Jean van den Bosch

Jean van den Bosch
Van den Bosch in the Congo in 1960
Belgian Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Baron
In office
4 July 1960 – 9 August 1960
Preceded by position established
Personal details
Born 27 January 1910
Ghent, Belgium
Died 15 December 1985
Spouse(s) Hélène van den Bosch
Alma mater Catholic University of Leuven

Jean van den Bosch (27 January 1910 – 15 December 1985) was a Belgian diplomat.

Biography

Jean van den Bosch was born on 27 January 1910 in Ghent, Belgium.[1] He received a doctorate in law from the Université catholique de Louvain in 1931. The following year he earned degrees in history and diplomatic political science.[2]

Career

Van den Bosch began his diplomatic career in 1934.[1] On 2 July 1960 van den Bosch arrived in Léopoldville, capital of the newly independent Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) (formerly the Belgian Congo) to serve as ambassador.[3] Two days later he presented his credentials to President Joseph Kasa-Vubu.[2] However, relations between Belgium and the Congo quickly deteriorated and van den Bosch was accused by the Congolese government of instigating unrest throughout the country. He was ordered to be expelled from the Congo, but didn't receive any notice until the morning of 9 August when a Congolese Foreign Ministry official informed him that he had until noon that day to leave. Facing a large crowd of angry Congolese, van den Bosch left the Belgian embassy under the escort of United Nations peacekeepers to the docks, where he took a boat to Brazzaville and from there flew back to Belgium.[4]

Citations

  1. 1 2 Kay 1977, p. 641.
  2. 1 2 Delcorde 2010, p. 196.
  3. ↑ Kanza 1994, p. 184.
  4. ↑ Associated Press 1960.

References

  • Associated Press (10 August 1960). "Congolese Jeer Belgian Envoy On Departure". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 2.
  • Delcorde, Raoul (2010). Belgian ambassadors (in French). Editions Mardaga. ISBN 9782804700430.
  • Kanza, Thomas R. (1994). The Rise and Fall of Patrice Lumumba: Conflict in the Congo (expanded ed.). Rochester, Vermont: Schenkman Books, Inc. ISBN 0-87073-901-8.
  • Kay, Ernest (1977). Men of Achievement. Melrose Press.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.