Painter

Six years ago Belgium was officially divided into three language zones: French only for the Walloons, Flemish only in the Flemish districts, both French and Flemish in Brussels and suburbs. As a practical measure, both tongues were retained on signs along the language frontiers and in areas visited by tourists. This seemed like good business even to the most zealous Fleming, but to Florimond Grammens it appeared as sabotage of the language laws. Believing in direct action, M. Grammens bought a brush and a pot of black paint, began to wander along the countryside hunting out French inscriptions which hurt his patriotic Flemish feelings. Soon numerous young Flemish students joined him.

All this seemed a good joke until the city fathers of Tongres decided to punish zealous M. Grammens for spoiling the markings on their municipal buildings. Sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Painter Grammens became overnight a Flemish martyr. The embarrassed Government released him after only two weeks in jail.

In less than 24 hours Florimond Grammens had resumed his painting, soon after led his "school" of gay students in an Anschluss raid into the predominantly French town of Enghien, intending to paint it Flemish. Equally zealous French-speaking students drove them off.

Having tired of one short jail sentence after another, Painter Grammens recently announced an armistice of sorts: no more daubing on official buildings, but plenty of attention to such private undertakings as shops, hotels, garage owners, doctors. Meanwhile, the Belgium Royal Commission on Names and Dialects made haste to appease M. Grammens and all Flemish nationalists. Announced last week was a change of name for hundreds of Belgian towns and villages. Samples: Leuven for Louvain, Ieper for Ypres, Brugge for Bruges, Kortrijk for Courtrai.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.