destelbergen and his mother, Sophie Van Steenberghe is an annuitant. Alfred Remy comes from a bourgeois Catholic Ghent family and is fluent in both French and Dutch.. However, French is commonly used in the family.
Alfred Remy completed his entire law studies at the University of Ghent. Between 1900 and 1902, he did two years of preparation for law in the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. In 1902, he is a candidate in law. Then, between 1903 and 1905, he completed his three years of doctorate.
After his studies, Alfred Remy starts working as a lawyer in Destelbergen. In 1912, he is appointed to the position of deputy of the King's prosecutor at the Court of First Instance of Dendermonde. In 1914, following in the footsteps of his brother Oswald, he volunteers for war and joins the army. In 1916, he was appointed substitute for the military auditor's office in the field and then in 1918, military auditor in the field. He left the army on 30 october 1918. In April 1919, he leaves his position as deputy of the King's prosecutor to become director general of Public Security, position he held until 1927. The 10 march 1927, he succeeds Louis Gonne and became general administrator of Public Security. He held these positions for two years.. The 22 may 1929, he resigns to become general advocate at the Court of Appeal of Ghent. It is replaced, to Public Security, by the baron René Beltjens. The 22 september 1938, he succeeds Chevalier Elewyck as attorney general of the jurisdiction of Ghent.
At the end of the Inter-Wars, he gets closer to young leaders of the VNV. Far from his patriotic attitude in 1914-1918, which earned him several honorary distinctions, he compromised with the Occupier during the Second War. The 20 june 1945, Alfred Remy is found dead in the Lys near Tronchiennes-lez-Gand. The funeral takes place in the Saint-Paul church in Ghent in the greatest privacy., according to the wishes of the family. He is buried alongside his parents and aunt, Hélène Remy in Ledeberg, a section of the city of Ghent.
Apart from these positions, Alfred Remy is a member of the Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Religious Congregation. The latter, widespread throughout Europe, is dedicated to the veneration of the Blessed Virgin and to the misfortunes suffered by her.
In 1908, he gives a conference on the theme of the jurisdiction of the peace court in commercial matters at the request of the Flemish Conferentie der Balie van Gent.
Alfred Remy remained single until 28 janvier 1931, date he married Hélène Marie Henriette Van de Calseyde, daughter of Albert Van de Calseyde, doctor, et Maria Lombaert. The wedding takes place in Ghent. Oswald Remy and Paul Van de Calseyde, brothers of the bride and groom, are witnesses to it. On the date of the wedding, Alfred Remy's parents are both deceased and Hélène Van de Calseyde lives with her widowed mother. Three children were born from this first and only marriage. : Jean, Ghislaine and Michel Remy. However, until the death of Alfred Remy, the family is also hosting a fourth child, André Remy, son of Céline Kielemoes. The latter, born out of wedlock on 31 july 1913, is the first son of Alfred Remy.
Alfred Remy is the brother of Oswald Remy (born the 6 september 1878), Belgian army officer. The latter volunteers for war in 1894 and climb the ladder little by little. In 1914, he was appointed Chief Quartermaster then lieutenant in 1920 and finally captain of administration in an honorary capacity in 1930.
Sources:
- Herman BALTHAZAR, Jan CAUDRON, Johan DECAVELE, Christian VANDEWAL and STEPHEN BEEL, dir., The temple of Themis: Gent. 160 years in courthouse and legal practice, Thinking, 2007, p. 155.
- Frank CAESTECKER, Alien Policy in Belgium, 1840-1940: The Creation of Guest Workers, Refugees and Illegal Aliens, New York, 2000, p. 113-115.
- Marc COOLS, Koenraad BADGER, Robin LIBERT, dir., State security : essays over de 175 years of State security, Brussels, 2005.
- Personal files of René Beltjens and Alfred Remy, Archives générales du Royaume, Ministère de la Justice, Police des étrangers (deuxième versement), n° 23-24.
- Archives générales du Royaume, High Commission for State Security.
Marie Meyer
Notice written as part of the Seminar on the History of the Contemporary Period of the Catholic University of Louvain (LHIST2280, teacher Emmanuel Debruyne).
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