Louis de Brouckère

Brouckère, Louis de 

Born May 31, 1870, in Rousselaere; died June 5, 1951, in Brussels. Belgian Social Democrat and member of the Belgian Workers’ Party (BWP) from the early 1890’s.

During 1905-07, Brouckère spoke out in support of the revolution in Russia. In 1911 he published an article in the German social democratic magazine Die Neue Zeit in which he criticized the leadership of the BWP for opportunism. During World War I he adopted a position of social chauvinism. Between the world wars Brouckère held leading positions in the BWP and the Second International, pursuing a policy hostile to the policy of the Belgian Communists and the USSR. During World War II he was an émigré. After the liberation of Belgium from the fascist German occupation, he played an active part in rebuilding the BWP. Brouckère opposed cooperation with the communists and favored the establishment of a socialist international.