2004 in Belgium

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See also:	Other events of 2004 ; List of years in Belgium

Last updated August 23, 2024

This article details events occurring in the year 2004 in Belgium. Major events include a gas explosion in Ghislenghien, which killed 24 people, and the restructuring of the Vlaams Blok political party.

Incumbents

Events

1 March – Marc Dutroux brought to trial.
22 March – Marc Dutroux sentenced to life imprisonment.
24 April – Sporting Anderlecht wins the Belgian First Division
30 July – Gas explosion in Ghislenghien, Hainaut, causes 24 deaths.
21 August – Justine Henin wins the Olympic final against French tennis player Amélie Mauresmo, earning the gold medal
29 August – Kimi Räikkönen wins the 2004 Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.^[2]
25 October – Patrick Hoogmartens succeeds Paul Schruers as Bishop of Hasselt
14 November – Flemish political party Vlaams Blok dissolves and rebrands as Vlaams Belang.
26 December – 12 Belgians are among the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Publications

Xavier Mabille, Histoire politique de la Belgique: Facteurs et acteurs de changement (Brussels, C.R.I.S.P.).

Art and architecture

Buildings

Ethias Arena opens in Hasselt
North Galaxy Towers in Brussels completed (begun 2002)

Births

6 January – Roméo Lavia, footballer
6 February – Princess Louise of Belgium
2 March – Evy Poppe, snowboarder
13 October – Ben Mertens, snooker player

Deaths

January

1 January – Jean-Pierre Hallet, anthropologist and human rights activist.
7 January – Leonce-Albert Van Peteghem, bishop
28 January – André Van Lysebeth, yoga instructor

February

2 February – Arthur Gilson, politician
7 February – Leopold Maertens
9 February – Mechtilde van Mechelen, actress
11 February – Ugo Prinsen, actor
13 February – Jan De Laender, psychologist and journalist
21 February – John Taylor, politician

March

13 March – Roger Nols, mayor
14 March – Petrus Weemaels, composer
17 March – Jan Van Der Auwera, soccer player

April

2 April – Guillaume Marie van Zuylen, bishop
4 April – Briek Schotte, cyclist
5 April – Fernand Goyvaerts, soccer player

May

3 May – Marc Mortier, entrepreneur
5 May – Marc Scheers, TV producer
16 May – Omer Grawet, journalist and news reporter
18 May – Rik Hamblok, abstract painter
26 May – Frans Buyens, film and TV-director

June

7 June – Karel Biddeloo comic book creator
15 June
- Maurits Sabbe, priest and theologian
- Denise Zimmerman, actress
20 June – Stive Vermaut, cyclist

July

3 July – Freddy de Vree, poet
8 July – Emile Brichard, cyclist
27 July – Léon Hurez, politician

August

2 August – François Craenhals, comic book writer
10 August – Remi Piryns
31 August — Jean-Marie Ghuysen, chemist

September

5 September – Cecil de Strycker, economist and banker
9 September – Hein Beniest, film director
16 September – Cyrillus-Camillus Barbary, First World War veteran
26 September – Tim Pauwels, cyclist
30 September – Fernand Terby conductor

Related Research Articles

Marc Paul Alain Dutroux is a Belgian convicted serial killer, serial rapist, and child molester. Initially convicted for the abduction and rape of five young girls in 1989, Dutroux was released on parole after just three years' imprisonment. He was arrested again in 1996 on suspicion of having abducted, tortured, and sexually abused six girls aged between 8 and 19, four of whom were killed. Dutroux's widely publicized trial ended with his conviction on all charges in 2004; he was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vlaams Blok</span> Former Flemish far-right party

Vlaams Blok was the name of a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders.

Vlaams Belang is a Flemish nationalist, Eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels Capital Region of Belgium. It is widely considered to be on the political far-right, although it self-describes as right-nationalist.

Gerolf Emma Jozef Annemans is a Belgian lawyer, journalist and politician of the Flemish nationalist party Vlaams Belang (VB) and formerly of its predecessor, the Vlaams Blok. He has been a member of the European Parliament since 2014, and a city councilor in Antwerp since 2000. He served as a member of the Chamber of Representatives from 1987 to 2014, and as a city councilor in Brasschaat from 1994 to 2000. He was the former leader of the VB from 2012 to 2014, and led the Vlaams Blok and VB parliamentary groups from 1991 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filip De Man</span> Flemish politician

Filip Emiel Julien De Man is a Flemish politician and journalist. He has an M.A. in philosophy and lives in Vilvoorde, Flemish Brabant. He is the brother of actress Brigitte De Man and the son of Jos De Man, a well-known lawyer and writer.

The following lists events that happened during 2008 in the Kingdom of Belgium.

Events from the year 2003 in Belgium

Events in the year 1916 in Belgium.

Events in the year 2016 in Belgium.

Events in the year 2010 in Belgium.

Events from the year 1991 in Belgium

Events of the year 2019 in Belgium.

Events from the year 1993 in Belgium

Events in the year 1897 in Belgium.

Events in the year 1912 in Belgium.

Events in the year 1927 in Belgium.

Events in the year 1955 in Belgium.

Events in the year 1976 in Belgium.

Dominiek Lootens-Stael is a Belgian lawyer and politician who is a member of Vlaams Belang party and a member of the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region.

References

↑ "Albert II, king of Belgium". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
↑ "2004 Belgian Grand Prix - Practice 2" . Retrieved 10 April 2013.

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[1] "Albert II, king of Belgium". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 28 March 2019.

[2] "2004 Belgian Grand Prix - Practice 2" . Retrieved 10 April 2013.

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v t e 2004 in Europe
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