Frans Van den Dungen
1898-1965
Frans Van den Dungen was rector of the ULB during WWII and closed the university in 1941 to resist Nazi interference. He later taught in secret and continued his scientific career after the war.
Frans Van den Dungen, born in Uccle in 1898, completed his secondary education at the Royal Atheneum of Saint-Gilles. It was there that he came into contact with several ULB professors who, during the First World War, organised clandestine classes. In 1922, he graduated as a mining engineer from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and later specialised in physics and mathematics at foreign universities. In 1938, he became rector of the ULB.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was a lieutenant in the engineering corps of the Belgian army. After the 18-Day Campaign, he resumed his role as rector.
As the “wartime rector,” Van den Dungen tried to maintain teaching and research at the university while shielding it as much as possible from interference by the occupying forces. The Nazis sought to appoint new, ideologically aligned professors and to remove “anti-German elements” and Jewish staff members. However, during the second academic year after the war began, the pressure became too great. On 25 November 1941, following a unanimous decision by the Board of Governors, Van den Dungen closed the ULB to prevent further Nazi control.
He was detained for a time at the citadel in Namur. After his release, he took part in organising and teaching clandestine classes at the officially closed ULB—an echo of his own academic beginnings during World War I.
Van den Dungen remained rector until 1944. After the war, he continued his scientific career at a high level until his death in 1965.
Sources:
- Van den Dungen, François Henri Antoine (1898–1965). Bestor_NL, 2025, https://www.bestor.be/wiki_nl/index.php/Van_den_Dungen,_Fran%C3%A7ois_Henri_Antoine_(1898-1965)
- Glansdorff, Paul & Bosquet, Jean, "Frans Van den Dungen", In: Biographie Nationale, vol. 43, 1983, kol. 352-368.
- Kesteloot, Chantal, en Dirk Martin. "25 november 1941. De sluiting van de ULB." Belgium WWII, CegeSoma/Rijksarchief, https://www.belgiumwwii.be/nl/belgie-in-oorlog/artikels/25-november-1941-de-sluiting-van-de-ulb.html. Geraadpleegd op 10 apr. 2025.
- Despy-Meyer, Andrée; Dierkens Alain en Scheelings Frank, 25 november 1941 : de Université Libre de Bruxelles sluit haar deuren, Brussel, VUBPress, 1991.